“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His Holy Place? (Psalm 24:3)
THOUGHT:
It could not be clearer. When we talk about approaching God – there is the image and reality of going UP. It is not only this verse but what is coming in the future, during the 1000 Year Reign of Jesus Christ. The King of Kings will be sitting on the Throne in a brand new Temple in Jerusalem after the Tribulation and all enemies of Christ are removed and sent down to Hades. During those 1000 years, we know from Zechariah 14:16 that EVERYONE is supposed to go up to Jerusalem annually, for the Feast of the Tabernacles. This is in early Fall when legend has it that Jesus was actually born in the stable in Bethlehem. Jerusalem and the Lord’s Temple are on a Hill. We travel up to it.
Only the Saved, the Redeemed – Christians, and Jews who were saved during the Tribulation will be going up to visit the King annually. At this time (and this is confirmed in the very next verse) only followers and disciples are allowed to go UP to His Throne. Zechariah 14:21 says there will no longer be a Canaanite in that day, meaning this - no one who does not believe in Yahweh will be around alive on the earth.
Secondly, when a person gets up to the Holy Hill or Mountain of the Lord, what would then occur? Let the Bible be our guide. Isaiah was pulled up into the very Throne Room of God in Heaven, in Isaiah Chapter 6:1-7. Let us read what happens when the old prophet realized where he was. We read in Isaiah 6:5 “then I said: '“Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
Who can stand in front of the Holiest of Holies – the very Throne of God? NOBODY! History tells us Isaiah fell down all messed up. Revelation 4:10-11 tells us that the 24 Elders threw their Crowns at the Feet of the Lord and “the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created."
You know we constantly hear people who have no idea about the nature and attributes of God say “when we get to heaven we are going to ask God ‘this or that’”. Friends, we are not doing any such thing. Study the Scriptures and you will discover we will react just like Isaiah did in chapter 6!
ACTION POINT:
The Bible talks about going UP to where the Lord lives and the opposite – those who reject the Lord, they go DOWN to the pit. From our viewpoint now, knowing the High and Lofty position of the Abode of the Almighty, do you think we are worthy at all to be allowed into such a place? Why are we even allowed to approach the Throne of God and how can show respect and reverence, even now? How do we maintain this incredible relationship?
