EXCERPTS FROM THE MINISTRY

E. The Psalmist Asking God
to Visit His Vine for the Sake of Christ
as the Man of His Right Hand

In verses 14 through 19 the psalmist asks God to visit His vine for the sake of Christ as the Man of His right hand. "O God of hosts, turn, we beseech You;/Look down from heaven and see,/And visit this vine,/Even the stock which Your right hand has planted/And the son which You have strengthened for Yourself" (vv. 14-15). The vine which God had brought out of Egypt and planted in the good land became evil, and God took away its protection. As a result, Israel became a prey to the Gentile powers, such as Babylon. However, among the Israelites there is one—the Lord Jesus—who is signified by the word "son" in verse 15. Hosea 11:1 indicates that when Christ became a man, He, the Son of God, joined Himself to Israel. He is "the son which You have strengthened for Yourself" (Psa. 80:15). During the time Israel was forsaken by God, this unique One was strengthened by God for Himself.

In verse 17 the psalmist goes on to say, "Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,/Upon the son of man whom You have strengthened for Yourself." From this verse we see that Christ is at the right hand of God, the highest place in the universe. This reveals that the first place, the highest position, the preeminence, has been given to Christ. This is the exaltation of Christ.

The way of restoration is the exaltation of Christ. Whenever God's people exalt Christ, there will be restoration and revival. We can have revival among us only if we exalt Christ, letting Him have the preeminence and giving Him the first place in everything. If a church is somewhat cold and old and desires revival, that church should give Christ the preeminence, recognizing Him as the One who is at the right hand of God. Christ is now at the right hand of God, and whoever calls upon Him as such a One will be restored and revived. In our private life, married life, family life, and church life, Christ needs to be at the right hand of God. If He is exalted in every aspect of our living, there will be restoration everywhere. Exalting Christ is the way for revival, for restoration.

The day is coming when Israel will be restored through their exalting of Christ. When they repent to Christ and give Him the first place, they will be restored.

According to Psalm 80, the vine is Israel and the man at God's right hand is Christ. The world rejected Christ and put Him on the cross, but God came in to raise Him from among the dead and to seat Him at God's right hand in the heavens. Today, as we visit people for the preaching of the gospel, we need to tell them that Christ, the Son of God, became a man, died on the cross for their sins, resurrected, and ascended to the right hand of God in the heavens, and now they need to call upon Him. In the sight of God, for a sinner to call upon the Lord Jesus is to exalt Him. When a sinner exalts Christ by calling upon Him, that sinner will be regenerated.

As regenerated people we need to come together in the meetings of the church to exalt Christ by praising, singing, and shouting. Instead of being silent, we should exercise our spiritual birthright to exalt Christ. We should declare, "Lord Jesus, You are at the right hand of God. You have the preeminence in my private life, married life, family life, and church life." The more we exalt Christ, giving Him the preeminence in everything, the more we will be revived and restored.