The Wonder of God’s Blessings, Part 3

Old Testament

The Old Testament is filled with prophecies and references that portray the favorable time of God toward the Jewish nation in the future. He will gather them into the land of promise and will restore the temple and bless their land.

This is the context of Psalms 87:7 All My springs of joy are in you. 

 

The springs are a reference to the fountain that flows forth from the Temple in Jerusalem during the future time of God’s favor and blessings toward the Jews. The prophet Joel writes of this when he says: 

 

and in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; and a spring will go out from the house of the Lord to water the valley of Shittim. Joel 3:18 

 

Now, fast forward to the time of Jesus’ ministry upon earth. In Luke 4, Jesus quotes Isaiah 61 and say, 

 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. 

 

He closes the scroll, sits down (rabbi’s sit down when they teach), and says, 

 

Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. Luke 4:21 

 

Initially, the Jews are thrilled with Jesus and hopeful He will rescue them from the oppression of the Romans. But Jesus makes it clear that His favor during His first coming is spiritual and not physical.

And at this time, He is extending His favor toward the Gentiles, (Luke 4.24-27; Acts 13:46-52). Jesus came to extend salvation to all nations. 

 

The favorable time for the Jewish nation will come in the future and all prophecies will be fulfilled. But for now, until the second coming of Jesus, God is extending His favor to the nations in order to save many. 

 

I am a blessed recipient of the favor of God extended to the salvation of the nations. I am a Gentile Christian, as are many of you. As such, all of the blessings of the literal future blessings upon Jerusalem and the Jewish nations are spiritual realities that apply to Christians today. That which was and is and will be physical and tangible for the Jews, is now spiritually given to us as Christians. 

• In the past, the Jews were required to make sacrifices. But now, for us, Jesus is our perfect sacrifice, Hebrews 9:15  
• In the past, the Jews were led by a high priest. But now, for us, Jesus is our High Priest, Hebrews 4:14,15  
• The law of God is no longer written on stones, but is written upon our minds and our hearts, Hebrews 8:10 

 

The Fountain 

As it pertains to our current study of Psalms 87, We as Christians, are the temple of God, (I Corinthians 6:19), and from us (just like the literal temple in Jerusalem in the future, Joel 3:18) a fountain of joy and blessing flows from us.  

 

Jesus spoke of this fountain within us when He spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. 

 

But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. 

 

What does it mean that a fountain of joy is within us and flows from us? We’ll answer this question next time. 

 

Father, we are so grateful that You are a God of salvation and redemption! You are the God who saves. You have saved us and have blessed us with every spiritual blessing. You have given us everything we need. May your blessings overflow in our lives so that we can bless others with acts of service and words of life. We are blessed so that we can bless others. May we receive with joy and gratitude and may we give with joy and sacrifice. All glory and honor be to You now and forever. Amen!