Psalm 24 and we will read verses 7 through 10 Psalm 24 lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting door and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord Strong and Mighty, the Lord Mighty in Battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King. of glory. recent events in the life of our own church and nation. And I would say in our own hearts, perhaps, And surely, too, the great sparseness of our numbers, despite years of gospel efforts and humanitarian outreach, remind us that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves. Covetous. Boasters. Proud. Blasphemers. Disobedient to parents. Unthankful. Unholy. Without natural affection. Trucebreakers. False accusers. incompetent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Undeniable, many and varied discouragements, lay before us. And this is nothing to say nothing of the traitors in our own bosoms. Sin, our sin, has clawed its way through our hearts. It has eaten its way through our homes and our churches. It has ravaged our good land, and its putrid fruit bobs on the murky surface of a global cesspool, while it seems that those who stand and ask, where is the good way, that they may truly walk their end, are as few as Noah's friends, only scattered more. So we take our seat by the rivers of Babylon. Yea, we weep. Our hearts are hung on the willows in the midst thereof. And we wonder how shall we sing the Lord's song in this strange land but brethren we ought rather to look up the mountain because i can tell you there is a table in the wilderness. We may be made to taste of the diet of melancholy, but we, the king's children, may come and dine upon a better board. And so we may shake off the scales of doubt, and pull our eyelids down we may slip out of the stinging vines of guilt and fear that grow around our limbs when we sit and weep and look too much upon the world. A better board, I say, simple enough for a peasant and strong enough for a king. It's a table with a lamb upon it, as it had been slain. Who is the Lamb? I tell you this morning, it's the King of Glory. The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it to stoop, says wise old Solomon. But a good word maketh it glad. so now here is a bit of good speaking then for a tired saint come and rest in the shadow of this blessed truth dare even to dance a while upon the devil's crooked back with this song hot upon your lips the lord of hosts he He is the King of Glory. Join me this morning, if you will, in just thinking about this precious word. He is the King of Glory. There's a bed of pillows here for aching hearts. There's a quiet garden here for troubled minds. There's a mother's lap here for sickly bodies. There's a strong tower for trembling resolve. There's a warm lantern for darkened days. And there's a cooling fountain for sin-parched souls. There's a rod and staff for bewildered sheep. There's a smile here for drooping heads. Brethren, it's loud in Vanity Fair. There's a mighty clamor in the midst of all these doubters. We need this, brethren. We need to hear the angels shout again. He is the King Nothing drowns out the devil's raspy voice like a fresh word right down from heaven. It's a piercing peel to the ears of the damned, but it's a babbling book to the timid children of God. He is the King of Glory. There's a note to tune your harps by and to tune to hang your hopes upon. I want to encourage us this morning to press on. See, I believe we grow so often tired and weary and dispirited because we seem only to see our iniquities and the church's wonderings, and our vision of Zion grows dim, because our hand alone is not enough to shield our candle from the storms in this life. The flame will fall dangerously low, and it's a source of much discomfort that we lose sight of the resplendent colors and the noble crests, the banners of our illustrious general. So it's no weighty theological discourse that I have today. And I will not attempt to unpack the beautiful prophetic nature of our passage as it points up to the ascension and entrance of a resurrected and victorious Christ into the Father's house, and it does. It's no lengthy talk of doctrine and no exhaustive exposition of verse after verse, though these are right and well to do. It is only this good word. It's a note passed to me in the midst of battle, written in the captain's hand to resupply our sagging hope. And I gladly share its message with you now. Of all that is glorious, of glory itself, our Lord is the King. I speak. No, I stammer. I stutter. I lisp about something I cannot really grasp. Here's a thing we must attempt, but cannot ever fully do, to lay hold of the glory of God. If, as Thomas Manton has suggested, glory is excellency discovered by praise, then let us look upon his excellencies and praise him and so manifest his glory for all the ages to come to the uplifting of our own souls. It were great enough to be a heavenly being of great glory, but he is glory personified. He is the crown that sits comfortably upon the head of all that is excellent. He is not a minister only, nor only an oral in the corpse of splendor. He is the king, the king of glory. Glory. from a Hebrew word that signifies copiousness. And His glory is not borrowed, it's not dependent, it's not a mere association, it's not one of some, it's not part or partial, it's not coming and going, it's not subject to approval nor diminished by your denial. It is Him. He is infinite. And so He may rightly be styled the King of all glory, the King of copiousness. Hallelujah. The King of copiousness. In all His parts, He is this morning glorious. glorious in his oneness, don't you know? He's glorious because there is truly no one like him. We have that expression, one of a kind, but brethren, he is the fact itself. Is it not so that we value a thing more in proportion to its rarity, especially if it be a thing of great beauty and usefulness? But how then are we to value this one? ransack the universe empty the chest of your imagination you will find no other him i am he he said before me there was no god form Neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord. And beside me there is no Savior. