Saturday, December 4, 2010

Save Now, Send Now

Psalm 118:25

It is unknown who wrote this particular Psalm, but its usage is well documented. This is a Messianic Psalm, meaning that it prophesies of the Messiah, whom we believe to be Jesus. On the 8th Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which Jews call Sukkot, there would be a sacrificial pouring out of water called a “water libation” at the Temple. The high priest would draw the water from the pool of Siloam and carry it back to the outer courtyard of the temple in a golden pitcher. When the high priest would pour out the water, the people would waive their palm branches and sing this verse from the 118th Psalm.

The first phrase of the verse, “Save now” is “Hosanna” in Hebrew and it means “savior or helper”. This is the phrase that the crowd cried out as Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final days of His life, casting palm branches at the feet of the donkey that He rode upon (John 12:13).
The last phrase begins with “send now” and both are framed with “beseech thee” and the all-caps version of “LORD”. “Beseech” denotes supplication while the word LORD is the English spelling of the Hebrew word for “covenant God”. Those who sing this song on the final day of the Feast are seeking God to send a Savior and they are appealing to Covenant to receive Him.

Jesus is in the outer courtyard of the temple when the high priest poured the water from the golden vessel over the altar on the 8th day of the Feast. “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink’” (John 7:37). Waiting for the moment of peak attention to be upon the pouring of the water, Jesus has stolen the attention of the crowd away, aiming the song that is being sung in His direction. He is the Savior that they long for; He is the answer to their supplication; He is their Covenant God!

Notice the two things that the Hebrews were asking for; which Jesus proclaims that He is: salvation and prosperity. Their request is for Hosanna to save them and for the Covenant God to send them prosperity. Jesus answers this request when He offers living water springing up within us (John 7:38). There is no divorcing the concept that BOTH salvation and prosperity are found in the living water of the Holy Spirit.

Some shy away from any reference to prosperity from the pulpit, and believe me I used to be one of those people. I grew weary of hearing the “prosperity gospel”; but that is before I realized that there is NO SUCH THING as the prosperity gospel, any more than there is a “healing gospel” or a “faith gospel”. There is only the gospel of Jesus Christ, which provides prosperity and healing and comes by faith. Man taints all good things with his own philosophies, so do not allow God’s goodness to be lessened by bad teaching.

See your Jesus as having provided both salvation and prosperity at the cross. Just as you know that you are righteous even though you do not always see righteousness come out of your life; know that you are prosperous in Christ, though you do not always see that prosperity. Stand on what His Word says about you and see it, not in you and your abilities, but in His finished work.