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ל (Lamedh) The Secret of Eternal Life
Series: Finding the Gospel in Psalm 119ーA Hymn to the Law 12/22
Psalm 119:89-96
Andy Nagahara
This is the twelfth in a series of Psalm 119, which is called a hymn to the Law. Finally, we are now in the second half of the Psalm 119. We will focus on verses 89-96, in which the twelfth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, “ל (lamedh),” is placed at the beginning of each line of the twelfth paragraph.
This is equivalent to the Greek letter lambda, and the English letter L. It is considered to derive from a script depicting a shepherd’s staff (Hebrew: מלמד malmad) with which to guide the livestock.
We have been thinking a lot about life these days from this psalm, and today’s passage will help us understand “eternal life,” which is recorded in many of the Gospels as the words of Jesus Himself.
All of the Gospels record passages where Jesus spoke of “eternal life,” but John seems to have been particularly impressed by these words of Jesus, and more than half of them are recorded in the Gospel of John as we are now studying.
Today, we will keep in mind the key phrase “eternal life” as we read through today’s portion of the chapter.
1. Is heaven a place in the sky? (89,90)
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.
We have already seen an expression that means eternity right here. That the Word of God is eternal. And it can be read that it is in heaven. On the other hand, God’s faithfulness will not change forever on earth. It is said that the earth will endure. Aside from heaven, isn’t this world quite unstable and in a rickety state? Also, isn’t the situation the psalmist is facing the exact opposite of what is said in verse 90? These questions come to our minds, don’t they?
But that is in fact a misconception based on our own prejudices. The heavens are not a “place” in contrast to the earth. For if we think that way, then God’s word, which remains firmly in heaven, is inaccessible to us as long as we live here on earth. Also, I think we can somewhat understand that heaven is eternal, but if “this earth will not perish through God’s faithfulness,” then we may need to reconsider our ideas about the “earth” as well.
Compared to the people of the psalmist’s time, we have by far more knowledge about this world that we can see. But actually, this may have become a hindrance to understanding God’s word. We tend to think of heaven as a “place” that is not of this world. Eternity feels like an endless “time” after we move to “heaven”. Consequently, some people have very covetous imaginings of luxurious apartments they have never lived in on earth, by a stream with crystals and gemstones glistening in the bottom. They may be free to imagine that a faithful dog can go to heaven, but not a carefree cat, or something like that, but the human imagination knows no bounds.
They should just leave it alone, but then it starts to bother them who “can’t go?”. Then they decide that people who are different from themselves are sinners, saying that they cannot go to heaven which means they will go to hell, and they imagine cruelty with a hundred times more zeal than they do about heaven, and they threaten them that they will suffer terrible things if they do not become like them. This is the very legalism of Jesus’ time, yet some in the modern church teach as such. It is the tendency and limitation that all religions have.
However, the meaning of heaven and the Kingdom of God, is not geographical. Please try to think of it as “God’s rule.” As the psalmist states, “God’s rule” is not limited by physical space or time. The space and time we recognize are in the “rule of God.” We live in the constraints of space and time, so we can only imagine the outside of it, but we tend to get caught up in the spatial and temporal thinking that we have acquired.
Compared to that, the psalmist is free. He believes that the predicament in the visible limited world is also under God’s control.
I think it’s more interesting to hear a message that talks plausibly about heaven and hell, but I’m sorry, what I can say is, “I don’t know, but God will never do anything bad for you.” That’s all.
Now, let us read verses 91 and 92.
2. This World Under God’s Authority (91,92)
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
Continuing with verse 90, this part of the verse confirms that this visible world is surely included in the eternal Kingdom of God. The psalmist understands that not only humans, but also animals, plants, the earth, other celestial bodies, and the universe, are all in God’s rule and order. He confesses that if it had not been so, he would not have been able to endure such suffering.
There is nothing that can separate a person who is happy to be connected to God from God, even if they are suffering from other human beings, who are also God’s creatures, or from their human organizations.
