Psalm 118 is a great choice for Palm Sunday: Followers of Jesus Christ find Psalm 118 echoed by Jesus’ life and suffering/death, and even by his (and our) resurrection. Verse 26a (”Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD”) is cited by all four gospels (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:8,9; Luke 19:37-38; John 12:13) in depicting Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus himself cited verses 22-23 (”The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone…”) in Matthew 21:42. Peter cites verse 22 in Acts 4:10-11. Verse 27 speaks of a “festal procession with branches”. And the praise-filled Hosanna!” of Matthew 21:9 and John 12:13 come from the transliterated Greek form of verse 25a’s Hebrew “Save us now,” or “Please save us”). God has become the psalmist’s salvation (vv. 14, 21).

Psalm 118, a psalm of praise which gives thanks to the Lord for that deliverance, concludes a group of hymnic psalm of prise (Psalm 113-118). They have been used in Jewish celebrations of the yearly pilgrimage festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16; Mark 14:26); Passover/Unleavened Bread, Weeks/Pentecost, and Shelters/Booths/Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:13-15). Psalm 118 is associated with this last festival; it is sandwiched between the shortest and longest chapters of the Bible.

The first and last verses of Psalm 118 (vv. 1 and 29) are bookends with identical exuberant words: “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, (for) his steadfast love endures forever.” The psalmist declares, “The LORD is good”, meaning that he holds God in highest esteem, as one whose qualities are to be desired. “Steadfast love” in Hebrew is hesed, translated variously: steadfast love, love, loving kindness, mercy, faithful love, loyal love. Hesed can be understood as covenant loyalty, graciousness and kindness. God honors his covenant with us human beings, sometimes even when we breach them.

Note the joy throughout the psalm, in celebrating their annual festival, all the people and leaders trust in the Lord God to reactivate his saving victory in their lives. The LORD is God, and the psalmist God.

Verses 22-23 speak of the people’s finding the Lord’s provision of “the stone” to be marvelous. In the earliest Old Testament writings and context the meaning of verse 22 is uncertain. However, from the earliest days of the Christian movement the Psalm has been taken as referring to Jesus: “the stone that the builders rejected was Jesus and followed by God raising Jesus from the dead. And because he lives we live; Christians are encouraged by verse 17’s “I shall not die, but I shall live…”

Ephesians 2:19-22 calls Jesus Christ “the corner, the cornerstone, capstone, keystone), which corresponds to Psalm 118:22’s “the head of the corner.” God is saying that the one who trusts Jesus will not panic, and in fact be made the center of our lives.

Since it is the Lord alone who can bring deliverance and victory, Psalm 118 urges placing our trust in the Lord rather than either placing our ultimate trust in human beings or fearing them. Notice the verses 8 and 9: put confidence in and take refuge in. In this we may be thankful.

The gates of righteousness are those of the temple, where only the godly righteous may enter. Righteousness is living by God’s rights, moral and ethical standards in relationships to others, which includes mercy for the needy and helpless, along with equal justice for all in legal matters. Righteousness can also mean the righteous vindication of God.

Significantly, verse 26a’s “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD” is cited in all four gospels. Jesus’ disciples and the crowd shout it out as he enters Jerusalem that final time. It was earlier in history referring to the king who came to Jerusalem as the representative of God, later it came to refer to the Messiah coming. This is the beginning of eternal hope.

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Church Calendar: Transfiguration Sunday

Scripture Focus: 2 Kings 2:1-12

In Wednesday night Bible Study the class just finished looking at what the New Testament says about Evil: the cosmic war and original sin. Therefore, the mind set of the New Testament is different from most of ours. We are much more mundane usually.

In the Scripture that I am focusing on this week is the story of Elijah’s ascension into heaven which is the climax of this infamous prophet’s career. He served during the reigns of three of the Northern Kingdom’s most notorious kings (Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah), which were known for their apostasy (Their deliberate rebellion, or ignoring of God’s will and way). The bulk of Elijah’s career fell during the reign of Ahab. The event depicted in today’s reading comes from the end of Elijah’s tumultuous confronta-tion with Israel’s rulers. The national struggle to keep the faith while living under the three notorious rulers was indeed trying for all who wished to live under God’s way. Elijah has fought the fight with Evil personified in Omri, Ahab, and Ahaziah.

The narrative is constructed as a travel story: Elijah (whose name means “God is my God!”) and his protege successor Elisha (God has granted salvation!) are traveling to Gilgal (v. 1) to an unknown destination in the Transjordan (the eastern side of the Jordan River). The story begins with these words: “Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind” (v.1). The story is a transitional story from Elijah to Elisha, “God is God!” to “God has granted salvation!”.

The “whirlwind” is one of several natural manifestations of the divine presence, and it was an especially fitting setting for the earthly end of a prophet whose previous encouter with the God was also in violent atmospheric conditions (2 Kings 18:20-40). The Hebrew word used here, “se’arh” signifies the supernatural use of a natural phenomenon by the God. God is doing God’s stuff.

Elijah’s “translation” into heaven is one of twe depictions in the Old Testament of persons permanently entering God’s presence before death (the other Enoch, Genesis 5:24). This is a preliminary to Christian believers being allowed to exist in God’s presence–the Holy Spirit. Elijah comes to the Mount of Transfiguration along with Moses and God. This idea emerges from Elijah’s association with the Messianic theme.

The town from which Elijah and Elisha were walking, Gilgal, is close to Bethel, which was undoubtedly a prophet center for Elisha has conversation with them. They tell Elisha that the LORD will take Elijah today. Elisha does not wish to be reminded.

Three times does Elisha refuse to abandon his master. He says, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!”

What will separate you from Jesus? Only your desire to be separated from Him. When Elijah asked Elisha what could be done for him before the former’s departure, the latter wanted a double dose of the great prophet’s spirit. Elisha was told how that would happen: by seeing his master ascend into heaven.

There is this biblical mindset that we need to note: listening to and believing the instructions of the master. This is not something that is natural, but supernatural. To experience and believe what we are reading about here can be understood and dillusional Elisha is watching Elijah being taken into God’s presence. Again, Elisha does not like it: his master is gone. The tears his clothes in grief.

Asking for a double dose of Elijah’s spirit is a request to remain in intimacy with his master. This is the type of successor Elisha wishes to be; to not lose the master. Sure enough Elisha witnessed the ascension of his master and received the spirit that Elijah had and was.

Elisha was the next generation of God-inspired, God-filled individuals.