Now the title of the message
this evening is found in verse eight in a form of a question. And again, it's asked again in
verse 10. And the title of the message
is, who is this king? Who is this king of glory? Who is this one who has entered
in for us as the Lord of hosts? Who has entered in for us and
is seated victoriously at the right hand of the throne of God.
Have you ever noticed how many times in the word of God, it's
recorded that the Lord Jesus Christ is at the right hand of
the throne of God, a place of power, a place of preeminence,
a special place, a place of love, a place of blessing, sitting
on the throne of God Almighty. That's the king of glory. He's my savior. He's my Lord. He's my righteousness. He's my
acceptance before God. To the believer of the Lord Jesus,
Christ is not something, he's everything. Christ is all and
in all. To the believer, who is this
king of glory? To the believer, the answer is
obvious. The Lord Jesus Christ, He is
indeed King, who enters glory by the merit of His finished
work of redemption, by the merit of His perfect obedience unto
God, and this is the good news of the Gospel, for He enters
in as a representative man for His covenant people. Upon His
finished redemption, upon His perfect Righteousness not only
demands his entrance into glory and reception into glory But
also demands our salvation as well This is what gives the believer
the elect of God right and title unto salvation that he hath wrought
for us We read in first Peter 3 about the Lord Jesus Christ
who once suffered for our sins the just for the unjust that
he might bring us unto God. And that's how we are brought
through the merit and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
this entitles, this gives the elect of God right entitled to
enter in and to dwell in the presence of God upon the merit
of Christ's sacrifice and obedience. This is the good news of the
gospel. Now let's look at verse one and two. The earth. The earth
is His. The earth is the Lord's. And
the fullness of this world. All things belong to Him. He's
the creator of all things. He's the sustainer of all things.
And they that dwell therein, all creatures that dwell upon
this earth, They belong to the Lord. He has founded this earth. He has established this earth. He has created all things by
the word of His power. Now here's a clear and powerful
declaration that all things in heaven and earth, all things
in the world belong unto our great Creator, not unto the creature
all things belong to him I know we have this country and we say
that this is our country and we have taken this country and
divided it into states and counties and plots of land and men have
their title deed to their property and they say well that's my property
Oftentimes, when you visit someone and they have some acreage, they
say, well, let me show you my property. Let me show you my
property line. Let me take you around the fence
line and show you. Really, when you get right down
to the nuts and bolts of it, right down to the bottom line,
all things belong to God. We just occupy here for just
a little time. The earth is the Lord's. Everything belongs to Him. It doesn't belong to the creature. We're just squatters. It belongs
to the Creator. All things were established by
Him. You see, He founded the earth.
He established the earth. He created all things, and as
such, He is the owner of all. The sustainer of all things.
As such, they're under His absolute sovereign dominion and sovereign
control. He's the God of all the earth. Turn over here to Psalm 47. I'm glad it's His. He has the
wisdom. to rule over it. He has the power
to sustain it, and it will be sustained until He says, ìItís
enough,î until He is pleased to dissolve this thing we call
the earth, and He will create a new heaven and a new earth
wherein dwelleth righteousness. But look what it says over here
in Psalm 47, ìFor God is a King,î verse 7, Psalm 47 verse 7, for God is
a king of all the earth. Sing ye praises with understanding. Now notice, if you will, Psalm
50. The earth is the Lord's. Everything
that dwells therein, every bird, every fish, every man, every
cow, every horse. Look what he says in Psalm 50,
verse 10, for every beast of the forest is mine. The cattle
upon a thousand hills, they're mine. We don't own anything.
We don't. It all belongs to him. He said,
I know all the fowls of the mountains. And the wild beasts of the field
are mine. If I were hungry, I wouldn't
tell you. The world is mine. And the fullness of it thereof
is mine. All things belong to Him. And as such, He is the sovereign
ruler over all things. Notice in Psalm 135, Psalm 135
verse 5, For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all
gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did He in heaven and earth and the seas and all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend
from the ends of the earth. He maketh lightnings for the
rain. He bringeth the wind out of His treasury. It's not Mother
Nature. It's God Almighty that controls
all things. That's quite annoying to hear
someone talk about the weather being controlled by Mother Nature. God controls all things by the
word of His power. He says to the lightning, go
forth, and to the wind, to blow, which direction to blow, when
to blow, how strong to blow. He sends the rain, the floods. He sends all these things. You
see, the earth is the Lord's. Cannot I do with my own what
I will? He said, yes. He's a sovereign
over all the earth. You can't take that too far.
