Psalm 99

In an upside-down world, God is on trial and we get to be the judges. In the real world, the Lord reigns and people tremble.

The Lord reigns from heaven. He is far above us, but He is also very near us.

There was a Zion below on earth, but it is no longer the place of the true temple of the Holy Spirit. Another Zion, a Zion above, is the place from which the Lord reigns.

When we worship God, we join in a glorious endeavor that is only partly on earth. The temple of the Holy Spirit, the church, is contained in assemblies all over the globe, but it is also in that Zion above, in the assembly of myriads of men and angels in heaven. These two assemblies, the earthly and heavenly, are united now in Jesus. They will one day be together in a way that our eyes will be able to see when heaven comes to earth.

Even now, before that day of consummation, the Lord reigns. He reigns over all the peoples. As we set our hearts on things above, His love and holiness from heaven work through us for powerful good upon the earth below.

Our greatest problems on earth come from our twisted orientation, where we imagine that we exist to bring judgment against God or to do what we want without any concern for the will of the Almighty. This confusion is lifted in true worship. A heavenly orientation produces real worship. Worship changes the world. There we remember that the Lord is God and that we must serve Him according to the love of the cross. Just think of how one family can be changed by one man determining that it is time for him to get serious about worshiping and serving the Lord! Think about how one family can change a church, and one church can change a city!

There is a King in the heavenly Zion, the Son of David and Son of God, God with God, the Jewish Messiah, the resurrected Jesus Christ. He is mighty, and He loves justice. Jesus is reigning, though we do not at present see all things in submission to Him. What can we do today to see more holiness and righteousness in us and in others? Exalt the Lord with a passion for Him and for His eternal purpose to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and on earth. Connect with the One who died for us and who now reigns above. He is holy!

In the time of preparation for the Messiah, God gave Israel servants like Moses and Aaron. Later men like Samuel and the prophets called upon the Name of the Lord and He answered them. These men were good for Israel when they heard the voice of the Lord and followed His Word.

Now the Spirit of the Lord has been poured out upon the whole church. Men and women all over the earth are doing what only a relatively small number of people once did. They are calling upon the Name of the Lord.

The best worshipers of old, like Moses, had faults. The Lord was a forgiving God to them, but He disciplined them as well. This God is our God.

The sinless Worshiper, Jesus, has fully obeyed the Lord's covenant, and by His death, the weight of the curse that was upon us has been lifted. The Holy One of Israel has come in person, and He has lifted us heavenward. We worship the most High God through Him. In Him we are holy. In Him we are secure. Through Him we change the world.