The Best Is Yet To Come

The Best Is Yet To Come

Reading: Psalm 126
Intro: "A Song of Ascents" - Psalms 120-134 formed a hymn book of 15 songs used by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the annual feast of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (tents/booths).
This glad song of Psalm 126 refers to the return of the Jews in 539BC from their captivity in Babylon after 70 years in exile.
(The psalm also looks forward to the restoration of Israel).
Psalm 126 is all about expressing the overwhelming joy of coming home!

*It speaks of:-

1. HOPE (v 1)
"the captivity" = those of the Captivity"
cp. 85:1; Jeremiah 29:14a

2. HEARTFELT (v 2a)
cp. Job 8:21; Isaiah 51:11

3. HONOUR (v2b)
cp. 115:2; 1 Sam. 2:30b; Psalm 91:15; Mal 3:12a; 1 Pet. 5:5b-6; Acts 2:46-47a

4. HARMONY (v3)
cp. 118:23-24; 124:1-2a

5. HELP (v4)
"Bring back our captivity..." - is the beginning of the prayer that God would complete the restoration of His people to their land
"as the streams in the South (Negev)"- they dry up in the Summer heat, and swell in the Autumn and Winter rains. The psalmist pleads with the Lord to swell the streams of Israel's returnees until all are back from captivity

Note: The people who returned from captivity were a small % of those exiled) cp. Isa. 44:3; Acts 3:19-21a

6. HAPPINESS (v5)
Note: Psa. 30:5 cp. Isa. 61:3; Neh. 8:10c; Gal. 6:7-8
*Rom. 12:12 cp. Phil. 4:4; Eph. 5:18b-20

7. HARVEST (v6)
cp. 144:15; Gal. 6:9

Conclusion - 1 Thess. 4:16-17
Brothers & sisters in Christ - we're going home!
                                       - no longer subject to the captivity of this world!
This is going to be the greatest homecoming ever!
THE BEST IS YET TO COME!