I Will Dwell in The House of The Lord

Sermon delivered on November 30th, 2014

By: Pastor Greg Hocson

Text: Psalm 23:6

 

As we close our series on the 23rd Psalm we end up with the best passage of all.

6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

There were two specific times where David was driven out from the temple where he was unable to experience the fellowship with the Lord. The first time was, when he was running away from King Saul and second was when he was running away from his son Absalom who sought to dethrone him. On both these cases David was forced to withdraw from the temple into the wilderness. He knew the pain, the frustration of not being able to go to the temple.

 

I - David's one great desire

What is the house of the Lord? What is the house of God? 

6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

1. Temple or Church

In the OT, the "house of the Lord" always refers to the Tabernacle or Temple. In the NT, it refers to the the Church.

David has fixation with the temple. Not a fascination with the building itself but what it represents. It is the habitation of God on earth.

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20: And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21: In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The Church as a temple is the dwelling-place of God. It is here where He is please to exhibit His fullness, the manifold glory of God. It is the place where God is pleases to manifest Himself and His presence. The house of the Lord is the place where God is pleased to meet with His people. It is the abode of His family. It is the place in particular where the Lord meets and communes and have fellowship with His people. A living fellowship and communion with God meant to David more than anything. This is what separates the sheep from the goats. This is what separates the true child of God from the child of the devil. This is what separates the saved from the lost.

A lost person may come to the house of God and say a prayer, and hear a sermon, sing hymns, and many other things, but a saved person will dwell there forever. He must dwell. He longs to be in the presence of God.

John 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

Dwelling in the house of the Lord is a pervasive, recurring theme in the Bible,

Psalm 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13: Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14: They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; 14: To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

The place where the righteous take root and grow into strong trees in the context of God's truth, fellowship of the people of God.

David had one desire and that one desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

One thing that he desires is to meet with God, to commune, to fellowship.

Psalm 84:1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2: My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3: Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

 

10: For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11: For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12: O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

David would rather be a doorkeeper, because it is here that God comes to His people.

Do we love to be in the house of the Lord? Is it our joy and delight? Oh, that we all would have this as our greatest desire! Lord, give us this desire. By Your Spirit, cause us to seek You more than anything else. 

 

2. Heaven

The "house of the Lord" also has a reference to the life to come ultimately. 

This "house of the Lord," observe, is on the other side of "the valley of the shadow of death"; and therefore it is just a description of Heaven.

Heaven is the ultimate house of God. It is there in Heaven that God dwells in the fulness of the splendor and majesty. It is the place of ultimate beauty, truth and human flourishing. It is a place of beauty, harmony, rest, and serenity.

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

David has the assurance that he will dwell in the house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens, Christ's Father's house, in which are many mansions, sure dwellings, and quiet resting places for His people, and that to all eternity. 

 

II - Desire realized for eternity

6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Forever, not just for a day or a week or a month or a year or decades, or century but forever. We are not there to drop by and make a visit, or make a call, but to dwell there to stay, to abide. We will live there with God, to fellowship and commune with God, to live forever in the dwelling place of God.

Our Great Shepherd is preparing a place for us...

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2: In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

This is where the journey ends. This is our final destination as children of God. Some are almost there, standing at the very threshold. Others still have a long ways to go. We are not there yet. But some day we will be.

 

There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come

No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye.

All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

 

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;

And forever I will be with the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

 

               Chorus:

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day, glorious day that will be!

 

The journey and pain and sorrow and struggle and sacrifice are worth it all. Goodness and mercy shall follow His children and they dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

May God grant us grace to dwell in the serene atmosphere of this most blessed Psalm!