It is ironic that while all of creation stands firm according to God’s order, only humans, created in His own image, are rebelling against that order and destroying the world. They see each other as beings who deserve to be killed by the other, and they continue to make, sell, increase, and have tools to kill more and more efficiently people who are made in the image of God, just like themselves. The target is not only human beings. The natural environment has also been destroyed. The Bible calls this driving force “sin”.
It is human nature to seek to satisfy one’s own desires without regard for others. There is no one who is not a sinner in this sense. Many religious people, however, teach that anything that does not conform to their beliefs is a sin. For example, in Christianity, there are people who use their interpretation of the Bible as a yardstick to determine that this is sin and that is sin. They are doing the same thing as the religious people who were condemned by Jesus. In Jesus’ time, there were people who were considered “sinners” by their leaders because of their class, occupation, economic power, or knowledge. And Jesus became the friend of the “sinners” that the leaders decided to be.
In every Gospel except John’s, someone first asks Jesus what they must do to gain “eternal life,” and Jesus tells the person that it is to “keep God’s law. But Jesus goes on to teach that no one can obtain eternal life on their own, no matter how religiously practiced or morally righteous they live. He then recommends, “Come follow me”.
3. I will never forget the God’s precepts (93,94)
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
The fundamental misconception of those who questioned Jesus is the idea that by doing something good, they will gain eternal life. Eternal life is not a reward for doing something good. The psalmist understands that what keeps him alive is not his own strength or chance, but his continued listening to God’s admonition. In fact, that the way of living itself is eternal life. But it is by no means easy. Despite this conviction, the situation is still painful, as the earnest desire in verse 94 shows.
How did God encourage people like this psalmist in a world that had not yet seen the coming of Jesus?
For example, there was a man named Samuel who was the spiritual leader of Israel during a time of great change, and God gave him the experience of “the word of the Lord coming to him” when he was a boy, and continued to express Himself to him in such a way throughout his life. (1 Samuel chapter 3) Even before Jesus was born, God had been communicating “words, commandments, admonitions, and laws” to those who would trust God and try to live according to his will.
Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
Also he said, “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.” (6:47) and “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (6:54) It means that for those of us who know Jesus, we already have “eternal life” by believing in him as our God and Lord and living with him.
It is recorded that the words “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood” were so shocking and unacceptable to the disciples that many left him when they heard them. Today, right after this service, we will also “eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus” in the ” Communion Service”. And of course, it is a symbol of not just believing that Jesus is God, but of expressing our determination to walk in His ways, with Him, and as He is. This could be expressed as “we have eternal life,” but it also means that we are “alive in eternal life”.
Now let’s read the remaining two verses.
4. We are living eternal life (95,96)
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit;
but your commands are boundless.
The psalmist is aware that he lives in God’s eternity, but within the finite “this world” that is included in it. The wicked are trying to kill the psalmist, but as I have told you before, they are “those who can kill the body but cannot kill the life. The psalmist knows that even though they are a threat to him, the end will surely come.
Everything we can see will come to an end, but the “eternal life” given to those who love God will never be taken away. What happens to our souls after our bodies have decayed? It can only be imagined. The secret has not been revealed to anyone. Yet, I can still say, “God never does anything wrong.” Because you are already living eternal life. The time will come when our bodies, our possessions, our sufferings, and our sorrows will be taken away. But eternal life will never be taken away. There is a passage where Jesus simply states what eternal life is. I would like to close today’s message by reading those words.
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – Jesus Christ (John 17:3)
(Prayer)
Dear God, we thank you that there is no place or time that your word does not reach, and that you are eternal. None of the things that afflict me are beyond your control. Thank you that you love and have mercy on us beyond our ability to understand. We will not forget your grace that gives the best to each of us. Please let us continue to walk with you. May your comfort be deep in those who are suffering. By your word let us be healed, arise, and step out. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
Summary
Believing in Jesus Christ as God and following Him means that we are alive in the everlasting life of God. The biblical expressions “heaven” or “kingdom of God” is not like a specific place reserved for the afterlife. It is an eternal relationship with God that is already given to those who walk with Jesus and cannot be taken away by physical death. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – Jesus Christ (John 17:3)
For Discussion
1. Where do you think heaven is?
2. What is “eternal life”?