[Sung Psalm: 66] The English Standard Version says: "To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, etc., according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." Every previous translation has separated the idea of election from the idea of exile. All previous translations give you the sense that you are elect in spite of the fact that you are an exile–or a sojourner–or a stranger. They suggest that your sojourning or exile is something incidental to your election. The key point is that you are elect, and for now you are also an exile or sojourner. But that is not what Peter is saying. And it's not a question of the Greek being complicated. Peter is saying that it is precisely in your exile that you are elect. Your election and your exile–your sojourning–are bound up together. In other words, it is of the very character of the elect that they are exiles or sojourners. It is probably worth noting that all these translations – from the King James through the 20th century – were translations from the standpoint of Christendom, where Christians were the dominant culture. Only in the 21st century do Christians start reading the NT again with a more serious eye towards what it means to be in exile...

Do you see what Paul did with Psalm 68? "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." In Psalm 68, God ascends on high and receives gifts from men. In Ephesians 4, God ascends on high and gives gifts to men! But Paul is not mis-quoting Psalm 68. Rather, Paul is thinking about the whole of Psalm 68 – not just verse 18. He blends verse 18 with verse 35 – because in Jesus God has arisen and ascended – and Jesus is the God who gives power and strength to his people Today is sometimes called "Ascension Sunday." Technically Thursday was Ascension Day – since Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after his resurrection. We could have a special service on Ascension Day – or we could remember it on the following Sunday – which then also sets up Pentecost Sunday next week! But why do we celebrate the Ascension?

Throughout the book of Kings, we have seen that our author has one basic test for a king: Does he do what is right in the sight of the LORD – or not? And what it means to do what right (or evil) in the sight of the LORD is always focused on worship. Worship will have profound consequences on everything else in life! Why do you do what you do in worship? Tonight we watch Ahaz conform his worship to the standards of the nations around him. "Ah! I like that altar! We should do it that way!!" The last four kings of Judah have all been "good" kings. Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, and Jotham – all worshiped Yahweh at his temple. They had their problems (often described as allowing worship at the high places) – but for more than 120 years, Jerusalem was governed by four reasonably good kings. Until Ahaz. Ahaz is the one king of Judah of whom it is said, "He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD" There are several kings who did evil in the sight of the LORD (e.g., Jehoram and Ahaziah back in chapter 8 – or Manasseh coming up in chapter 21). But only Ahaz is said to have not done right. There's not much difference between doing evil and not doing right – but the effect is to highlight Ahaz. Ahaz is uniquely problematic...

We have come to the end of our journey through Psalm 119. As we come to the concluding pair of stanzas, we find a word that we have not heard much in the whole Psalm: "Praise" (verses 164, 171, and 175). In all of the intimate conversation between the Psalmist and the LORD, the word "praise" only arises here at the end. Even as the Psalter as a whole ends with a crescendo of praise (Psalms 146-150), so also Psalm 119 ends with praise as well. Another unique phrase is found in verses 166 and 174: "your salvation, O LORD." The word "salvation" has been used a couple of times in the Psalm, and the name of Yahweh has frequently occurred. Last week we saw that the Psalmist cried out to the LORD to save him (v145-146), and pled with the LORD for mercy in the context of talking about salvation (v155-156). But only here does "your salvation, O LORD" become the central theme. The connection between stanza Shin and stanza Taw is made especially clear because this phrase "your salvation, O LORD" occurs in the sixth line of each stanza (verses 166 and 174). By putting it in the same line of each stanza, the poet calls your attention to it. And so Psalm 119 concludes with the Psalmist praising the LORD. The persecutors have not gone away. But together with his cries for help he also mingles songs of praise...

We're back to the short, swift, boring narrative. One boring king after another. There are two periods in Israel's history where you see this rapid-fire style: 1 Kings 15-16 and 2 Kings 14-16. Both start with a Jeroboam, and then run quickly through seven kings. There are lots of conspiracies, coups, and dynastic changes. Israel is in turmoil. But of course, if you look at the layout of the book of Kings, we were due for another boring section! Many have noted that these "boring" sections seem very intentional. Our author wants you to understand that sin is boring. Rebellion against God is not interesting. It's boring. And so he tells the story of rebellious kings in a very formulaic, boring way. The interesting stories are told about the prophets – or faithful kings who sought to return to the LORD...

