SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The Lord (vs 1).
(2). The King (vs 2-3).
(3). The Priest (vs 4).
(4). The Judge (vs 5-7).
SERMON CONTENT:
Ill:
• The university library in Kansas U.S.A.
• Is home to a very unusual Bible.
• At first it looks like very ordinary;
• But when the guilt edges are slightly parted;
• It reveals a picture of Christ with his disciples in the upper room.
• Underneath the picture are the words;
• “It is myself, handle me and see”.
• Whoever created this unusual Bible wanted their readers to realise;
• That the Bible is a message about Jesus – wherever you look!
• Christ is in all the scriptures.
• And Psalm 110 is a great example of that.
• Quote: Charles Spurgeon the great Baptist preacher of the nineteenth century said;
• Psalm 110 is exclusively about Jesus Christ.
• David ‘is not the subject of it in even the smallest degree’.
Note:
• When it comes to the New Testament;
• Psalm 110 is the most quoted of all the Psalms.
• Verse 1 alone is quoted seven different times
Quote James Montgomery Boice.
“Psalm 110 is quoted directly or alluded to indirectly at least twenty-seven times,
The chief passages being Matthew 22:44 (Parallels in Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42-43); Acts 2:34-35; 7:56; 1 Corinthians 15:25: Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 12:2; and 1 Peter 3:22.
Verse 4 is referred to in Hebrews 5:6; 7:17, 21; 8:1; 10:11-13 and is the dominating idea of those key chapters”.
• I want to divide it up under 4 pictures:
• 4 Names of Christ nicely partition up this Psalm.
(1). The Lord (vs 1).
“The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
ill:
• Look at verse 1 in your Bibles and let’s play spot the difference.
• Look at the two words ‘Lord’ and see if you can spot the difference.
• If you haven’t spotted it yet – I will tell you:
• The first name ‘LORD’ in most English Bibles is usually all in capitols ‘L-O-R-D’.
• The second name ‘Lord’ is usually printed capitol ‘L’ but lower case ‘o-r-d’.
This is not a mistake by the printers – it is very deliberate choice of spelling:
• The printers want you to recognise an important truth;
• That the Psalmist is not just repeating himself in this verse;
• But the Psalmist is using two very different Hebrew words or names;
• But in English we have a problem in that they are both been translated as ‘Lord’.
• So to show us that two different words are being used;
• In English the spelling indicates that to us.
(a). ‘LORD’:
• Whenever in an English Bible you see the word ‘LORD’ in capitol letters:
• Is the Hebrew name ‘Jehovah/Yahweh’.
• Jehovah/Yahweh’ is name that describes God’s nature, his character.
• He is ‘Jehovah’ – ‘the self existent one’.
Ill:
• God is the very opposite of human beings.
• We are dependent on…sun & rain, food and water, oxygen, medication;
• And so many other things.
• But not God!
• He is ‘self-existent’ and he depends on no-one and nothing!
(b). ‘Lord’:
• The second word translated ‘Lord’ using lower case letters;
• Is the Hebrew word ‘Adoni’.
• When this word when used in the plural it is used as a title for God;
• i.e. Psalm 8 verse 1 “O LORD our Lord how majestic is your name”.
• “O Jehovah our Adoni how majestic is your name in all the earth”.
• In the plural ‘Adoni’ is a name for God alone;
• But when it is used in the singular it refers not to God but to someone else.
• A human being.
• It refers to someone (a human being);
• Who is greater than the person using that word.
• i.e. If I called someone ‘my Lord’;
• I would be acknowledging that that person is greater than myself.
Note: In verse 1 of this Psalm:
• The word ‘Lord’ - ‘Adoni’ is not being used as a title for God;
• Rather the Psalmist (David) is talking about one human being;
• That is greater than himself.
• So in this case;
• David the prophet is citing, quoting, speaking God’s words;
• In which God tells another person;
• Who is greater than David, to sit at God’s right hand;
• Until God makes that persons enemies a footstool for their persons feet.
Question: Who are the two Lord’s mentioned?
Answer:
• The first word translated ‘LORD’ spelt in capitols (Jehovah) is obviously God;
• I don’t think anyone would argue against that.
Question: ‘Who is the second Lord’ mentioned?
• Answer:
• Please notice that we are not directly told;
• What we have in this Psalm is a serious of clues as to who this person is;
• ill: Crime watch identity kit picture.
• As you look at the clues they certainly do not fit David who penned the Psalm;
• But they speak to us of the coming Messiah – the Son of David David’s greater son.
Notice:
• The various clues or descriptions that the Psalmist tells us;
• That identify to us who this ‘Lord’ will be.
• CLUE 1: He will have a “Mighty Sceptre”.
• A sceptre was a symbol of power,
• A visual reminder that it is the ‘Lord’, the king who rules.
