Subject: When God’s Dreams Come True
Psalms 126:1-6 “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. 3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. 4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. 5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (KJV)
Introduction: Psalm 126 is called an ascension Psalm. It was one the song sang as the children of Israel went up to worship at Jerusalem. Some associate this psalm with the time after Israel was released from the Babylonian Captivity, although Israel’s history is filled with occasions of great deliverance by the hand of God. Yet we cannot accurately date this psalm, but we do know what was happening. The psalmist says, “When the Lord turned again the captivity.” The psalmist clearly understood that it was by the Lord's permission Israel were led into captivity, so only by his power they were set free.
When the Israelites had served in Egypt four hundred years, it was not Moses, but Jehovah, that brought them out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage. In like manner it was Jehovah and not Deborah that freed them from Jabin after they had been vexed twenty years under the Canaanites oppression. It was God and not Gideon that brought them out of the hands of the Midianites, after seven years' servitude. It was he and not Jephthah that delivered them from the Philistines and Amorites after eighteen years' oppression.
Although in all these cases, God used Moses and Deborah, Gideon and Jephthah, as instruments for their deliverance; but it was by the power of God they were delivered.
After seventy years of captivity, it would be the Lord's power that delivered Israel again. It was not government’s policy, but God's wisdom, that, overthrew the Babylonians and gave to King Cyrus the victory, and put it into his heart to set his people free. I want to examine Psalm 126 more closely today, because it provides for us a pattern for action as we come to celebrate his name. The Children of Israel had gone into Babylon with a promise from God. God promised a day of restoration and a day of return. After 70 years of Babylonian captivity, those promises were just about all the people had left of their religious heritage. They were held in slavery, the temple had been destroyed, the city gates had been burned with fire, and they no longer celebrated temple worship. During those 70 years, those who remembered Jerusalem told their children about a land the children had never seen. Jerusalem was no more real to the children of the exile than a fable, or a story of the past. The only thing left to them was God’s promise to redeem his people out of slavery and to restore them to their home and to restore them to His worship. In Jeremiah 29:10,11, God promised, “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” God’s dreams will come to pass. So He reminds Israel, “I know what I have decreed concerning you; even favor and deliverance in my appointed time, and not annihilation and destruction; so ye shall have a happy and victorious end and your desired and expectation. Suddenly, without warning or expectation, God will turn things around.
The Babylonian government collapsed overnight. No one predict it or expected it. All the attention was being given to the feast of Belshazzar without knowing the empire was on the verge of collapse. The Medo-Persian Empire conquered Babylon. Then King Cyrus gave an unexpected decree freeing the Jews. There were over an hundred nations held in captivity, but Israel received their release. The Medo-Persian Empire had overcome great Babylon. What would it mean for the 128 nations in captivity? Think about what happened in a single night. Babylon is overthrown, a new regime comes to power and an emergency summon has been made. All people must appear, the new monarch has an announcement. “You Jews are free to return to your homeland.” When God’s Dream Come True, we should celebrate God’s Release and Restoration.
1. Celebrate God’s RElease and Restoration! Psalm 126:1 “When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.”
Jeremiah warned Israel not to listen to the word of false prophets, nor their own dreams of speedy release, yet God has a plan. When God’s dream come true, we should celebrate. It’s never too late for God to turn things around. I know 70 years of captivity must have seemed like forever. Somehow this blessing of release and restoration was almost unbelievable. It was like a dream. A bad dream can almost scare you to death, and a good dream causes you to hate to wake up. This was the fulfilment of God’s Dream for his people. This psalm describes how the exiles felt when the Medo-Persian King who held them captive decreed that they could return to Israel, the Holy City, Jerusalem and rebuild God’s Temple. Yes, it was real, but it was so good, so real, that it made you feel that this was a dream – it was too real, and too good, to be factually true. And, yet it was. Psalm 126:1 “When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.” It’s time to Celebrate! When God’s dream come true, you will laugh again.
2. Celebrate God’s Goodness with singing and laughter. Ps 126:2” Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.”
We can only imagine what it sounded like to hear laughing again! The people of God were still in Babylon, with many difficulties ahead, but it’s never too early to celebrate God’s goodness. Notice as soon they understood what was happening, then their mouths were filled with laughter and tongue with singing. Israel’s joy stemmed from the announcement, “You are free to go.” There were still many problems ahead of them. They were two thousand miles away from home, their homeland was in shambles, they had no resources and no standing army for protection. But if God says, You are free, It’s time to celebrate. It’s never too early. I know people say, “Never count your chickens before they hatch.” I say it all depends on whose watching the eggs. When God begins to move, our mouths should be filled. When God visited Abraham at age ninety-nine, He said, “Sarah thy wife shall conceive and bare a son.” The Bible says, Sarah laughed in disbelief but less than a year later, she had a bouncing baby boy. This was so amusing to God until the child was named Isaac which means laughter. It’s never too early to celebrate God’s goodness. God’s celebration should contain two elements: laughter and singing. We have COUNTLESS reasons to be thankful to God and to others. The scriptures tell us to give thanks, so whether we do it regularly or not, it's our duty to continually thank God, our friends, and our family.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Chronicles 16:8-12 says, "Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth."
Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.”
James 5:13“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”
When there is laughter without singing something is missing, but when there is singing without Joy, something is also missing. “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” (Psalms 100:1,2.) Ps 126:2” Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.” The goodness of God is reason to celebrate.