You can't preach God too high. You can't give Him too much glory. He's a creator of all things,
the sustainer of all things. He has power and sovereign dominion
over all. Heaven, the earth, seas, and
all deep places. even so as God created all things
by the Lord Jesus Christ even so has he redeemed his church
by the Lord Jesus Christ in his blood he has bought his people
with his own blood we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ
therefore the Lord Jesus Christ as a God-man mediator has been
given power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many
as God hath given to him. I want to show you something
here. Turn to John 17. You ever notice this? Our Lord
said in Matthew 28, all power is given to me in heaven and
earth. Go ye therefore and preach the gospel to every creature
knowing that I'm in charge, that I'll bless and call out my people
with your word, with the truth. John 17, notice this if you will. Now this is the Lord's priestly
prayer for us, isn't it? Thou has given him power over
all flesh that he should, and here's the word, I want you to
look it up sometime, that he should give eternal life to as
many as the Father hath given to him. This word here, should
give, means that he is obligated by covenant mercy and it's right
and proper that he should give eternal life unto his covenant
people. He earned salvation for us. He bought us with his own blood
and he's going to have what he bought. As He's sovereign in
creation, so is He sovereign in providence, and so is He also
sovereign in salvation, isn't it? I'll have mercy on whom I
will have mercy, he said. I will harden whom I will harden,
so then it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but it's God that would show mercy to such as we are. It is of the Lord's mercies that
we are not consumed, because his compassion do not fail. It's all of God's mercy, not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
His mercy hath He saved us. Now, Psalm 24, having established
that God's the creator of all things, the sovereign of all
things, the sustainer of all things, He upholds all things
by the word of His power. Now, verse 3, ask two questions. Who shall ascend unto the hill
of the Lord? who shall stand in his holy presence,
in his holy place. Who shall ascend? Let's take
the first question here. Who shall ascend into his holy
presence, into the presence of the Lord? What sinful, puny creature
possesses the ability, the righteousness, the holiness to enter into God's
presence? None. None. But we read, turn
over here to 1 Timothy 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. What puny creature would say,
I will ascend into the hill of the Lord? The merit of my flesh
and the merit of my strength flesh and blood shall not enter
the kingdom of God Inherit the kingdom of God 1st Timothy 6 We read in verse 15 He is the
only blessed one the only potentate the king of kings and Lord of
lords Who only hath immortality? dwelling in the light which no
man can approach, whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom
be honor and power everlasting. Amen. So be it. No man can approach God's holy
throne in the merit of creature strength, creature flesh. Then the second question is this,
who shall stand? who shall stand in his holy presence
who shall abide that's the word who shall abide in his presence
if you could ascend hypothetical if you could ascend upon the
merit of the creature upon the merit of morality or righteousness
or ceremony or tradition who would be able to continue there
and to abide in his holy presence None. God's too holy. He's too holy. Some references
here to that. Find Psalm 1. Psalm 1. It says here in verse 5 of Psalm
1, it says, therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. That is, they will not be able
to stand in God's holy presence, God's holy judgment, justified,
not in themselves. The ungodly shall not stand in
his sight, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
One must be as holy as God to stand before God. How can that
be? Not in the strength of this flesh,
nor yours, nor any creature. Look at Psalm 5, verse 5, The foolish shall not stand in
his sight, for God's holy thou hatest all workers of iniquity. And here's another reference,
Psalm 130, turn there, Psalm 130, it says in verse 3, If thou,
Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? We can't stand before God. He is holy judgment. His holy law is too awesome,
too holy for any creature to stand. Who would dare boast? What creature would be so foolish
to boast to say that I will ascend to the hill of the Lord? I will
stand in His holy place. Tell you, that's the talk of
a fool. That's the talk of a fool who does not know who God is. Now, look at verse four. Here's the answer to that question.
Those two questions. Who shall ascend into the presence
of the Lord? Talking about God Almighty. Now,
we're not talking about some peanut God. We're talking about
God who is holy. The God who is the creator of
all things. The God who is, as Habakkuk records,
He's too holy to look upon sin with any favor. Who shall have
sinned? Here it is. He that hath clean
hands and a pure heart, a pure heart, clean hands, a pure heart,
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor hath sworn deceitfully. I tell you, it takes perfect
holiness to stand before God. It takes perfect righteousness
to stand before God. Now, I like this answer that
God gives. He couldn't give anything less.
He couldn't lower the standard, could He? Not at all, not be
God. He couldn't lower His standard
and be God. God's unchanging. His character does not change.