• ill: this king is no figurehead like our Queen - this king has power & calls the shots!
• CLUE 2: “Rule in the midst of your enemies”.
• This king is victorious;
• He has conquered his enemies, they are under his feet (trampled);
• CLUE 3: “Mighty sceptre from Zion”.
• This phrase again helps to identify this king for us.
• With his capitol on Mount Zion, he therefore he must be a king of Israel.
• CLUE 4 is in verse 4: ‘Eternal Priest’.
• This king is also a priest;
• So that rules out David (and all other Jewish kings) as being the subject of this Psalm.
• David was a poet, a prophet, a king but never a priest!
• In fact you could not be both a king and priest under the Old Testament law.
• Also notice this king/priest is an eternal priest;
• So he is human but much more than a human being;
• If he is eternal then he must also be divine!
• CLUE 5 is in verse 6: “He will judge the nations”,
• David had many great victorious in battle, Israel’s greatest leader.
• But David and no other Jewish king ever conquered all the rulers of the whole earth.
• So once again this king is quite unique;
• He must be King of kings and Lord of lords to fit this description.
Question: Who is the second ‘Lord’ mentioned?
Answer:
• It cannot be David or any other Jewish king;
• Because they do not fit the rest of the Psalms descriptions.
• Therefore it must be one greater than David;
• The Messiah, the coming king.
Notice: That raises another question:
• Question: How can the one to come be David’s Lord?
• Answer: Incarnation.
• The one to come – the Messiah must be human, a man born through the family of David,
• But he must also be divine ‘eternal’ in nature (vs 6)
Ill:
• When Wycliffe translator Doug Meland and his wife;
• Moved into a village of Brazil’s Fulnio Indians,
• He was referred to simply as "the white man".
• The term was by no means complimentary,
• Since other white men had exploited them, burned their homes,
• And robbed them of their lands.
• But after the Melands learned the Fulnio language;
• And began to help the people with medicine and in other ways,
• They began calling Doug "the respectable white man".
• When the Melands began adopting the customs of the people,
• The Fulnio gave them greater acceptance and spoke of Doug as "the white Indian".
• Then one day, as Doug was washing the dirty, blood caked foot of an injured Fulnio boy,
• He overheard a bystander say to another:
• "Whoever heard of a white man washing an Indian’s foot before?
• Certainly this man is from God!"
• From that day on, whenever Doug would go into an Indian home,
• It would be announced: "Here comes the man God sent us."
In every senses Psalm 110 is about "the man God sent us."
• It is the greatest of the Messianic Psalms:
• Other Messianic Psalms are like a crossword puzzle;
• They contain the vertical and the horizontal.
• The psalmist experience and that of the Messiah;
• But Psalm 110 is unique;
• Because it only contains the horizontal – that which concerns the Messiah.
• That is why Spurgeon said; Psalm 110 is exclusively about Jesus Christ.
• David ‘is not the subject of it in even the smallest degree’.
• So Psalm 110 is about the divine king;
• Who has been installed at the right hand of God in heaven;
• And who is presently engaged in extending his spiritual rule throughout the whole earth.
(2). The King (verses 2-3).
“The LORD will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of your enemies!”
3 Your troops will be willing
on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendour,
your young men will come to you
like dew from the morning’s womb”.
Notice: Three things about the kings army?
• (a). It is made up of volunteers.
• “Your troops will be willing”
• (b). They are dressed like priests not warriors;
• ‘Arrayed in holy splendour’ or ‘holy garments’.
• (c). They are a great multitude, too many to count;
• “Like dew from the morning’s womb” – like fresh dew of the morning!
THE MESSIAH AS KING:
• These verses picture the Messiah as the conquering king;
• It is a picture of the Messiah’s victories over his enemies.
• Although the final victory has not yet been won;
• He still rules in the midst of his enemies.
Ill:
• Winning a war is often determined by a decisive battle,
• One that shifts the advantage.
• With that decisive battle won,
• Winning the war becomes just a matter of time.
• For example, World War II ended on 7th May 1945.
• That day was “VE-Day”, the day of victory and celebration.
• That victory came about because of the decisive change that came about on 6th June 1944.
• That was when the Allies landed at Normandy.
• That day was known as “D-Day”.
• It was the decisive battle that began the change that finally led to victory.
The cross of Jesus Christ was our spiritual ‘D-Day’ three greatest enemies were defeated:
• He defeated sin, the devil and even death itself!
• With the battle won and the enemy defeated;
• We are just waiting for our spiritual ‘VE Day’ to take place!
• And when Christ returns in glory;
• That day will be our “VE-Day”, the day of victory and celebration.
• This King will be acknowledged as victorious,
• His enemies conquered they are trampled under his feet.
• Waiting to be judged.
(3). The Priest (verse 4).