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I, and it is literally in the Hebrew, that I, God. Infinite God He is. And God He is the only one. For as Mr. Coles so bluntly puts it for the logically stunted, there can be but one infinite. He's glorious in his rarity. I'm telling you, he's the king of glory. But he's glorious in his power. Is there ever a more sure evidence that a being is God than that he is limitless in his power? Is there any shortage of proof in the creation and the management of this universe that our God must have power still intact? And is it not a thing of wonder that we, by our unbelief, construct a God whose power barely outstrips our littlest fears? It is a reality to baffle the Cheshire Cat that he's big enough to make a world and too little to help a fool like me. What stupidity we play at! But behold his glorious power! He is no ordinary person, says Mr. Poole in a fit of understatement, who hath given so many proofs of his almightiness. Hallelujah. I say it was the habit of men in the Bible to fall down as dead before a single angel of God. But Isaiah tells me about a time when a whole host of angels cowered at the presence of the Most High. And one cried, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory. Listen. And the post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried. And the house was filled with smoke. But brethren, him that cried was just one angel. The place shook and terror filled the air at the voice of one angel. But the host of angels could only cover their face and cover their feet at the presence of this God. Who is this that has at his command the host of heavens? Untold legions of mighty angels doing his business. Psalms 103, listen, they are called His angels that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word, all ye His hosts, ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure. What power is this to have heaven's militia hanging on your every word? He is the king of glory. Such is this power, he just stands up to scatter his enemies. Let God arise, said David, let God arise and let his enemies be scattered just like that. No, even the burden of flesh and the cloak of humiliation couldn't obscure this power, so that a simple reply, I am he, would press a multitude of strong men to the floor of a garden. Brother Gormley, it would seem even his grammar is enough to flatten armies. He's the king of Gorm. just his grammar is enough to flatten armies I'm trying to encourage you this morning with a reminder our God is the King of Glory but brethren he's glorious too in his voice there's all at once a terror in that voice a terror that turns the heart to water There's a sweetness that melts the eyes in adoration. That voice has been called Revelation 1 and 15 like the sound of many waters. But it's been called 1st King 19 and 12 a still, small voice. Brethren, it's been called in John 10 and 3 the voice of the shepherd. It's regal. It's majestic. It's tender. It's wise. It's truthful. It's glorious. It rides upon the waters. Psalms 29. I'm talking about his voice now. It rides upon the waters. It's powerful. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars. Listen, the voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. Try to talk to a piece of flame and divide it. It divides the flames of fire, said the psalmist. It shaketh the wilderness and maketh the hinds to calve. With this voice, he made a world with words and tells the stars their names. But oh, it's so glorious in what it says. To broken sinners, I came not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. This, this is the Father's will. Listen, are you hearing? It's His voice speaking. This is the Father's will, that of all which He hath given me, I should lose nothing. so come come to me ye shall find your rest you shall find rest unto your souls isn't he glorious in his voice truly psalms 45 and verse 2 grace is poured into his lips He's glorious. I'm trying to encourage you this morning. From this fact, He is the King of Glory. Brethren, He's glorious too in His works. He's glorious in His works. Where would we begin? And where would we end to tell the tale of His greatness in only those works that we know? To say nothing of the spiritual, we could expend every word in every language in the world and never fully introduce the splendor of God's creation. second only to His work in redemption, has He not showcased His glory supremely in His created order? Remember Isaiah 6, we just talked about it. Thrice holy is the Lord of hosts. And listen to what they said. The whole earth is full of His glory. Brethren, do you see what's going on here? These are they who see the heavens. and still they use the magnificence of creation to tell the glory of this great king. So David couldn't help but cry, all thy works shall praise the old lord. Brethren, look to the dirt, look to the dirt, and find ten thousands kinds of bacteria, like a trillion notes in the quietest symphony playing parts to balance life. Look within and see if, from a hushed and dizzy amazement, you can keep your tongue from reverential blessing, saying, I will praise, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. Brethren, speak to me about this glorious King, and I will hear it with an ear that meters pressure changes so extreme you'll need the thickness of a paper to record them. Take me to the world's most recognizable landmark, and I'll tell you of the