Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Psalms, chapter 87. Psalms 87. I would like to read verses 3 through
6. Psalms 87, verses 3 to 6. Glorious things are spoken of
thee, O city of God, Selah. I will make mention of Rahab
and Babylon to them that know me. Behold Philistia and Tyre
with Ethiopia. This man was born there. And
of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her.
and the highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall
count when he righteth up the people that this man was born
there. Selah. Our Father, this evening we ask
your blessing upon your word, your glorious gospel of free
grace. Lord, would you cause us to hear,
cause us to worship. We ask and look to you, believe
in, for Christ's sake. Amen. The church of the Lord Jesus
Christ, Zion, the church, the bride,
has everlastingly been loved by the Lord. That's what He said. I've loved you with an everlasting
love. She was given to the Lord Jesus
Christ. He has ever stood as her surety,
her safety. And He came into this world and
he redeemed her from her fall in Adam. Now he keeps her through faith,
gives her faith to believe him, and she is now being made ready
to be revealed in the last time. And the scripture says that Almighty
God has and continually shall proclaim honorable statements
about her. That's what verse 3 says. Glorious
things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Pause. That's what Selah means. Just
pause. God Almighty has got some wonderfully
glorious things to say about the church. Time would fail us
to read or to consider all of the glorious things that the
Lord says about His church. But I thought of a thing or two. If I could say it like that,
he said glorious things. How about this one, Isaiah 62,
verse 4, Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken, neither shall
thy land any more be termed desolate, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah,
that is, my delight is in her. And thy land, Beulah, that is,
married, For the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be
married." Oh, what a glorious thing for our ears to hear that
Almighty God, who assumed our nature, and according to His
everlasting will and purpose, betrothed Himself to His people
He has everlastingly given Himself to her to be her faithful husband. The husband that would ever provide
for her. And she, himself, in regenerating
grace, gives herself to Him. Comes to Him. Another glorious
thing. that's going to be spoken of
her is recorded in this next verse. And here is what the Lord
has said concerning this glorious thing that's said, and it's concerning
Him reminding her of what He's done for her in mercy and compassion
to not leave her in the bondage of sin. Think about this glorious
thing. Verse 4, I will mention of Rahab. and Babylon to them that know
me. Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia. This man was born
there." Now the word or the name Rahab is not Rahab the harlot,
though there are many wonderful things said about Rahab the harlot
and God's mercy to her. But actually this word right
here, Rahab, which is a completely different word, actually means
Egypt. He said, I'm going to make mention
of where I brought my church from. I'm going to make mention
to her of Egypt when she was in bondage. And when I brought
her out of the bondage of that Egyptian nation, kept her. I'm going to mention to her about
Babylon. Another place where I put her
in bondage because of her rebellion, but I'm going to make mention
also of those that were in Babylon. There were some named Daniel,
and there was Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego. Out of Rahab or
out of Egypt, there was Moses. I'm going to mention also Philistia. Philistia I found out. was a
city. A city of the Philistines. But over in Acts 8, verse 40,
the Scripture says that Paul the Apostle went to a place called
Azotus. And I'll read this to you. Acts
8, verse 40. And here's what it says. Now,
the Philistines, they were the ones that stood against the people
of God. There was Goliath. You know, you send out your warrior,
I'll come over and I'll fight whoever wins. You know, the Philistines.