His standard does not change. Now, who is this describing in
verse 4? It would be a sad perversion
of this scripture, this precious scripture, to suppose that it
describes anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ. God in human flesh,
our blessed mediator. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. As the God-man mediator, he fulfilled
God's law in every jot and every tittle, in word, thought, deed,
motive. We've never even thought about
such a thing, let alone have done it. This is talking about
the Lord Jesus Christ. Where shall we look among the
fallen sons of Adam to find such a man? For we've all sinned and
come short of the glory of God. Among the sons of men there is
none righteous, no, not one. Among the sons of men there are
none good, no, not one. Oh, but there is such a man.
He's the one from heaven. He's called the second Adam.
The God-man mediator. There is such a man whose name
is called unto us. Isaiah said, records, unto us
a child is born and a son is given and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace. There is such a man, the God-man
mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, God in our nature apart from
sin. There is such a man who has ascended
into the hill of the Lord. whose name is wonderful, has
ascended to God and does abide in the presence of God. When
he by himself purged our sin, he sat down on the right hand
of the throne of God. He didn't enter into the typical
tabernacle of old, but into heaven itself. Now to appear, think
about it, right now, to appear in the presence of God for us. ever living to intercede for
us, and to present us before God's throne. It says in Jude
1, verse 24, to present us, keep us from falling, and to present
us before God's throne without blemish, without spot, holy,
unblameable in His sight. And He does it with exceeding
joy. That's the good news of the gospel in the Lord Jesus
Christ. I tell you what, there's none,
none but the Lord Jesus Christ could it be said that he hath
clean hands, clean hands, no outward violation of the law. Even his enemies testified to
the fact Pilate said, I find no fault in him. Judas even later
came back and said, I betrayed innocent blood. And that soldier
that stood there around the cross and watched the one, this God-man
mediator, die for the sin of his covenant people, you remember
what he said? Surely this is a righteous man. He had clean hands. One who has
never sinned in word, thought, or deed. It says of him in Isaiah
42, the Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake. He
will magnify the law and make it honorable. That's what He
was doing here as the man, mediator, the second Adam from heaven,
representing His people. He's working out a perfect righteousness
for them. As the man. Christ Jesus. He had clean hands. And you know
what? Because he had clean hands, he's
reckoned that to his people. He's imputed to us clean hands. Blessed is a man whom the Lord
imputeth righteousness without works. None but the Lord Jesus
Christ could it be said that he had a pure heart. What does
the word of God say about our heart? Our heart is deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Our
Lord said, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh
evil blasphemies against God Almighty, not his heart. His
heart's a pure heart. His heart is not tainted with
that sin nature that we have for such a high priest who became
us. He's holy, harmless, undefiled,
and separate from sin. You can't find one sin on Him.
He committed no sin. He's a pure heart. Look what
else it says. The Lord Jesus Christ never imagined
a vain thought He never imagined an evil thought. He was tempted
and tested in all points like as we are yet without sin. The
prince of this world hath come and tempted him and the Lord
said he found nothing in me. Pure heart. Clean hands. And then it says, thirdly, who
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, one who has loved God
perfectly with his whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, who
went about doing good, anointed with power, who went about doing
good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with
him. never lifted up his soul unto
vanity. That's my blessed Savior. That's
my righteousness before God, Christ, the Lord our righteousness. And then what it says, the last
part of verse four, who had never sworn deceitfully, one who always
speaks perfect, absolute truth. Who can say that? I can't. I can't. The only one that can
say that is the Lord Jesus Christ. The only time that this poor
sinner speaks absolute truth is when I read what God has said
in his word. Everything else, you better check
and see if it's right. because I'm a sinner, seeking
God's glory, but so many times, so many times, I speak wrongly. One who the Lord Jesus Christ
speaks in perfection. What he speaks is absolute truth.
He said, the word that I speak unto you, they are spirit, they
are life. He even said, the word that I
speak unto you, they're not mine, but my father's. We can trust
him without reservation. But what he speaks is true and
right. What he speaks is everlasting, the word of God. He said heaven
and earth will pass away. My word, my word will not pass
away. These conditions suit none but
the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the only, he's the one that's
described here. He had clean hands. He had a
pure heart. Never lifted up his soul to vanity.
