Praise together, O Jerusalem, your God. Psalm 146:12. Even while in captivity, they envision the collective unity of their people, gathering from every side to that sacred city. They witness the joy of the multitude, now safe after the trials of their labor, free from fear and hardship; and amidst their struggles, they send forth their joy and hope, uniting their hearts with the heavenly hosts and with those destined to share eternal joy with them. What will you do, O Jerusalem? Surely, toil and lamentation will fade. What actions will you take? Will you plow, sow, plant vineyards, travel, or trade? What will your duties entail? Will your responsibilities remain as they are, regardless of their goodness or mercy? Examine your community closely: identify the hungry to whom you might offer bread, the thirsty for whom you might provide a cup of cold water, the stranger to whom you may show hospitality, the sick whom you could visit, the one in conflict whom you might reconcile, or the dying whom you might bury. So, what will you do? Praise together, O Jerusalem, your God. This is your calling. As the inscriptions often declare, Engage and rejoice. Be, O Jerusalem; remember what is said, "Lord, in Thy city their image Thou shalt destroy." Those now delighting in such splendor, among them are those who missed this gathering due to this display. To whom is it a blessing? To whom is it a curse? Or why is it a blessing? Why is it a loss? For not only do those who present such spectacles suffer loss, but a far greater loss is inflicted on those who merely observe them. The former have their treasure extracted from their hearts, while the latter have the wealth of righteousness robbed from their souls. Many of the former lament the sale of their properties; how should sinners mourn the forfeiture of their souls? Was it not for this reason that the Lord cried out on the Lord's Day: "Watch, that men may also watch today." I implore you, fellow citizens of Jerusalem, by the peace of Jerusalem, by the Redeemer, by the Architect, by the Lord of Jerusalem, turn your prayers to God on their behalf. May they recognize their trivial pursuits; despite their fixation on fleeting spectacles, they may ultimately feel discontent when they turn their gaze inward. For many of us already celebrate what has been accomplished: once we too were caught in madness; and how many among us think they are secure now, who may one day be not just Christians, but leaders! From past experiences, we infer what is to come; from what has transpired, we herald in advance what God will accomplish. Let your prayers be vigilant; your cries are not in vain. Surely, those already redeemed intercede for those still facing peril, for they too have known danger. God will surely deliver His people from Babylonian captivity; assuredly, He will redeem and rescue them, and the assembly of saints reflecting His image will increase. Praise in harmony, for you are a multitude; praise for you have united as one. As the apostle states, "We, though many, are one in Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:17. Since we are many, we engage in unified praise; as we are one, we offer our praise. Many and one are unified because He in whom they are unified remains always One.
Therefore, says this Jerusalem, "Why do I praise the Lord in unison, and as Zion do I exalt my God?" Jerusalem is indeed synonymous with Zion. It bears two names for distinct reasons. "Jerusalem" signifies visions of peace; "Zion" conveys observation. See how these terms parallel spectacles so that the Gentiles may not believe they possess spectacles while we lack them. After the crowd disperses from the theater or amphitheater, when the disillusioned begin to exit that den, often clinging to memories of their vain entertainment, delighting in what is neither useful nor beneficial, viewing it as sweet while it is truly harmful; they may catch a glimpse of God’s servants passing by, recognize them by their garments or appearance, and murmur to one another, "Poor souls, how much they miss out!" Brethren, let us respond to their goodwill—with prayers to the Lord. They genuinely wish us well, yet one who delights in iniquity despises their own soul; and if they detest their soul, how can they cherish mine? Yet, with misguided, hollow, and vain intentions—if they can even be deemed good will—they lament our loss of what captivates their hearts: let us pray that they themselves do not forfeit what we cherish. Observe carefully what Jerusalem must embody, which calls for praise, or rather anticipates that it shall praise. For the praises of this city, once we shall see, love, and extol it, will require no encouragement from prophetic voices; the prophets speak now to instill, as much as possible while still bound to this flesh, the forthcoming joys of the blessed, and thus to bring these to our ears, stirring in us a love for that city. Let us burn with desire; let us not grow weary in spirit. Praise your God, Zion.
He declares, "He has fortified the bolts of your gates." Psalm 146:13. The bolts are not locked to admit, but to secure; this aligns with how most manuscripts read, "He has strengthened the bolts of your gates." Pay attention, beloved. He commands Jerusalem, even when it is shut, to exalt the Lord. Praising should occur in unison, now; yet this happens amid offense. Many enter where we wish they wouldn’t; many exit against our will: thus, offenses proliferate. And due to the escalation of lawlessness, as the Truth states, love grows cold among many. Matthew 24:12, because some come in whom we cannot discern, and others leave whom we cannot retain. Why is this? Because perfection is not yet realized, bliss is yet to come. Why this? Because we are still in the threshing phase, but not in the granary. What then might transpire? It leads to the fear that similar conditions will persist. He said, "He has set up, and He has strengthened the shutters of your gates." Let no person exit; let no individual enter. Let no one exit—we rejoice; let no one enter—we fear. Do not fear this: when you enter, it shall be said, "Only you shall be among the virgins who brought their oil."
