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| A Marriage Made in
Heaven INTRODUCTION Summer is the time for weddings. Mindy and I were married on July 23, 1977, and many other couples celebrate their anniversaries in the summer months. For this reason it is appropriate that we come to Psalm 45 today because it is a wedding psalm. Let's see if we can tell who the happy couple is. (Read Ps. 45) The psalm was probably written on the occasion of a royal wedding between Israel's king and a foreign princess. It could have been written for Solomon's wedding to Pharaoh's daughter, for example. But since ancient times it has been interpreted as a messianic psalm. One reason for this is verse 6, Psa 45:6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. This verse is inserted so seamlessly into the text that it sounds as if the composer is addressing the king as God ("Elohim," to be specific). And if he is doing so, verse 7 is even more interesting, Psa 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. Certainly no Hebrew poet would identify the king as God, but this literary device does two things. First, it helps the worshiper to see the close relationship between God in Heaven and the king of Israel on earth, thus inspiring greater respect for the king. Second, it points the worshiper to the one who was to come, the Messiah, the line between whom and God Almighty was blurred to the point of erasure. Isa 9:6 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Psalm 45 predicts a king-God-messiah. The writer of Hebrews in the New Testament picks up on this and quotes the psalm in chapter one. It works perfectly well to say to Christ, "Your throne, O God," and to say, "Therefore God, your God..." If Psalm 45 is a messianic psalm, and if the groom is Christ, who is the bride? The New Testament identifies the church as the bride of Christ in a passage that I'll read in a minute. I notice that, as the bride of Christ, the church does not always get the respect she deserves. Abuse comes from the world, but abuse also comes from within the church itself – that is, from professing believers. It is getting more common today to meet people who can give a good profession of faith in Christ, and who seem to live moral lives, but who have nothing to do with the church. This is unfortunate. Worse, it is hurtful – hurtful to Christ himself. I believe we should love the church, and I can think of one very good reason why. WE SHOULD LOVE THE CHURCH BECAUSE CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH This is suggested in Psalm 45 and confirmed in the New Testament. Jesus loves the church the way the king in Psalm 45 loves his bride, Psa 45:11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. The Lord's love for the church is explained in a passage from Ephesians that I like to read at weddings. (Read Eph. 5:22-32) How many times have we read this not for the purpose of examining the duties of husbands and wives in marriage but for understanding Christ's love for the church? Yet the latter is as strong an emphasis in the passage as the former, Eph 5:32 This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church. How does Jesus feel about the church? He extremely, passionately loves her, more fully than the most ideal groom has ever loved the most ideal bride. Isn't that reason enough for us to love her? Why does he love her so? To him, she is beautiful. Again, Psalm 45:11 says, Psa 45:11 The king is enthralled by your beauty... Then, verses 13 and 14 expand on that, Psa 45:13-14 All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king... One of the best illustrations of Christ's love for the church is Don Quixote's love for a wench named Aldonza. To the men of the town, and to herself, she is a cheap prostitute. But to Don Quixote she is Dulcinea, which means "sweetness." He sings to her, "I see heaven when I see thee and thy name is like a prayer an angel whispers." She asks, "What do you want of me?" and he says, "I ask of my lady that I may be allowed to serve her, that I may hold her in my heart, that to her I may dedicate each victory and call upon her in defeat, and if at last I give my life, I give it in the sacred name of Dulcinea." (Source, Reverend Ed Hird, Rector, St. Simon's Anglican Church, "Deep Cove Crier" August 1996) CONCLUSION I can think of three applications of this. If we love the church as Christ loves the church: 1. We should speak well of her. 2. We should live up to his beautiful vision of us. 3. We should honor him. |