To Appeareth before God in Zion (Psalms 84 : 5, 7)

Glory be to God

To Appeareth before God in Zion

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. ... They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.” Psalm 84:5, 7

When the ark of the Lord, which was in the land of the Philistines, was sent back to Israel, it was placed upon a cart and kine were yoked to pull it. The reason that cart went toward Israel was because the ark of God's strength (2 Chronicles 6:41) was upon it (1 Samuel 6:11-12). When we consider the people of Israel, the God of Jacob was their strength (Psalm 81:1). Therefore, as a shadow for us, when God delivered His people Israel from Egypt and led them through the wilderness toward the land of Canaan, the Lord Himself went before them to show them the way (Exodus 13:21). Because the Lord who was their strength, was with them, there was not one feeble person among their tribes (Psalm 105:37). Moreover, because their God was with them, they had the strength of a unicorn (Numbers 23:21-22 ). Since God was their strength, God guided them into Canaan. Likewise, in our spiritual life, we must always be strong in the Lord and live in His strength. Then, though the gate is strait and the way is narrow that leadeth unto life (Matthew 7:14) God will make the highways to Zion in our heart (Psalm 84:5). Thus, without sorrow or sighing, we shall obtain joy and gladness and journey toward Zion with everlasting joy and songs of rejoicing (Isaiah 35:10).

But if we depart from God, we become weak because God is no longer with us. When the children of Israel became weary and faint on the way since God was not with them Amalek fearing not God came and smote the hindmost of them, even all that were feeble behind them (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). Likewise, if we become spiritually weak, our adversary the devil, who walketh about seeking whom he may devour, may devour us also (1 Peter 5:8). In the journey of life, the enemy may lie in wait along the way to destroy us (Ezra 8:31). Therefore, to seek a right way for us, we ought to fast and pray (Ezra 8:21) and wait upon the Lord renewing our strength, we shall walk and not faint, run and not be weary, and mount up with wings as eagles toward Zion (Isaiah 40:31). The fool whose labor wearies him does not even know the way to the city (Ecclesiastes 10:15). While such people wander without finding a city to dwell in, our God, who is our strength, leads us by the right way that we may go to a city of habitation (Psalm 107:4, 7).

When we consider first Samuel chapter six , the reason the kine pulling the cart went straight along the highway toward Israel (1 Samuel 6:11-13) was because the ark of the Lord's strength was upon the cart (Psalm 132:8). Therefore, if we seek the Lord and His strength (1 Chronicles 16:11) we too may travel on the highway to Zion. Furthermore, if we are to travel in that way, certain characteristics seen in those kine should also be found in us. Firstly, they did not go after their calves (1 Samuel 6:10). Because God is our strength and guiding us we do not love son or daughter more than God (Matthew 10:37). We love God above all else (John 21:15). Secondly, since it was harvesting time (1 Samuel 6:13), knowing straw and food were available, they did not turn aside into the fields seeking food. Likewise, we do not become anxious on earthly things about what we shall eat, drink, or clothed but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:31-33). Like Abraham, we move forward with confidence that God will provide and care (Genesis 22:8). Thirdly, they went along lowing as they travelled (1 Samuel 6:12). During the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto God (Hebrews 5:7). Likewise, we are able to watch and pray always that we may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:36). Fourthly, they did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left (1 Samuel 6:12). Because we obey all of God's commandments, we do not depart from His word to the right hand or to the left (Joshua 1:7). As God enlarges our hearts, we run in the way of His commandments (Psalm 119:32). By keeping His commandments unto the end, we shall enter into eternity (Revelation 2:26).

Therefore, in our lives we must go from strength to strength. Only then in Zion, we can appear before God (Psalm 84:7). For this, there are certain matters to which we must give attention. No one who lives in iniquity shall be strengthened (Ezekiel 7:13). For our iniquities separate between us and God our strength (Isaiah 59:1-2). Because of our iniquity, our strength fails and we become weary (Psalm 31:10). Only when God removes all our iniquities and cleanses us we shall be strengthened and go to the city thereby God makes us to dwell in the city (Ezekiel 36:33).

Secondly, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). In the days of Ezra the priest, the meaning of the law is explained to those people who are gathered in a broad place. The law was read distinctly, and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading (Nehemiah 8:8-9). When they understood the law, they became aware of their sins and confessed them with weeping (Nehemiah 9:1-3). To such ones who mourned it was said donot be worried for the joy of the Lord is their strength as the day is holy unto the Lord and God did sanctify it (Nehemiah 8:9-10). Likewise, when David confessed his sins and prayed for cleansing, he also asked God to make him hear joy and gladness and to restore unto him the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:7-12). Since God forgives our sins and iniquities, He surrounds us with songs of deliverance to strengthen and preserves us. Moreover, He instructs us and teaches us in the way which we should go (Psalm 32:5-8). Therefore, when God calls us to repentance girding with sackcloth with fasting and mourning we must not continue in eating, drinking, and rejoicing. If we do so, our iniquity will not be purged till we die (Isaiah 22:12-14). We through fasting and prayer and by confessing our iniquities we are cleansed and become pure thereby we should draw near to the Lord and rejoice evermore and be strengthened in Him (Philippians 4:4). There is fullness of joy in God's presence.Therefore, the joy of the Lord becomes our strength, so that we are strengthened and God shows us the path of life (Psalm 16:11).

Thirdly after Paul who was baptized and received forgiveness of sins we could see that he took food and was strengthened (Acts 9:18-19). Jesus said that if we continue starving without food, we will faint in the way (Matthew 15:32).Yet the food by which we live is not bread alone, but every word that proceedeth out of the mouth  of God says Jesus (Matthew 4:4).Therefore, we should labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, for Jesus will give us (John 6:27). Therefore we must find God's words and eat them, so that they become the joy and rejoicing of our heart (Jeremiah 15:16).The judgments of the Lord which are the words of God are more to be desired than gold and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. By them we are warned, and in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:9-11). Therefore, let us esteem God's word more than our necessary food and keep it without departing from the commandments of His lips (Job 23:11-12). If we follow His steps not declining by keeping His way, and walk in the path of His commandments, that path becomes the highway to Zion, then we shall go from strength to strength and finally appear before God in Zion. May the Lord our God help for that and prepare us.