“The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
• Notice the expression “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind.”
• This verse has a double emphasis to it:
• First: “The Lord has sworn”.
• This is telling us that God has confirmed something by oath!
• God’s word alone is good enough for he cannot lie, he always tells the truth;
• But to emphasise to us the importance of the next statement;
• He uses human terms and language to highlight this truth to us.
So notice the double emphasis in the verse:
• First: “The Lord has sworn”.
• This is telling us that God has confirmed something by oath!
• Second: “He will not change his mind” regarding it.
• This truth is everlasting and unchanging!
• It is eternal, continuous, perpetual and never-ending.
Question: What is this everlasting and unchanging truth?
Answer: Verse 4b - The Messiah is a priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Ill:
• If I were to ask you to name the 10 most important people in the Old Testament:
• I doubt that Melchizedek’s name would be on your list.
• For many Christians he wouldn’t even make the top 50 list;
• And many Christians would not have a clue who he was.
• Or even how important he is.
• Yet God has given special weight and significance to this truth;
• Melchizedek gets a double word, a double oracle from God!
• Concerning his importance.
Question: Who was Melchizedek?
Answer:
• Melchizedek was a priest;
• Surprisingly Melchizedek is only mentioned on three occasions in Bible:
(A). HIS FIRST MENTION:
• Melchizedek amazingly only occupies three verses in the book of Genesis.
• We read about him in Genesis chapter 14.
• Abraham who a powerful chieftain, rescues his nephew Lot.
• Fresh from this great military victory,
• He comes face to face with someone even greater,
• The man was Melchizedek, who was the then king of Salem (or Jerusalem).
• Melchizedek blessed Abraham and gave him bread and wine.
• And in return Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils of battle.
So Melchizedek is a mysterious character:
• In Genesis chapter 14 he appears from nowhere;
• Just turns up out of the blue.
• Then three verses later he disappears again.
• We know nothing about his ancestry, his birth, his reign or his death.
• Symbolically he has no beginning and no end.
• All we know about him are his three titles:
• We just know he was a priest of the “Most High God”,
• He was ‘king of peace’ – ‘Salem’ means ‘Peace’.
• And ‘Melchizedek’ means ‘king of righteousness’.
(B). HIS SECOND MENTION:
• Is this one cryptic verse in Psalm 110 verse 4.
• That means the Bible is silent about Melchizedek, for a thousand years!
• Got that – a thousand years without a mention!
• Nothing at all!
• Just silence!
(C). HIS THIRD MENTION:
• After another 1000 years of silence,
• Another thousand years of obscurity.
• Another thousand years of zilch!
• He emerges as someone an important in the book of Hebrews.
• Where the author mentions him eight times,
• And uses the phrase “order of Melchizedek” four times.
Note: Here is the link.
• In the Old Testament Kings came from the tribe of Judah.
• Priests came from the tribe of Levi.
• Therefore no-one could ever be both a priest and king.
Yet we are told that the Messiah who is to come:
• Is qualified to be both priest and a king?
• And the reason he can be both is because;
• As king he qualifies from the linage or the tribe of Judah
• As Priest he qualifies from the linage of Melchizadek;
• A priesthood that was before and supersedes that of Aaron and the Levites.
• Therefore he like Melchizedek was qualified to combine the two positions.
• He is both a priest and a king.
Quote Hughes:
Our Lord’s dual titles of king and priest are highly appropriate:
, ’As king he is just, and as priest he justifies all who trust in his atoning sacrifice.
(4). The Judge (verses 5-7):
“The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead
and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
7 He will drink from a brook along the way,
and so he will lift his head high”.
A day is coming when Jesus the Messiah will deal with his enemies once and for all;
• Today is the Lord’s day of grace, it is the day of salvation;
• Calling men and women to be reconciled to God.
• But there is another day coming where there will be a day of wrath;
• The Bible calls it ‘the day of the Lord’;
• When judgement will fall on the world.
• And what a terrible day that will be;
• Notice that even the poetry used to describe this day;
• Makes you feel very uncomfortable;
• “He describes stacks of corpses on the battlefield with nobody to bury them
Verse 7 reminds us that nothing will detain him, detour him or discourage him.
• Like every good soldier he will linger only long enough to get a sip of water;
• And then he will raise his head and continue the chase until the job is complete!
Quote: Max Isaac Reich:
“The 110th Psalm gives us the key to history.
The One who alone can right the wrongs of earth, hush its storms, break its chains,
heal its wounds, straighten out its crookedness, dispel its darkness,
is hidden in heaven, because there was no room for Him on earth.
Sitting at the right hand of God the exclusive privilege of the Son and Heir,
He is patiently hiding His time, till the hour when God will intervene on His behalf on earth,
making His enemies the footstool of His feet”.
