0529. The King's Appearing

The King’s Appearing

"When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory" (Psa_102:16).

With what swiftness does the Psalmist pass from the humiliation of Christ to His exaltation. Psa_102:11 concludes: "I am withered like grass." Psa_102:13, continues, "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion." There were two things constantly before the Prophets of old. They saw the suffering, and almost simultaneously they saw the glory of the Lord. This gave them much concern. They searched the Scriptures diligently seeking to solve what this might mean. No better example of this very thing is found than in the 102d Psalm. From the agonies of the Cross, to the glory of the throne, we leap in one bound.

We now consider our Lord appearing in His glory. He comes in the cloud and "every eye shall see Him." "His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives." Three of the happenings, which mark His return, are recorded in the verses before us.

1. "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion" (Psa_102:13). The set time has come for God to favor Jerusalem, then will His saints also take pleasure in her, they will favor both her stones and her dust.

2. "The heathen shall fear the name of the Lord" (Psa_102:15). This is also spoken of as one of the beneficent results of our Lord’s return. All the kings of the earth will behold His glory and the nations shall fear Him.

3. "He will regard the prayer of the destitute." Our Lord will soon stretch forth His hand to relieve the anguish, and to bring to an end the suffering and the sorrows of the poor. He will proclaim "liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound." He will comfort all who mourn; He will give them "beauty for ashes," and "the oil of joy for mourning:" "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR