Fifth Sunday After Easter (B C P). Series

Psalm 66:1-8, Joel 2:21-26, James 1:21-27, John 16:23-33.

A). SING FORTH HIS GLORY.

Psalm 66:1-8.

The superscription to this Psalm is addressed, “To the chief musician. A Song or Psalm.” Whether sung or spoken, it is a call to all nations to “Make a joyful noise” to God (Psalm 66:1). Which God? Well, compare Psalm 100:1, where YHWH, ‘the LORD’ is named.

All creatures, even inanimate things, acknowledge Him. How much more should man, created in His image, bow the knee to Him (Psalm 146:5-6; Isaiah 45:22-23).

“Sing forth the glory of His NAME. Make His praise glorious” (Psalm 66:2). Join the cherubim is singing, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory’ (Isaiah 6:3).

So, God is to be acknowledged because of His great NAME, which is YHWH, the LORD, the same yesterday, today and forever. Furthermore, He is to be worshipped on account of His AWESOME deeds (Psalm 66:3). His works of creation and providence, His works of grace and mercy, the salvation which He has wrought for His people at the Cross of Jesus.

The response comes in Psalm 66:4, where “The whole earth SHALL worship thee, and SHALL sing unto thee; they SHALL sing to thy NAME.” (Cf. Habakkuk 2:14; Philippians 2:10-11). “Selah.” Think on these things.

“Come and see,” begins the next section (Psalm 66:5). These are the words of evangelism. ‘Come and see,’ said Philip to Nathanael (John 1:45-46). ‘Come see a man,’ said the woman of Samaria: ‘is not this the Christ?’ (John 4:29).

What shall we come and see? His AWESOME deeds toward the children of men (Psalm 66:5). The rehearsal of the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt (Psalm 66:6) is also described as AWESOME in Exodus 15:11.

“HE turned the sea into dry land, THEY went through the flood on foot, there WE rejoiced,” (Psalm 66:6). The crossing of the Red Sea by the children of Israel is paradigmatic of the salvation accomplished by Jesus. ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’ Without His death, there is no resurrection - for any of us. We rejoice in His victory on our behalf!

When we have ‘passed from death to life’ (1 John 3:14), we join Israel in exalting the LORD (Exodus 15:2). Even in the exodus of the children of Israel, God was showing forth His power with His eyes towards “the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves” (Psalm 66:7). “Selah.” Think on this.

“O bless our God, ye peoples” (Psalm 66:8) is an appeal being made by the congregation of God’s people to all the peoples of all the lands of all the earth (Psalm 66:1; cf. Psalm 100:1). This is evangelism which puts God first. It is not about us; it is about Him.

“Let the sound of His praise be heard” (Psalm 66:8) gives permission to the church to harness all this world’s media for the furtherance of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Tell the world to tell others: this stuff is good! This word is for all, y’all: pass it on!

B). RESTORATION.

Joel 2:21-26.

The locusts, and their like, had eaten away many years of Israel’s history (cf. Joel 1:4), with devastating results. Not only was the land wasted for the farmers and winemakers, but also the offerings of the LORD were cut off (cf. Joel 1:9-12). Joy was ‘withered away from the sons of men’ (cf. Joel 1:12)!

Joel’s reaction to all this was to speak into the ear of government and church leadership, calling for a national fast and a public day of prayer and humiliation before the LORD (cf. Joel 1:14; Joel 2:15). The LORD Himself called for nothing less than national repentance, rending of hearts, fasting, weeping and mourning (cf. Joel 2:12-14). The ministers of the LORD were enjoined to join Joel in this initiative by weeping and saying, ‘Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: why should they say among the people, Where is their God?’ (cf. Joel 2:17).

When they thus humbled themselves and fasted and wept and mourned and cried to the LORD, ‘then would the LORD be jealous for His land and pity His people’ (cf. Joel 2:18). The LORD would ‘no more make you a reproach among the heathen’ (cf. Joel 2:19). The locust has done his ‘great things’ (end of Joel 2:20); now the LORD would do His ‘great things’ (JOEL 2:21).

Israel is called to rejoice in the LORD their God (JOEL 2:23a). We pray for seasonable weather, and that is just what the children of Zion had restored to them: “the former rain moderately, the rain, the former rain and the latter rain” (JOEL 2:23b). In the words of Elijah, ‘I hear the sound of an abundance of rain’ (cf. 1 Kings 18:41).