As we draw near to the end of Psalm 119, the Psalmist makes it clear that the point of this prayer is a matter of life and death. A dozen times in Psalm 119 the Psalmist says "give me life." Four of those times are in today's two stanzas: verses 149, 154, 156, and 159. God created Adam after his image and breathed the breath of life into him. But in his rebellion Adam forfeited life. And ever since the sin of Adam and Eve death has haunted all of humanity. Death stalks you, too. It lurks around every corner, waiting to ensnare you. Your time here is limited. Your time is running out. Will you spend it seeking after vain and empty pleasures? Or will you spend it seeking after the One who has conquered death and gives life to those who seek him?!

Have you ever noticed that the death of Elisha seems to be hanging in the middle of nowhere? We haven't heard from Elisha in the last four chapters. Indeed, after the anointing of Hazael and Jehu, Elisha disappears. Elisha had been anointed during the reign of Ahab. He took Elijah's place just after the death of Ahaziah. The bulk of his ministry was focused on the 12 years of Jehoram, the son of Ahab, and his last act was to send a son of the prophets to anoint Jehu. Jehu reigned for 28 years, but we hear nothing of Elisha for those 28 years. Jehoahaz reigned for 17 years, but we hear nothing of Elisha for those 17 years. For 45 years, Elisha is silent. Only now on his deathbed does Elisha break his silence. Elisha's ministry was very focused. In life he fulfilled the ministry of Elijah – reminding Israel that they were going to die, but pointing them to a hope beyond the grave. And in death Elisha points them to that same hope: in the face of their enemies, Israel's only hope is that the Word of the LORD will raise the dead. While the house of Ahab is gone, the problems continue. The sin of Jeroboam continues to plague the northern kingdom – and the corruption of the house of Ahab lingers in both north and south, such that Ezekiel will say that there is no noticeable difference between the two. Normally (as we've seen) when the two kingdoms look alike, this is bad news for Judah. But tonight, while there will be some bad news, there is also good news! Because Israel, in spite of its apostasy, is still a part of God's covenant people. And God will not forget his people. Even when we are faithless, he is faithful – because he cannot deny himself!

2 Kings 11 starts off with a bizarre episode of a grandmother killing all her descendants. We've heard in recent years of mothers killing their children, or children killing their parents, but it's rare that you ever hear of a grandmother killing her grandchildren! What is going on? Athaliah guarantees that she will have no legacy. All she cares about is what happens in her own lifetime. I suppose you could say that she was the original Ayn Rand – "the universe dies with me!" But all this takes place to fulfill the word of the LORD. We have now reached the end of the house of Omri. Jehu has slaughtered everyone belonging to Omri and Ahab in the northern kingdom. And now in chapters 11-12 we hear about how the curse of Ahab affects the house of David. Because Joram, the son of Jehoshaphat, married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab (and probably of Jezebel as well: while the text does not state the name of her mother, Athaliah was certainly raised in a house where Jezebel was the dominant force). But either way, this brings the house of David under the curse of Ahab. Athaliah is very much the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel – the daughter of Jezebel is the bane of kings. All kings who heed Jezebel will die – something you should remember! Because the books of Kings and of Revelation use Jezebel as a reminder that all who fall prey to her schemes will die...

And so now in the last half of Psalm 119 we are looking at life in the "already" and the "not yet." Jesus Christ has established his kingdom. He is seated at the right hand of the Father as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But we do not yet see all things in subjection to him, rather, "we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death." (Heb 2:9) And in this time in between the resurrection of the Christ and his return in glory, our hope is in the righteousness of God as it is clearly revealed in Jesus Christ...

"I hate the double-minded" Is hatred ever appropriate for the Christian? The last line of our text today, verse 128, "I hate every false way," is much easier to handle. Of course we hate every false way. Of course we hate evil generically considered. But to hate the "double-minded" means that we are hating people. Is this just an Old Testament mindset? Or is it ever appropriate for a Christian to say, "I hate the double-minded"? Let me start by reminding you that Jesus said that we are to love God with all our hearts, and that we are to love our neighbors (even the least loveable) as ourselves. So there is no way that Psalm 119:113 will contradict the command to love God and neighbor. As we will see, it is your love for God – and for the double-minded themselves – that requires you to hate the double-minded...