AND AS A FAITHFUL WITNESS IN HEAVEN

The psalmist, Ethan the Ezrahite, was one of King Solomon’s counsellors, 1 Kgs. 4. 31. His psalm is an affirmation of his belief that God will keep the covenant made with David. Throughout the psalm, Ethan links the promise of the ‘seed’ and the ‘throne’ with God’s ‘faithfulness’ and ‘lovingkindness’. The seed of David would ‘endure for ever’ and his throne was as certain as the sun and the moon in the heavens, vv. 36, 37.

The sun, moon and stars were not created as light-givers. Light shone in the world from the first day of creation. The sun and moon were created on the fourth day of creation to rule over the day and over the night. The promise that David’s throne is ‘established for ever as the moon’ is a recognition that earth is ruled from heaven. No person or event in the history of the world can overthrow or subvert the rule of heaven.

Even when it appeared that man’s unfaithfulness and sin had forfeited the promise to David, the moon would remain in the sky as a reminder that events on earth do not alter heaven’s rule or covenants. Ethan’s affirmation, therefore, connected the promise of God with a rule that remains outside the control of men and the movement of world events. The pages of history are littered with the names of men who thought that universal rule was within their grasp. Their ambitions were smashed against the rock of divine purpose.

While the words of the psalmist remain true, further revela­tion about the future of the sun and the moon is given in the New Testament. The symbols of rule will give place to the reality of the universal reign of Christ, who was ‘made of the seed of David’, Rom. 1. 3. There will be a heavenly Jerusalem, where the inhabitants will have ‘no need of the sun, neither of the moon’. The light of the sun will be replaced by the glory of Christ; the reflected light of the moon by His glory reflected by the city on those who dwell on earth. ‘For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it … for there shall be no night there’, Rev. 21. 22-25.