3. Celebration of God's Goodness is a Visible Witness to the World. – “then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. 3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”
The reality of God’s goodness to Israel was verified by the world, the other Gentile nations. “Then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The reality of the Lord’s blessing was a dream come true with so much evidence that the other captive nations were saying, “The LORD indeed has done great things for them. Our praise to God is one of the ways we witness to the world. There is never a time when the world is not watching. They are watching to see if we serve the Lord with gladness. They are watching to see if our praise is real; if our lifestyle holy, if our love is passionate. The world is watching our witness. Since Israel was so tremendously blessed, the world was listening for a response. The people of God responded, “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” A songwriter once said, “I sing because I’m Happy and I shout because I’m Free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me!” Jesus reminded us in Mt 5:14 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” During the season, I hope the world can our light and hear our praise and celebrate the Christ of Christmas. It’s time to celebrate because we have been released from the captivity of Satan, sin, and self. We have been made to sing and laugh again with great joy and our celebration of praise, with singing and dancing is a witness to the world. Joy to the world the Lord has come!
When God’s dream come true. we will experience a turnaround in God’s time and in God’s way. When God’s dream come true, we will experience great joy and laugh again. When God’s dream come true, we will be God’s witnesses to the world, because the world is watching. Finally, When God’s dream come true, we will return to our purpose and calling. There is always a purpose for God’s Deliverance! When God’s dream come true, His people will fulfill His purpose.
4. When God’s dream come true, His people will fulfill His purpose. Ps 126:4-6 “Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Now the Psalmist closes the psalm with a prayer. He looks back at God’s previous blessings. Then He looks forward to a fuller, more complete and deliverance. God’s deliverance had come through a process; God’s deliverance had come because of His promise and God’s deliverance has a greater purpose. Like Israel, we rejoice over God’s blessings on our lives and even expect greater blessing to come. But why?
God’s deliverance isn’t like a light-switch – either on, or off – it’s a process. It has a beginning, and it has an ending. The singers of the Psalm, as they would go up to Jerusalem for the feasts, would look backward at the time when God began his promised deliverance; and at the same time, they looked forward to the time when that deliverance would be complete.
Israel has been selected by God for God’s divine purpose. Israel had been strategically placed at the crossroads of the world. They were God’s chosen people, his witness and testimony to the world of the faithfulness of God. They were to show what God was really like. They became sided tracked, puffed up, aborting their purpose and their God. God rescued them from captivity and gave them a second chance. The psalm ends with a prayer, So they pray, “turn again our captivity.” They were saying in essence, Our homeland is in shambles, the temple is destroyed, and worship has been abandoned, give us another chance. Notice the Psalmist must have remembered the prophesy of Isaiah who mentioned streams of the south. The southland was dry, barren, wasteland, a desert. Yet Isaiah promised. “that the desert would blossom as a rose.” That God sends the rain, the former and the latter rain, suddenly the desert would bloom. God would send water in the desert and bring the high mountains down to a plain and make the crooked way straight. As a matter of Fact, God said, “Behold, I make all things new.” God’s deliverance is a process that began with Israel, has become a reality for the church.
Isa 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
Those in Christ have become new creatures, old things are passed away and all things become new. Israel’s deliverance was physical, from a physical place and physical enemy. Our deliverance in Christ is far greater. For we have been delivered from the powers of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear son. God sent his Son into the world to die for sinners. He entered the world to redeem it from sin and death. He has saved us by His grace. He has made salvation available to all who believe! Do you remember how it was when you first got saved? I remember, I was like those who dreamed. The hymn writer said it this way, “Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray. Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray. Upon the mountain, when my Lord spoke, out of God's mouth came fire and smoke. Looked all around me, it looked so fine, till I asked my Lord if all was mine.” I remember. The old spiritual ask it this way, “How did you feel when you came out of the wilderness?” Another one said, “Well, I looked at my hand and they looked new, I looked at my feet and they did too…” The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad!”
Isaiah said it this way, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying.”
God’s deliverance has a purpose. The Psalmist continues in verse 5,6 “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
The purpose of God is to win the world to Himself. Notice this text has three features; weeping, sowing and reaping. All of which point to a calling, a labor of love that may include sorrow, weeping, and tears. Laboring in the vineyard is costly and painful. We are called to share the Good News with a world in captivity. An announcement has been made, Satan’s power has been broken, and they can find release and freedom in Christ Jesus. God delivered us that we might help other find deliverance. The only way they will ever hear the good news is that we tell them. We must sow the word even if it difficult because there is a promise. Those who sow the good news of Jesus Christ shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:19,20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Then Paul wrote, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”
God’s deliverance has purpose and comes with a promise. Our witness for Christ may not always be fun, but it is necessary. Sometimes, we may feel like quitting; we invest ourselves, our words, our actions, our money, all sorts of things in the lives of others with little results. Sometimes it feels like taking precious grain and burying it in the dirt.
But there is a promise of Joy. All may not believe, but some will believe.
So Paul says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. And, may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”
Psalms 126:6 “…shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Remember Jesus said, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
When God’s dream come true, celebrate His faithfulness and His lovingkindness. Celebrate God’s ability to turn things around. Celebrate God’s goodness in keeping His promises. Our Celebration of God is a visible witness to the world. The world is always watching to see our response. We are salt and lights in a dark world. Finally, remember God’s deliverance always has a purpose. When God’s dream come true for His people, His people will fulfill His purpose; and God’s purpose that all be saved and come to the knowledge of truth.
1Ti 2:1-4 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