Those that stood against the people of God. But, here's what
the Scripture says about this city of the Philistines. They're
in Philistia. Called Azotus. Acts chapter 8
and verse 40. And Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached
in all the cities. till he came to Caesarea. God
sent a preacher there. God has some people there. Then
he said, I'm also going to mention a city called Tyre. I found out
that that was a city that the prophet Amos prophesied in Amos
1, verses 9 and 10, that God was going to destroy. But in
Acts 21, verses 3 and 4, Here's what the Scripture says
about that city, Tyre. Acts 21, 3 and 4, it says, Now
when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand and
sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre. For there the ship was
to unlaid her burden. And finding Cyprus, we tarried
there seven days, who said to Paul through the Spirit that
he should not go up to Jerusalem. Here was Tyre. A city that God
was going to destroy. But Paul the Apostle went there
and there were some believers there. God had raised up some
believers, some people. And Ethiopia, that heathen nation
had just outcast Gentiles. But there was at least one Ethiopian
eunuch. that God called out of darkness
on that road from Jerusalem. He sent Philip over there. Philip,
you know, the Ethiopian eunuch was reading Scriptures. Philip
asked him, he said, you know what you're reading? How can
I? Except some man show me. Some man teach me. And beginning
at that place, the Scripture says Philip preached unto him
Jesus. All of these nations that by and large did not know the
Lord had a people within them, a people that Almighty God everlastingly
loved out of every kindred, every offshoot, every clan, every tongue,
every language, every people, every nation. The Scripture says
that the Lord has redeemed a people out of every place under the
sun, and that out of every place where the objects of God's mercy
are found, no matter where they were born, no matter what the
name of the country was, no matter what God's judgment was upon
that country, Almighty God has always had a people. Everywhere. And he said, I'm going to say
this, back in Psalm 87, in verse 3, I'm going to make mention
of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me. You that know me
in grace, know me in power, know me in regeneration. I'm going
to behold Philistia, behold Tyre, Ethiopia. But this is what is
going to be said about those people that were born in those
places. There's some in there, it's going
to be said, this man. was born there, born from above,
born in grace, born into Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, God's
city. The Lord's people scattered throughout
the world shall have this said about them, God Almighty has
given me life. I've been born from above. Out
of every place, the Lord has promised, I have a people there. This is why we can, with assuredness,
preach the gospel. This is how we can, with surety,
know that Almighty God is going to bless His people. Verse 5
says, and of Zion, it shall be said, This and that man was born
in her, and the Highest Himself shall establish her." Now, that
this and that man was born in her means either man and man,
or it means men of all sorts. This man and that man was born
in her. The chosen of God surely are
strangers. They're scattered all over the
world and in different time periods. We don't know where they are.
But Almighty God does. The Lord's always had His people
in every nation and in every time. Romans 11.5, Even so then,
at this present time, the Apostle Paul says, there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. Where are they? I don't
know. But I can tell you this, they're
going to be born again. This is what's going to be said
about them. They were born there. They were born in Zion. Where
are you from? I'm from Philistia. I'm a believer. I'll tell you what, you were
born in Zion. I'm from Babylon. Well, this
is what the Lord says about you. You were born in Zion. I was
born in Fairmont. I was born in Rachel. I was born
here. You know the Lord? This man was
born there. He was born in Zion. That's His
true city, His heavenly city. And the Scripture says that the
Highest Himself, concerning these in verse 5, that this man and
that man was born in earth, the Highest Himself shall establish
her, shall set her up, shall fix her. Upon the Rock Himself,
the Lord Jesus Christ, an Almighty God, the Highest Himself, shall
give her prosperous life, living life, founded in the chief cornerstone. The Highest Himself shall undertake
for her. He shall be her continual companion. He said, I'll never leave you.
I'll never leave you. Wherever you are, You that were
born in her. This man was born in her. In Zion. In God's city. Birthed from above. I will never
leave you. There is no time that I'm not
with you. I'm ever with you. Even to the
end of the age, end of the world. Lo, I'm with you. And the scriptures
reveal something in verse 6. That was an amazing thing to
me. I don't know if I've ever really
seen this before. But the Scripture declares, the
Lord shall count when He righteth up the people that this man was
born there. See law. Looking at the wording,
Looking at the spirit of this message of the glorious things,
verse 3 says, it's going to be spoken of thee, O city of God,
Zion herself. The Scripture says that the Lord
Himself, the Scripture says, shall count. And this is what
it means. It means to score with a mark
as a record. It means to celebrate, to commune,
to account, to declare when He writeth up the people, when He
records the people. Now, I'm going to tell you this.
