Watchman Radio Hour

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Watchman Radio Hour. Coming to you from Portland, Oregon, here in the beautiful Northwest. This is David Schalt, your announcer. The Watchman Radio Hour is a production of Watchman Radio Ministries International, an evangelistic ministry reaching out to the peoples of the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And now here's our speaker Alex Dodson to bring you this week's message from God's word.

Alex Dodson: For our scripture reading today, let us turn to Psalm 87 and we will begin reading in verse 1. Let us hear the Word of God.

He has set his foundation on the holy mountain. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Philistia too and Tyre along with Cush, and will say, "This one was born in Zion." Indeed, of Zion it will be said, "This one and that one were born in her." And the Most High Himself will establish her.

The Lord will write in the register of the peoples, "This one was born in Zion." As they make music, they will sing, "As my fountains, all my fountains are in you."

Our Father in Heaven, we thank you for the Bible that you've given us. We thank you that it's your infallible Word and that we can put our full confidence in everything that it says. And now, oh Father, we pray that you will send your Holy Spirit forth in great convicting power. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

This Psalm talks about Zion. Mount Zion was where Jerusalem was. The Temple was there. It was the place where people came to worship the true and living God. Yet this Psalm is not just talking about the earthly Jerusalem or the place where the Temple was located. It talks about Zion as the city of God.

It was the city of God's people. It was the church. Those who were members of Zion were God's people, His church. This Psalm looks ahead to the church of the future and sees its glory. The church is called Mount Zion in the New Testament. In Hebrews 12, beginning to read in verse 22, it says, "But you have come to Mount Zion."

"The heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in Heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect. To Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."

The New Testament also tells us that we are members of and associated with the Jerusalem that is above, not the earthly Jerusalem. Galatians 4:25 through 26 says, "Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother."

And looking ahead, the Psalmist sees not just earthly Mount Zion or the place in Jerusalem where the Temple was located, but he looks forward to Zion as the city of God or the church. And he sees that church being made up of people from many nations. The New Testament even says that the church is the Temple of God.

It was on Mount Zion, as referred to in the Old Testament, that the Temple was located. In a sense, Mount Zion and the Temple were synonymous. And so, the church in the New Testament is referred to as Mount Zion and also the Temple of the living God.

In 2 Corinthians 6:16 and 17, it says, "What agreement is there between the Temple of God and idols? For we are the Temple of the living God. As God has said, 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'"

The Psalmist then is here describing and talking about the church and looks far into the future and sees what the church will be like. The Psalmist sees the glorious future of the church. Verse 3 says, "Glorious things are said of you, O city of God."

He sees the church in its glory, not just as a place for Jews only, but as a place for people from many nations. That was God's plan to bring into being a glorious church, made up of people from all over the world. Today we want to look at that church and see its glory. Now, let us see in the first place, then, that many nations will come to Zion.

Verses 1 through 4 says, "He has set his foundation on the holy mountain. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God. I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Philistia too and Tyre along with Cush. And will say, 'This one was born in Zion.'" Indeed, of Zion it will be said, "This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her."

Nations of people will come to Zion, even great nations like Egypt or Rahab and Babylon. Nations that had once been enemies will come to Zion. Glorious things will happen. Jesus pointed to the worldwide expansion of the church far beyond Jerusalem.

In John 4, beginning in verse 21, Jesus is talking to the woman at the well, and he says to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know. For salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth."

Jesus had come to issue in the Gospel Age when people would no longer have to go up to Jerusalem to worship God, but would worship Him all over the world as people from many nations would be converted and they would come to Christ. No longer would God's people be just in Israel, but they would be in many nations.

In Isaiah 19, beginning in verse 23, it says, "In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. And Assyria will come into Egypt. And Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. And in that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.'"

Matthew Henry, the great Puritan commentator writes, "But some give another sense of it, supposing that it is a prophecy or promise of bringing the Gentiles into the church and of uniting them in one body with the Jews. God says, 'I will reckon Egypt and Babylon with those that know me. I will reckon them my people as much as Israel when they shall receive the Gospel of Christ and own them as born in Zion, born again there and admitted to the privileges of Zion, as freely as a true-born Israelite.'"

"Those that were strangers and foreigners became fellow citizens with the saints." Ephesians 2:19. "A Gentile convert shall stand upon a level with a native Jew." Compare Isaiah 19:23 through 25, where it says, "The Lord shall say, 'Blessed be Egypt my people. And Assyria, the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.'"

Foreigners would become a part of God's people. People from many nations would come into the church. In Ephesians chapter 2, beginning to read in verse 19, it says, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone."