marvelous works of a glorious Creator. For when Gustav Eiffel designed his 81 stories of steel spans, he borrowed his wisdom from the anatomy of a femur. Oh, it'll never last, said the architects. Architects, it'll collapse under its own weight within a year, and it's still doing fine since 1889. Look to the heavens. Oh, the heavens. And we are stupefied at once. His excellence there is exhibited on such a scale, brethren, we don't even have the language to handle the task of conceiving it. His doings are so vast and so thickly woven that amazing seems a daft word to choose to tell its wonders. Brethren, we can't even count the miracles that we see before our eyes. Perhaps 100 million stars in the galaxy, they say, or perhaps 400 million. Which way shall we count them? But since we have the Hubble, we do know that there are over 10,000 galaxies in the observable universe. But hold a moment. We looked even deeper again a few years ago, and now there are at least 200 million galaxies. Yes. But wait, we can only count the ones whose light we detect. There are others whose distance prevents their light from registering in our scope. So maybe there are trillions of galaxies waiting to be discovered. Innumerable galaxies. And just think, brethren, just think, there are only sparkles in his crown. There's just sparkles in his crown. My friend who is this king of glory? Who is this king of glory? Lord of hosts He is the king of glory Yeah, his glory is set above Psalms 8 and 1 his glory is set above these glorious heavens Yes, hallelujah What glory to brethren and I'll finish quickly what glory in his provision oh my what excellent kindness is this that such a king trillions of galaxies they're just diamonds in his crown and yet he would stoop to supply the needs of so many worthless creatures. It's a fateful, it's an immense kindness, and that's why it's called by the prophet Joel, an exceeding abundant kindness. He occupies his mind with the cares of his creatures, great and small. Is this not a glorious fact to you today? The irony can hardly be better displayed than in that beloved old maxim. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one, not one of them is forgotten before this God. Oh, brethren, what am I saying? I'm saying He is the King of Glory. Listen to my brother, Minton. He hath joined, He hath joined His glory and our good together. Hallelujah. God's praise waiteth while our deliverance waiteth. You think, says Manton, your comfort stays in all this while. God's honor waits. Hallelujah. to think what a glorious kindness that God would hinge the harvesting of his praise upon the fulfillment of my good what a glorious king what a glorious king what a provider no wonder the angels could only shout who is this king king of glory oh but brother what of his excellent greatness in his love does your heart know it full well the redeemed can testify it's true he must be a glorious king to love so oh the love of god how rich and pure How measureless and strong. It will forevermore endure the saints' and angels' suffering. Brethren, I find 1 John 3 and 16 to be one of the most spellbinding verses in the whole Bible. For hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And I know me just well enough to stand amazed. His is a mysterious love, a sovereign love, a precious love, a boundless love. It puzzles the heavenly host. so that they yearn to look into its doings among men," said Peter. It's stable. It's steady. Bless his name. It's an everlasting love. But what king is this? What king is this that will portion out such excelling love for rebels yet to be? Would you still love someone so completely, having seen how viciously and vilely they would yet treat you? The mystery is that having conceived his universe, he ensured a race of traitors and so ensured a grounds for exercising overwhelming love. The whole thing seems to be a reason to display preeminently the love of God to the glory of His great name. Who is this King? He must be the King of Glory. Would you know the glory of this love, brethren? Would you know the glory of this love? Then all you have to do is look at what it covers. it covers a multitude of sins a multitude of sins says Peter brethren if everyone redeemed must surely claim a bewildering multitude of sins as his own and if the multitude of the redeemed at last is a multitude John was sure could not be numbered brethren what glorious love is this to cover such a multitude of sins who is this king of glory the lord of hosts he He's the King of Glory. And out of this glorious love flows so great and glorious a salvation in all of its parts beautiful and glorious for God so loved. So much, so great, so abundantly. Brethren, do we miss the excelling beauty of this text in our zeal to beat the heresies piled on it. Such was his love for nothing, nothing in us that he gave his only begotten son. from glory to this filth he would come and from day to day he would bend his back to the task of learning obedience until at last he would mount the podium of shame and preach his last and greatest message of inexplicable grace and turn his face full into the blast of God's storm against my sin and this he did because he wanted to No, indeed, they planned it all along. Wherefore the king called to him Emmanuel his son, who said, Hear my father. Then said the king, Thou knowest, as I do myself, the condition of the town of Mansoul, and that we have purposed, and what thou hast done to redeem it. Come now, therefore, my son, and prepare thyself for the war, for thou shalt go to my camp at Mansoul. Thou shalt also there prosper. and prevail and conquer the town of Mansoul. Listen, brethren, to my now glorified and inspired brother Bunyan. Then said the king's son, thy law is within my heart. I delight to do thy will. Listen, this is