I can tell you according to this wording right here, this is not
the Lamb's Book of Life. The Scripture sets forth that
there is a record that is made. I know the Scripture speaks of
a book of remembrance that the Lord had written. Those that spoke of Him spoke
to each other about Him. A book of remembrance. The Scripture
speaks of the book of life. It talks of books of men's works. God Almighty has perfect records. I know that it's considering
His omniscience. He knows all. He sees all. And the scriptural language here
is that a record, what is the depth of that? I don't know.
I don't know. But I can tell you this, that
the wording of it is such that it sets forth a census. A census. Mr. Spurgeon said this,
at the great census, which the Lord Himself shall take. He will number His people out
of the nations without exception, and make an exact registry of
them, whether they be born of natural descent from Babylon,
Tyre, Arabia, or any other heathen nation." This is what God Almighty
has to say concerning these glorious things that are spoken of the
city of God. Here's the glorious thing. This
man was born there. This person, this sinner, this
object of my mercy was born there. This one right here is not a
wayside hearer. This one here is not a false
professor. This is not one here that's going
through the motions. This is not a stony ground here.
This is not a thorny ground here. This is a good ground here, right
here. And only God knows. This is the glorious thing that
He shall say, as the Scripture says, He shall count when He
righteth up the people. This is the glorious thing about
every one of them. This man was born here. This
man was born here. Oh, the great importance and
necessity of the new birth. John 3 says, Jesus answered and
said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born again. Except Almighty God birth him
from above. He cannot see the kingdom of
God. Heavenly birth has nothing to
do with the earth. It's earthy. This is heavenly. A sinner must have a new nature. Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does
corruption inherit incorruption. A dead sinner must be made alive
in Christ, robed in the wedding garment of His righteousness,
or He shall be cast out. But in closing, considering this
glorious census, this count, I would read that and I would
re-read it and I would re-read it. The Lord shall count when
He righteth up the people. Every one of them. This man was
born there. This man was born there. What
a glorious thought. But concerning his count, his knowledge of his people,
his acknowledgment of them at their birth from above, whatever
the depth of this means, and I'll be honest with you, I don't
know the depth of it. But I can tell you that Almighty
God will acknowledge every one of them. And this is going to
be the glorious thing that He says about them. This one is
mine. This one was born. This one was
born there. Three things in closing I want
to consider. Consider that the Lord shall openly display. His power and victory over Satan
the liar. I was reading in Exodus chapter
15, verse 9, and this is what Pharaoh
said concerning the people of God. The enemy said, I will pursue,
I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My lust shall be satisfied
upon them. I will draw my sword, and my
hand shall destroy them." You know what God said? This
one was born in Zion. And I'll never leave you. And
I'll never forsake you. All Pharaoh did was just voice. the very heart of Satan. I will
exalt myself. I will be as the Most High. I
will be as the Most High God. Do you know what God Almighty
is going to do? He's going to openly acknowledge
His people. Secondly, you consider in this
count, in this writing, you consider the surety of God's Word. We've read this Scripture so
many times, but it bears Read again, John 6, 37. All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me
I will in no wise cast him out. The Lord shall count. Mark. He shall mark it. Mark
it. In regenerating grace, God Almighty
takes the census according to his everlasting purpose. And then thirdly, consider the
grace of God to choose to save whomsoever he would. The Lord shall count when he
righteth up the people that this man was born there. The Lord is saying this glorious
thing. I chose to show mercy to you.
I gave you to my Son in electing grace. I sent my Son to die in
your stead. I called you out of darkness
into the glorious light of my blessed Son. I robed you in the
righteousness of God. I kept you by my power and grace. This man, by my good pleasure,
and according to my everlasting covenant to show mercy to Him,
was born there. And one day, we're going to see
Him as He is, and we're going to know Him And the Scripture
says we're going to be like Him. Lord, oh, the depth of that which
You have said concerning Your city, Your glorious city. Lord, as You say that You count,
that You mark, that You write, that the census is taken by You. Lord, in the indescribable mercy
Your ways that are not our ways. Your thoughts that are not our
thoughts. Lord, thanks be unto you that you would say these
glorious things about us. And Lord, as you say, they are. Whether we understand them or
not, they are. For Christ's sake.