He has blessed your children within you. WHO? He who has established peace within your borders. How you all rejoice! Love peace, brethren. Rejoice with great joy when love of peace bursts forth from your hearts. How it causes you to rejoice! I said nothing; explained nothing: I simply read the verse, and you cried out. What stirred within you? A love for peace... children of the kingdom, citizens of Jerusalem, there resides a vision of peace in Jerusalem: and all who love peace are blessed in it, and shall enter when the doors are locked and the bars secured. This is what you covet so deeply: this love in your households, in your work, in your spouses, your children, your servants, your friends, your adversaries. What you recently cried out at the mere name of peace, you cried out with yearning: your lament was one of thirst, not of excess; for there will be complete truth wherever there is perfect peace. Now we hunger and thirst for righteousness. They will be filled. Matthew 5:6 How will they be filled? When we embrace peace. Therefore, when it states, "He who established peace within your bounds"—for there is fulfillment there, and no lacking—He immediately adds, "And with the fat of wheat He shall satisfy you." Psalm 146:14.
He sends forth His Word upon the earth. Psalm 146:15. Behold, upon the earth we toil, weary, weak, sluggish, and cold; when we ought to have ascended to the abundance of wheat that satiates us, did He not send His Word to the earth that burdens us, which hinders our return? He sent His Word; He did not forsake us even in the wilderness; He showered manna from heaven. Who sends His Word upon the earth? His Word did come to the earth. What is His Word like? It moves with swiftness. It does not simply state, "His Word is swift," but "His Word runs even unto swiftness." Let us comprehend, brethren: He could not have chosen a better term. The one who is warm grows warm from heat; the cold become cold from their environment; the swift are swift from swiftness... To what extent, then, does it run? Even to swiftness. Amplify the swiftness of the Word to any measure and assert it is as swift as this or that—like birds, winds, angels; does any of these compare to swiftness itself, even to swiftness? Swiftness itself, brethren, is omnipresent; it is not fragmentary. It belongs to the Word of God, not to possess a part, but to encompass the entirety of the Word itself, by which He exhibits the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24, before He took on flesh. When we think of God in His Divine Form, the Word equal to the Father, this is the Wisdom of God of which it is stated, "It stretches mightily from one end to the other." Wisdom 8:1 What tremendous speed! It reaches mightily from end to end...
We are consequently burdened by the frailty of this cold body and the bonds of this transient and corrupt existence; do we harbor no hope of receiving the swiftly approaching Word? Or has He abandoned us, though shackled in this earthbound existence? Did He not predestine us even before we were conceived in this mortal, frail body? Then He who Predestined us bestowed snow upon the earth, and us as well. Now let us delve into these somewhat enigmatic lines from the Psalm and allow these confusions to unravel. Here, we are slow on this earth and somewhat frozen in our existence. Just as snowflakes freeze atop the earth before descending; as love cools, human nature descends to this realm, entangled in a sluggish, cold existence, resembling a cold, hard substance. Yet within this snow lie the predestined sons of God. For He gives snow as wool. Psalm 146:16. What is wool? It signifies that from the snow He has provided, from those who are still cold in spirit and slow, whom He has predestined, He is going to shape something. Wool serves as material for clothing: when we see wool, we regard it as a precursor to garments. Therefore, as He has predestined those who currently lack warmth and are meandering through life, not yet ignited with the spirit of love (for He still speaks of predestination), God presents them as wool, soon to be fashioned into garments. Truly, Christ's garments radiated on the mountain like snow. Matthew 17:2. The attire of Christ gleamed like snow, as if a garment had already been woven from that snow, or wool, which is revealed in snow, that He has bequeathed as wool—being still under the banner of predestination—was transformed: but wait to see what follows. Because He has given them as wool, clothing shall emerge from them. Just as the Church is named the body of Christ, so the Church is described as the garment of Christ; hence the apostle's saying, "that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle." Ephesians 5:27. Let Him henceforth present to Himself a glorious Church, unblemished and pure; let Him fashion for Himself a garment from that wool which He has predestined in the snow. While individuals remain unbelieving, cold, and sluggish, let Him craft a garment from that wool. To cleanse him from stains, let him be purified by faith; so that no faults may cling to him, let him be humbled on the cross...
THEOSIS