Never sworn deceitfully. As our mediator, the scripture
says of him, he had no sin. The scripture said of him, he
did no sin. The scripture said of him, he
knew no sin. He was manifested to take away
our sin, and in Him is no sin, even though as the sin bearer,
as the substitute by God's laying our sin on Him, He was made sin,
but He had no sin of His own without sin. This is the one. Now listen to
this scripture, John 3, 13. No man hath ascended up to heaven,
but he that came down from heaven even the son of man even the
son of man which is in heaven no man of sins but he that came
down from heaven even the lord jesus the son of man which is
in glory now look at verse five on twenty four verse five he
shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from
the God of His salvation. Who but the Lord Jesus Christ
has merited and earned all the blessings of the covenant of
God's grace for His elect. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness
of a Godhead bodily, and in Him we are complete. Him dwells all
the fullness in Christ. He has blessed us with all spiritual
blessing in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus Christ It's only
upon the blood of the everlasting covenant of God's grace Does
he show mercy to any sinner? He shall receive the blessing
from the Lord and his people are blessed in him in him now
Listen to this Now if you would ask the average
religious Joe, he would probably say that he
would merit Salvation that he would merit blessings by what
he has done his faithfulness now listen to this if we throw
Christ in the background and put covenant blessings based
upon our obedience our righteousness even our faith and Repentance
and make ourselves as a character described here only to gratify
our sinful pride We sadly corrupt the truth of this blessed scripture.
It's upon his faithfulness I can make good on that. I can make
good on that. I'll show you two references.
Galatians chapter 2. It's upon his obedience. It's
upon his faithfulness, not mine. My faith didn't die for my sin.
Christ died for my sin. My faith is not my Savior. My
faith and my repentance both look to the Lord Jesus Christ
who accomplished all salvation for us. Now Galatians 2, look
at verse 16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works
of the law but by the faith of Doesn't say faith in Christ,
does it? Now, if you read modern translations, you know what they'll
do? You check me out on this. They want to make that by faith
in Christ. Doesn't say that. Doesn't say
that in the original. By the faith Christ even we have
believed in him now there's in him that we might be justified
by the faith now watch it again by the faith of Christ the faithfulness
of Christ the obedience of Christ not by the works of the law for
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified for righteousness
comes by the law then Christ is dead in vain now flipping
three here's another one So it's upon his obedience, upon his
faithfulness that we have covenant mercy, that we have covenant
blessings, that we have salvation in Christ. Not upon my faithfulness,
not at all. In Philippians 3, verse 8 and
9, He said, I count all things but
lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things and do
count them but dung, manure, that I may win Christ and be
found in Him. Why would you want to be found
in Him? Well, He has clean hands and a pure heart. He's all my
salvation. He's the Lord my righteousness.
Oh, to be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. You see that? The righteousness
which is of God. Now, there's a key statement.
The righteousness which is of God. That word of means it looks
back to the source. It's of. Sin is of Adam. Salvation is of the Lord. the
righteousness which is of God by faith, by Christ, looking
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look at verse six. Psalm
24, verse six. This, this is a generation of
them that seek the Lord. All those who have learned, heard,
and have learned of the Father, they come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord said, no man can come
to me except the Father which sent me. Draw him. This is a
generation of them that seek him, that seek him. Seek the Lord while he may be
found. Call upon him while he is near. that seek Him, that
seek Thy face, O God of Jacob. Where does the glory of God's
mercy, the glory of God's grace, the glory of God's salvation,
where does it shine? Where does it illuminate? Where
do we see the character of God's mercy and the glory of God's
mercy? In the face of Jesus Christ. That's where it is. In the face
of Christ. I tell you, sinners who are taught
of God seek salvation where it's found. Salvation's not in a church. Salvation's not in a ceremony.
Salvation's in Christ. Salvation's in a person. He hath
the Son, hath life, and He's the God of Jacob. He's the God
of Jacob. Covenant love. Covenant mercy. Generation of them that seek
him seek thy face and they sing unto him Salvation is of the
Lord Let's move on to verse 7 and verse 9 These two verses repeat
the same theme over and over now lift up your heads. Oh ye
gates Be ye lift up the everlasting doors and the king of glory shall
Come in King of glory shall come in. Verse nine, lift up your
heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, the everlasting doors,
and the King of glory, the Lord Jesus shall come in. He will enter in. Our God repeats,
our great God repeats this glorious statement two times. He only
needs to say it once. Once have I heard this, twice
has he spoken that power belonged unto the Lord, Psalm 62 says. The king of glory shall enter
in and occupy the throne as the believer's forerunner. It says
that in Hebrews chapter 6. The forerunner has entered in
for us. and is seated on the throne. The doors of glory are
shut to guilty sinners, but the doors of glory must fling open
wide to receive the returning, conquering, righteous, victorious
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Open up ye gates! The King of
Glory's coming in. You imagine on that day when
the disciples walked out and the Lord said, I'm going to send
to my father and your father, and they watched the Lord Jesus,
the bodily ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Can you imagine
that day in glory, what was going on? And here comes the King of
Glory coming home. Can you imagine the homecoming
in that day? I tell you, the doors of glory
must open wide to receive the returning Lord, having spoiled
all principality and power, having conquered all the enemies, having
accomplished God's purpose in saving His people, having magnified
the law and precept and penalty, having finished the work God
gave Him to do, having accomplished all of our salvation, He enters
into glory. What a great day of celebration
this must have been to all the inhabitants of glory, redeemed
saints and all the elect angels who attend the gates of heaven. Open the gates, the king is coming
home. Who is this king of glory? Look
at verse eight and verse 10. I asked this question two times.
Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty. The Lord that's mighty in battle. Boy, He's never lost a fight,
has He? Who is this King of glory? Verse
10, He's the Lord of hosts. He's the Lord of hosts. Now,
let's look at these three things here and I'll let you go. The Lord, strong and mighty.
Not weak and frustrated. Oh, no. able to perform all of
his purpose. He prayed that in John 17. Father,
I've glorified you on the earth. I've finished the work you gave
me to do. He cried on Calvary's tree in his last breath. He said,
It is finished! The Lord, strong and mighty,
able to form all of God's purpose, able to put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself, able to save sinners to the uttermost. Aren't you
glad that our Lord and Redeemer is strong and mighty, able to
save sinners, able to justify the ungodly? He's the Lord. Secondly, the Lord mighty in
battle. He's called in Hebrews 2 the captain of our salvation. He's the wise captain of our
salvation who has won a great victory for his covenant people
as the captain. He knows how to fight. He knows
how to plan the battle. He knows how to attack the enemy.
He knows their weakness. He's the captain of our salvation.
He's won a great victory for us. It says in Isaiah 42 that
He cannot fail as the captain of our salvation. He has defeated
every enemy of our soul, sin, death, the devil, and the law.
He said, I am He that liveth and was dead. Behold, I am alive
forevermore, and I have the keys to hell and death. Who freely
gives unto His covenant children the spoils of His victory. Thanks
be unto God who has given us to victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ. He gives us, as the old timers
say, all grace now and all glory hereafter. Who shall anything
to the charge of God delect? He who spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who can charge anything to God's
elect? It is God who justifies. Who
can condemn? It is Christ who has died. Just not some Jew over there
died some years ago. It's who that man is that gives
infinite power, infinite virtue and glory to what he did. It's whose blood was shed. It's
just not that blood was shed. God shed his blood. Says that
in Acts 20 God bought us with his own blood. He purchased us
with his own blood and He freely gives us the victory In him now
watch this last thing verse 10. He's the Lord of hosts He is the king of glory he's
the Lord of his people Now here's where I'm going with
this find Psalm 85 and He's the Lord of glory, the Lord of hosts. He's the Lord of his covenant
people. Psalm 85 verse 10, mercy and truth are met together. Righteousness
and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the
earth. I can't think of the, but think
of the resurrection, can you? Truth sprang out of the earth.
Righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the Lord shall
give that which is good and our land shall yield the increase. The increase of that covenant
mercy, covenant grace, our land. What was the yield of the crop
that year? Oh, it's a big yield. It's a
full yield. Now watch verse 13. Righteousness
shall go before him. This is righteousness personified.
Righteousness shall go before him who shall ascend to the hill
of the Lord. Watch this. Righteousness shall go before
him and shall set us in the way of his steps. We enter in upon
the merit of our forerunner into glory. And we are seated in the
heavenlies. It says in Ephesians chapter
2 that we are seated in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus Christ. You
see, he's a representative man. What he did, we did. Where he
is, we are. What's to the heads, to the body. I know I haven't experienced
that in my person, but in God's purpose, it's done. It's done. He came alone to redeem. He redeemed
us with His own blood, but He ascends as the mighty conquering
Lord. He ascends with a host of people
with Him, all of His elect. And it says there in Hebrew chapter
2, I like what it says when it talks about, describes all those
for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died, those for whom he tasted
death by the grace of God, talks about the church, the sanctified,
the brethren, and then he says, behold all the children, they're
all here, not one of them missing. He says that in John chapter
6, of all that the Father had given me, I'll not lose one.
but raise him up again at the last day. He represents a people
redeemed by his blood out of every kindred nation upon the
earth, a number which no man can number, known unto God. He
is a king of grace. He is a king of glory. And my
friend, he is king in salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. Now
who shall ascend? He shall. And his covenant people
have ascended in Him. That's right.