the day that I have longed for. and the work that I have waited for all this while. My heart, my heart has been often pained within me for the miserable tale of my soul. but listen now it's rejoiced but now it is glad and with that Bunyan says he leaped over the mountains for joy saying i have not in my heart thought anything too dear for man's soul. The day of vengeance is in my heart for thee, my man's soul. And glad am I that thou, my father, hast made me the captain of their salvation. Can I ask you, how long did Jesus wait to come and save me? How long did the prince wait to come and save me? I cannot know. I cannot even fathom that he did. Brethren, who is this King? Such mercy, such glorious mercy, born of love. I noticed in my Bible that David would say in his early years, thy mercy is great. unto the heavens but brethren later on having been thoroughly mystified by the goodness of a loving God he found it better to say thy mercy is great above the heavens dear brother Paul in writing the Ephesians was clean distracted by the glory of God's goodness until two full chapters of rejoicing had gone before the business at hand but God he would say but God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins rich mercy and bountiful love for fallen corpses yes and on these grounds and these only i may receive of these other glorious excellencies of this glorious king. I may be forgiven. Still hot from my rebellion, he will take me in his arms and say, come, let me dress your wounds. Why will you fight against me so? Let us reason together. Walk with me. Walk with me. I forgive you. And what's more, I've spoken with my father about you. And he loves me, you see. And he knows you're a filthy beggar and a traitor in our land. But he'll bring you to our home so long as you're clothed in my good garments. All I ask is that you trust me and I'll dress you up in righteousness. Hallelujah. What kind of God is this? Brethren, he's the king of glory. While the Lord knows, only God knows how I wrestle with my own unworthiness. And I can only begin to lay hold of forgiveness being for me when I begin to lay hold of the excellency of this God. Surely even my sins are not too great for such a glorious redemption. Listen now, finally, you unbelievers and saints alike. He is glorious in His holiness. In a word, brethren, for those of you that are as dumb as me, there is nothing wrong with Him. And for a king of infinite power, this comes as a word of terror for a people of such corruption. But what an endearing trait. What an endearing trait to people who know nothing of perfection. I thought the other night as my children squabbled over who would get the cracker not broken. how it is in our nature to desire that that has in it no blemish. Brethren, there's nothing wrong with him such as his holiness that he swears by it. Amos 4 in verse 2, having no greater or more illustrious thing by which to swear, not so you say his name. to which Dr. Gill insists that if one will take the text, it will be found that put and compared together, they show that the holiness of God is Himself. And it has been thought to be not so much a particular and distinct attribute of itself as the luster, the glory, and the harmony of the rest, and is what the Bible calls the beauty of the Lord. Who is like unto thee, saying Moses, glorious in holiness? Brethren, he is clean. And I may only yearn to be clean, free from guilt and the stain of sin, but he is clean. He is clean. Unbeliever. It is this holiness that ensures the failure of his enemies. It ought not to escape your notice how many times in the sacred record he is called the Lord of the Armies of Heaven. His glory is known in large part by the battles He has won. And in the interest of His holiness, He has more yet to win. And win He will till righteousness covers the earth as the waters cover the sea, till His children are vindicated and His enemies utterly wrecked. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Basra, that this is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, I have trodden the wine-press alone, for I will tread them in mine anger, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeeming is come. Hallelujah! Who is the King of glory, glorious and holiest? Brethren, in conclusion, can I inspire you today? Can I inspire you today to look up to this great King? Can I inspire you to look over the heap of problems in your life? Can I inspire you to look past the burden of your sin? Can I inspire you to look past what seems insurmountable difficulties? Where will you find another to compare to Him? He's called by all things glorious throughout the book of God. He has simply been called the highest. He's the Lord of the host of heaven. He's a man of war. He rides upon a swift cloud. the sitter upon the floods, the never-forgetter, the earth-builder, the wind-walker and light-speaker, the captain of salvation, the death-killer, the prince of kings, who was and is to come. And in Psalms 104 and verse 1, he's all dressed up in excellence. Who is this king of glory? I charge you today to help me praise him. Help me praise him. Know ye that the Lord, he is God. Enter into his courts with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Bless his name, for the Lord is good. He is altogether glorious, brethren. Saints of God boast in this, that our friend is the king of glory. Our friend is the king of glory. God grant that we may see him in his glory and learn to hate the world. God grant that we may grow out of our paltry faith and take courage at this great king. Brethren, if he's so glorious, why is our faith so pitiful? Take Him, take Him, take Him to be your God. And look, the Lamb with His fair army doth on Mount Zion stand, and glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's name.