Friday, January 29, 2010
Psalm 72:10-11 The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.
OUR MESSIAH-KING'S NAME: PRAISED EVERYWHERE
One of our favorite passages is one written in the first epistle of Peter: "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (2:9). In this verse we learn what is the ultimate purpose for our Messiah-King's descending from heaven to our world. Of course, He came to ransom us to be His own by living the holy life we couldn't and laying down His life on the cross to atone for our sins. But to what end? Peter makes it clear: It was so that we might praise Him!
An early example of this is the Magi. When they came to understand the wonderful meaning of the Star in the East (our Savior is born!), they traveled from afar to see Him and offer Him tokens of praise from their thankful hearts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When they returned to their homeland they undoubtedly did not keep quiet about the Good News but continued to declare His praise to others, to family and friends, to everyone who would listen.
Ever since then the Savior has used the Star of His Word for the same purpose. By that Word He leads people to faith that they might praise Him. And not just from one select group of people, but people from every race and skin color, from every nation under heaven (India and Africa, Peru and America, to name a few), that we might bring Him the tribute of our praise here and worship Him in heaven's matchless glory hereafter. Won't it be grand?
Kings shall fall down before Him And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing.
To Him shall prayer unceasing And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 59:5)