"In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit." These nations would be born in Zion. The church would be greatly expanded. People from nations all over the world would come into Zion.

Here we have a prophecy of the great expansion of the church. Peoples from nations far and wide would be born anew in the church. Isaiah talks about this great expansion in Isaiah 54, beginning to read in verse 1, "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child. Burst into song, shout for joy. You who were never in labor, because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the Lord. "Enlarge the place of your tent. Stretch your tent curtains wide. Do not hold back. Lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left. Your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities."

In discussing what it meant to be born in Zion, W.S. Plummer writes, "Others regard this clause as containing a promise of accessions to the church by the conversion of many heathen nations, of which five are here named as samples of the rest."

"Such regard was born as teaching the doctrine of the new birth and so much insisted on in the New Testament." Quoting Morrison, he writes, "The glory of the true Zion over all the earth seems here distinctly to be pictured. The accession of the most hostile tribes to her glorious standard is here predicted." And quoting Horn, he writes, "The accession of the nations to the church is generally supposed to have been have predicted."

And quoting Tholuck, he says, "All the nations here specified became engrafted at the time when love and missionary zeal were glowing in the Christian church, and they all regarded Zion as their spiritual mother." "If there's any better interpretation than this last, there is no objection to its being set forth," Plummer writes. Isaiah looks forward then to the glory of Zion when peoples flock into the church from all nations.

In Isaiah 60, beginning to read in verse 1, he says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come. And the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples. But the Lord rises upon you, and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

"Lift up your eyes and look about you. All assemble and come to you. Your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant. Your heart will throb and swell with joy. The wealth on the seas will be brought to you. To you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah."

"And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. All Kedar's flocks will be gathered to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious Temple. Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nest? Surely the islands look to me, and the lead of the ships of Tarshish."

"Bringing your sons from afar with their silver and gold to the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has endowed you with splendor. Foreigners will rebuild or build up your walls, and their kings will serve you. And though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Your gates will always stand open. They will never be shut day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations, their kings led in triumphal procession."

Let us see in the second place that God will establish His church. Verses 4 and 5. "I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Philistia too and Tyre along with Cush, and will say, 'This one was born in Zion.' Indeed, of Zion it will be said, 'This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her.'"

His name will be famous all over the world. Again, in the first part of verse 4, it says, "I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Philistia too and Tyre along with Cush, and will say, 'This one was born in Zion.'" People from all over will be born in her. She will be known all over the world. Zion will be famous. Her name will be born to the will be known to the farthest corners of the earth. People from every nation and tribe will know her.

We see a wonderful description of these people who were born in Zion in Revelation 7, verse 9, where it says, "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. And they were wearing white robes and were were holding palm branches in their hands."

All nations will know of her glory, and her light will shine everywhere. In Isaiah 61:11, it says, "For as the soil makes the sprout come up, and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations."

And so we should pray to that end that Zion's glory be known all over the world. In Isaiah 62:1 and 2, it says, "For Zion's sake, I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem's sake, I will not remain quiet. Till her righteousness shines out like the dawn. Her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow."

God will establish Zion, and she shall not be defeated. Verse 5 it says, "Indeed, of Zion it will be said, 'This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her.'" David Dixon writes, "There is no reason to fear ruin of the church or the not continuing of her from age to age to be a mother and receptacle of converts. For the Highest Himself shall establish her."

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, "I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it." Satan and all his demons will not be able to stop the church. She will not establish herself, but God will establish her. It is God who will establish His church. And because God will establish her, she shall not be moved.

The Lord Himself will preserve His church. Plummer writes, "The church shall stand. Nothing can subvert her. God gives her stability." Satan and all his forces have tried to defeat the church already in many ways, including vast deception and persecution. Yet the church remains and is growing and spreading to many peoples, just as the Psalmist prophesied.

Governments have tried to stop her, but have failed. Governments have fallen, but the church continues on. Let us see in the third place that salvation will come to many peoples through the church. Verse 6 says, "The Lord will write in the register of the peoples, 'This one was born in Zion.'"

As they make music, they will sing, "All my foundations are in you." Many will be born in Zion. The peoples will stream to Zion. In Isaiah 2:2 and 3, it says, "In the last days the mountain of the Lord's Temple will be established as chief among the mountains. It will be raised above the hills and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths. The law will go out from Zion, the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.'"

Many will be born again. They will be born in Zion. The Gospel will go out from Zion and call many from all over the world into her. Matthew Henry writes, "Or this also may be applied to the conversion of the Gentiles. Of Zion, it shall be said that the law which went forth out of Zion, the Gospel of Christ, shall be an instrument to beget many souls to God. And the Jerusalem that is from above shall be acknowledged the mother of them all."

And David Dickson writes, "The converts among the nations shall be reckoned up among the converts of the Lord's people of the Jews. The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people that this man was born there. That is, whatsoever man he be who is converted out of any country, tongue or language, he shall be counted a member of the church of Israel."

Many people will be recorded as having been born in Zion. It will be in Zion that they receive new life. It is only in and through Zion that we hear the Gospel. It is only through the Gospel that we can receive the new birth. In 1 Peter 1:23, it says, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God."

In 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 14, it says, "But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers, loved by the Lord, because from the beginning, God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through the Gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Our salvation is in Zion, and therefore we rejoice. That's what it says in verse 7. "As they make music, as they make music, they will sing, 'All my fountains are in you.'" The Amplified Bible says, "All my springs and sources of joy are in you." It is through the church that we hear the Gospel and receive salvation in Christ. We were born again in Zion. The source of my salvation was found there.

Not that the church saves us, but that in and through the church we hear the Gospel of Christ who saves us. Plummer, quoting Scott, writes, "All the springs of life and consolation are in the church alone. And those who draw not from these wells of salvation will most certainly be forever put off with broken cisterns, which can hold no water." Nicholson writes, "The highest privilege is that in God's church He opens the fountains of living water. In His ordinances God disperses every blessing."

And he goes on to write, "Seeing what great things God has done and what great things He is engaged to do for His church, embracing all who love Him, it is unbelief to cry out, 'We are ruined, our enemies will swallow us up.'" It is in Zion that we meet Christ, and it is in Him that we have salvation. Matthew Henry writes, "Christ is the true Temple. All our springs are in Him, and from Him all our streams flow."

"It pleased the Father, and all believers are well pleased with it too, that in Him should all fullness dwell." And so we need to pray for the church to march forward into all the earth, that people from all nations may come into her and be born again. It is through the church that the Gospel will come to the nations. We need to pray that the church will be planted and multiplied many times in the nations and peoples of the earth.

In Isaiah 62:6, it says, "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord give yourselves no rest and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth." This passage can be applied to the church today.

We are to pray to the Lord that He will make her the praise of the earth, that peoples from all nations will flow into her. Pray for the church to be established among all the peoples. Pray for the church to be revived where she has declined.

For example, one of the greatest missionary-sending nations in the world was Britain in many years in many years past. Out from her came William Carey, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, and many others. The Gospel was heralded from her shores, yet now this is not the case. The church has declined and needs a great revival. Let us pray for that. Pray for the church in America as well.

Revival is needed. The church has become lukewarm, eroded by materialism and idolatry in its many forms. It needs to be set on fire, just as in the days of the First Great Awakening, when George Whitfield came to our shore and preached to thousands all over the colonies. A great revival took place, and many were born again and came into the church.

Mount Zions need to be planted in every nation to call people to Christ. So important that we plant churches and herald the Gospel for all to hear. When many from from many Zions, the call of the Gospel must go forth to the peoples of the world to come to Christ and be saved.

And so we must pray for the furtherance of the Gospel in this land and throughout the world. Pray for laborers to go into the field and plant churches among the peoples of the world. Pray for laborers to go forth in this land and proclaim the Gospel and plant many Zions that will be beacons to the people around them to bring them to the light of the Gospel.

And then I ask, "What about you today? Have you been born again? Do you know Christ? Have you met Him and given your heart to Him?" And I invite you today to come to Him. To come and be born again. Come to Christ. Come to Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.

Would you pray with me this prayer? Dear Lord, I confess that I'm a sinner. I come right now and repent of my sins, and I accept Christ as my Savior and as my Lord. Help me, oh Lord, to follow you always. Our Father in Heaven, if anyone has prayed this prayer today, we pray that you will fill them with your Holy Spirit and enable them to follow you always. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

Guest (Male): We hope this week's broadcast has been a blessing to you. If you have any questions about Mr. Dodson's message, please write us. You may email us at info@watchmanradio.org. Our mailing address is Watchman Radio Ministries International, Post Office Box 13251, Portland, Oregon 97213. That's Watchman Radio Ministries International, Post Office Box 13251, Portland, Oregon 97213. You may listen to this broadcast at any time on the internet at www.oneplace.com. In the list of ministries, just select the Watchman Radio Hour. This week's program and previous programs are always available there for listening. Our web address is www.watchmanradio.org. That's w a t c h m a n radio.org. www.watchmanradio.org.