WHO WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“Who may ascend the mountain of The Lord?  Who may stand in His holy place?  The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.  They will receive blessing from The Lord and vindication from God their Savior.”  Psalm 24:3-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  Here David begins by stating that earth and everything in it belongs to The Lord.  He created it and it is His. (Psalm 24:1-2)  After stating that he asks the rhetorical question, who is the proper person to be an inhabitant of Zion, the dwelling place of The Lord God?  Then he goes on to answer the question by describing such a person.  One who has “clean hands” and “a pure heart” and has not worshiped idol gods or provided false witness against his fellow man.  This is the person who will receive this special blessing from The Lord.

Application:

The only people who are “worthy” of spending eternity with The Lord are those who are holy in their thoughts, motives, words, and deeds. (Psalm 26:6, Psalm 51:10, and Matthew 5:8)  Those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus, The Christ, believed in Him and accepted Him as their personal savior. (John 3:16 and Revelation 1:5)  This special blessing of eternal life with The Lord is not something that is earned or worked for, it is a gift from God. (Ephesians 1:4-6 and 2:8-9)  For this we should thank and praise God.