The third song of ascent begins,
I rejoiced in those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house[b] of Yahweh.”
Now we have reached the third step of ascent. Now we begin to gain a glimpse of what God calls us to. All of us rejoice when we first repent of our sins and believe in Jesus as our Savior. Most of us believe at that time that heaven is surely ours because most of the Church erroneously believes that once a person believes he immediately becomes the “Bride of Christ” and will automatically be raptured into the presence of God at some point in the future. The question presented here, though, is will we take the step toward the “House of God” or not? Will we continue to ascend into the actual presence of God, or will we return like a dog to our vomit (to the ways of the world)?
I have a sense that I may not be able to finish writing about these songs of ascent before something occurs which prevents me. I want to encourage all you readers to purchase the English Standard Version “Classic Reference Bible” this week so that you can continue studying and taking these steps of ascent in faith. This particular Bible has the best references I have ever seen. They do not always take me to the place I think I should go, but often they take me to verses which add light to the one at hand. Such is the case with the references given to Psalm 122:1. First it takes us to Isaiah 2:3. This passage reads,
It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
3 and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go the law,[a]
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
5 O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:2-5, ESV)
Isaiah’s prophesy deals with the “latter days,” these days. It concerns the “mountain of the house of the LORD,” the mountain you and I now climb as we ascend into God’s presence. The ESV’s second reference is to Micah 4:2 which is an exact quote of this passage from Isaiah. These passages tell us that the house of the LORD is a “mountain.” Yesterday I suggested that that mountain is Mount Zion which is also called Jerusalem. The Book of Revelation reveals that its name is actually “New Jerusalem” and is a spiritual city rather than a natural one.
The Book of Hebrews also sheds light on this “house” saying,
Therefore, holy brothers,[a] you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s[b] house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.[c] (Hebrews 3:1-6 ESV)
To take this third step we must identify with Christ and his Father in that we ourselves belong to the same house, the same family. We must see ourselves as having been created in his image and as now being conformed to his perfect stature. To take this third step we must move beyond the elementary doctrines of Jesus Christ and embrace the teaching about righteousness. Remember the words of John,
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[f] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 2:28-3:3, ESV)
This third step is the critical step for this is the necessary step of moving on into the maturity of a son of God. Thirty five years of walking with God has taught me that most Christians never take this step. When you take this step you will begin to be called “legalistic” or “judgmental.” This step is the step of separation, the step out of Mystery Babylon and truly toward God’s House, New Jerusalem. Thus the Psalmist declares, 2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem—
It is at this point that God begins to reveal Jerusalem (spiritual Jerusalem, New Jerusalem) to us, saying,
3 Jerusalem that is built
as a city that is joined together,
4 where the tribes go up,
the tribes of Yah[c] as a testimony for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.
5 For there the thrones sit[d] for judgment,
thrones of David’s house.
6 Pray[e] for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you be at ease.
7 May peace be within your walls,
security within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house[f] of Yahweh our God,
I will seek your good. (Psalm 122, Lexham English Bible)
The first two steps in our ascent to finally behold our God demand that we revisit the very foundations of our Christianity. We must examine ourselves without guile and hypocrisy and repent of our sins. And we must continue walking by and in faith in God. The third step takes us beyond the elementary doctrines of Christ to consider the very goal of our salvation, the city we sojourn toward, New Jerusalem.
When most people consider this psalm they think of the old city of Jerusalem in the Middle East. When they read verse six they mechanically pray that God will bring perpetual peace to that besieged carnal city. There was a time, the time when God still dwelt in ancient Israel, when this prayer did apply to natural, old Jerusalem. That time is long past. Today this prayer, like the entire 122nd psalm, concerns New Jerusalem. Today we choose: do we remain in man’s city of Babylon or do we take the third step, separating ourselves from Babylon and climbing up toward our new house, our new city, New Jerusalem?
