Hath God Cast Away His People

By Arno Clement Gaebelein

A GREAT PROPHETIC PSALM

Psalm Ixviii.

1. The Lord Coming Scatter His Enemies and to Punish Them--"Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let them also that hate Him flee before Him" (verse 1). Numbers x:35 tells us that when the ark of the covenant was lifted up Moses said these words. When the Lord of Glory appear; the scattering of His enemies will take place. These enemies are the enemies of Israel. Kings of armies flee then (verse 12). "As smoke is driven away, so drive them away, as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish before the presence of God" (verse 2).

2. The Manifestation of the Lord is Described.—"He Cometh forth and marcheth through the wilderness. The earth trembled, the heavens drop at the prescience of God" (verses 7 and 8).

3. His Manifestation in Mercy. Mercy Remembered in Judgment.-"A Father to the fatherless, and a judge of the widows." The solitary set in families. Prosperity given back. The inheritance confirmed and a plentiful rain sent upon the land.

4. Israel Restored and the Captivity Ended.—"He bringth out the prisoners into prosperity" (verse 6). "The Lord said I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring them again from the depths of the sea" (verse 22). This bringing back is not a so-called restitution of all things, which is no-where taught in the Word, but it is the restoration of all things, as spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets (Acts iii :20). It is the bringing back of the scattered nation. The house of Israel, hid yet away, will be brought back with the house of Judah.

5. Israel Will Carry Out the Judgments of God.—"That thou mayest dip thy foot in blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies" (verse 23). "Kings of armies flee, they flee; and she that tarrieth at home divideih the spoil" (verse 12).

6. Israel Will Have a Wonderful Salvation.—The 13th verse in the Psalm indicates that salvation. The win. ' of a dove covered with silver and her pinions with yellow gold speak of the Lord. Silver is redemption and gold stands for Glory. Israel will have Redemption and Glory. The people brought back, saved, restored, and having supremacy in the earth.

7. Israel Will Be a Rejoicing Nation.—"Let the righteous be glad, let them exult before God; yea, let them rejoice with gladness. Sing unto God, sing praises unto His name; cast up a highway for him that rideth through the desert. His name is Jah, and exult ye before Him" (verses 4-6). Israel will shout: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits. even the God who is our salvation." God is unto us a God of deliverances. Unto Jehovah the Lord belong the issues of death (verses 19, 20). This rejoicing will be in the earth, but in the heavenlies there will be His heavenly people around the throne rejoicing in unspeakable glory.

8. Mount Zion Will Be the Place of His Glorious .Manifestation during the Millennium.—"The mountain of God, is it Bashan? A high mountain, is it Bashan? Why look ye askance ye high mountains at the mountain which God has desire for His abode?" Yes, Jehovah will dwell there for ever (verses 15 and 16). This mountain is His holy hill Zion. The Lord's chariots are there.

9. The Welcome to the King in His Sanctuary is Described. —"They have seen thy processions, oh God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, in the midst the virgins playing upon timbrels. Bless ye God in the congregation, even the Lord, ye that are of the fountain of Israel."

10. The Ascended One Sends His Gifts and Leads Captivity Captive. —"Thou hast ascended on high. Thou hast led capitivity captive; thou hast received gifts on account of man; yea, even the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell among them" (verse 18). This is quoted in Ephesians iv:8, 9. with the exception of the latter part, for in Ephesians the gifts concern the church and here it is Israel. This is the reason why "and for the rebellious" is left out in Ephesians. It was in part fulfilled when the descended One ascended. But He will descend again in His glory, and after the manifestation of His glory, wrath and mercy, wrath upon the enemies and mercy and salvation for Israel, He will ascend again, and the angels of the Lord will after that be seen ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. The throne of His glory is in the heavens, seen by the dwellers in the earth. Over all the glory will be spread like a canopy (see Isaiah iv:6).

11. Jerusalem, and in it the Temple of the Lord, will be the Great Centre during the Millennium. —"Because of Thy temple in Jerusalem kings shall bring presents unto thee" (verse 29). The representatives of nations will have to go up to Jerusalem for the greatest of feasts, the feast of tabernacles (Zech. xiv).

12. Universal Peace Will Be Established. —"He hath scattered the nations that delight in war" (verse 30). These nations are now in existence. Military Christendom, as it has been correctly termed. Armed to the teeth, they are even now talking of a universal peace, of turning the spears into pruning hooks. Only the Prince of Peace can speak peace to the nations. He will break their ships and their devilish inventions for maiming and destruction of the body.

13. The Conversion of the World Can Only Come After All This Has Taken Place. It is Mentioned at the End of the Ixviii Psalm. —The following words are misquoted again and again, and looked for to be fulfilled even now; or, as others say, they have been fulfilled. "Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God." Only after Israel has been restored, and the gifts of the ascended One will have been given to the nation can the world be converted to God. All other teachings are unscriptural.

14. Millennial Praises. The Psalm Closes with the Millennial Hallelujah. The Kingdoms of the Earth, the Kingdoms of Our Lord Jesus Christ. —"Sing unto God ye kingdoms of the earth; oh, sing praises unto the Lord." These are a few of the dispensational truths the Holy Spirit has revealed in this wonderful Psalm,