#DailyDevotion Jesus Of Nazareth Is The Face Of God That Shines Upon Us
Psalm 80 8You plucked up a vine from Egypt, drove out nations, and planted it.’ 9You cleared the ground before it so that it struck roots and filled the country. 10Its shade covered mountains; its branches covered the mighty cedars. 11It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the river.
The psalmist recalls how the LORD took Israel out of Egypt and planted it in the Promised Land. The LORD conquered the Egyptians. He conquered the nations, the nations that tried to prevent Israel from getting to their inheritance. The LORD conquered the nations who were living in the Promised Land. He multiplied the people of Israel as promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob until they lived and controlled the boundaries the LORD had promised Abraham. During the time of David and Solomon Israel lived in peace.
Our LORD Jesus Christ is doing the same thing for the Church. He has conquered the slavery to sin, the fear of death and the power of the devil. He is increasing its numbers across the globe. Eventually, one day, the day of Jesus’ second advent, He, like David, will pluck out all who reject His kingdom and cast them into the Lake of Fire along with all the fallen angels to be tortured forever. Just like He promised us in the Beatitudes, we will inherit the earth, a new earth, in which the curse has been removed from it and from us.
12Why did You break down its stone fences? All who pass by are picking its fruit; 13the boar from the woods devours it; the animals of the field feed on it.
I’m kind of amazed he can even ask this. He should know why the LORD removed the hedge around Israel and Judah. They rejected the LORD and His protection. They had run after the gods of the people around them and now the LORD has let the people who worship these false gods run over them, destroy their towns, capture their people, and destroy their temple. What use is a temple if you are not faithful to the God whose temple it is. So it is with us. When we start trusting other gods for every good or any particular good, the LORD turns us over to its slavery so we may be disciplined by it.
14God of armies, come back; look from heaven and see. Come to help this vine. 15Take care of what Your right hand planted, the son You strengthened for Yourself. 16May those who burned it with fire and cut it off perish before Your angry face. 17May Your hand be on the man at Your right hand, the son of man You strengthened for Yourself. 18Then we will not leave You. Give us life, and we’ll call on Your name. 19LORD God of armies, restore us and let your face shine to save us.
He petitions the LORD to come back and save them. He reminds the LORD that these people are His heritage. Israel is God’s son whom He had strengthened for Himself. Eventually, the LORD will call back the people of Judah to return to Judah and the temple will be rebuilt. Those who attacked Israel and Judah will reign no more and will be conquered by people more evil than themselves.
Verse 17 then becomes prophetically Christological. Jesus is the man at the right hand of the LORD whose hand the Almighty is on. Jesus is the son of man whom the LORD strengthens for Himself. Jesus is Immanuel, the One who God incarnate, who never leaves us or forsakes us (Matt. 28, Heb. 13). He is the One who gives us eternal life when He gives us faith and the Holy Spirit. We call upon the Father in His name. In Jesus’ name He restores us and His face shines upon us to save both Jews and Gentiles so they may be His faithful people who brings into the new Promised Land, the New Heavens and New Earth.
Heavenly Father, may Your face shine upon us in Christ Jesus, so we may be restored to You and inherit the earth on the day of His revelation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.