Born anew, citizens of the kingdom of God

Psalm 87

Of the Korahites. A Psalm. A Song.

1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2     the Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
    O city of God. Selah

4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
    Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia—
    ‘This one was born there,’ they say.

5 And of Zion it shall be said,
    ‘This one and that one were born in it’;
    for the Most High himself will establish it.
6 The Lord records, as he registers the peoples,
    ‘This one was born there.’ Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say,
    ‘All my springs are in you.’

Zion – Jerusalem – the city of God – all names for the place where God had commanded that the temple be built - -the one place where the worshippers of YHWH were to worship God. (With the tearing of the curtain in the temple on Good Friday, God is not limited to one geographical space – God can be worshipped anywhere and everywhere. So the geographical claim’s of Jerusalem don’t feel relevant to us.)

It is the turn in vs. 4 that catches us by surprise – the people who are coming to Zion – to the capital of God’s spiritual reign include Rahab the Canaanite and people from Babylon and from Tyre and Ethiopia (Sheba). These are not Israelites – these are outsiders, foreigners, strangers – and they are being recorded by God “This one was born in Zion.” The strangers, the foreigners, those who do not belong – they are born anew – given a new citizenship in the kingdom of God. They are given a place – not just adopted – but declared to be the children – the descendants of God’s spiritual capital. 

This is stunning – for we are along those who were outsiders – Gentiles, outsiders, strangers, foreigners, but we have been called and drawn to God’s reign – called to become citizens of the kingdom he is building. Not as some kind of second-class citizens – but as “this one was born in Zion.” And this citizenship – this full citizenship – is available to everyone from every language and ethnicity who answers the invitation to join the kingdom of our God and Father and of His Son Jesus Christ. “This one was born in Zion” – this is our citizenship.  

PRAYER:

God of all the peoples of the world, we rejoice that you are drawing all people to your reign, where it will be said of people from every tribe and language and ethnicity – this one was born a citizen of the reign of God. Amen.