From strength to strength
George van Popta
They go from strength to
strength—Psalm 84:7
In Psalm 84 the Sons of Korah, the authors and first singers
of this Psalm, spoke about making the pilgrimage from some far off place to the
temple in Jerusalem. Often it was a difficult journey. They mention, in verse
6, the Valley of Baca.
Baca means “weeping.” The valley of weeping. A Lebanese
barber I went to many years ago told me that the Baca Valley is in Lebanon, to
the north of Israel and Jerusalem. He was a Lebanese Christian who came from that
area. The Baca valley, he said, is a dry valley but when it rains it is covered
with puddles and pools of water. He told me that is the imagery used here in verse
6. It is amazing what you can learn from your barber.
Often we are traveling through life, weeping for any number
of reasons. You might be crying because of the death of a loved one, due to an
illness, or because of pain caused by a chronic condition. But as you travel
toward your heavenly Father and your Lord Jesus the place of weeping becomes a
place of joy and refreshment.
Let us go to Zion, to Jesus, who will wipe away our tears and
refresh us.
Today travel is quite easy. We motor along in our cars and
stop at one of the many Tim Hortons or Starbucks along the way. But in the days
of this Psalm travel was often difficult. It could be so very hot and there
were not many places to rest. And yet they went from strength to strength.
From the late Rev. Van Dooren, my first professor of
preaching at CRTS, I learned that the expression “strength to strength” should
make us think of oases in the desert. The Children of Israel, wandering in the
desert, went from oasis to oasis, and at each one they were strengthened. Instead
of getting weaker along the way they grew stronger.
How will you become stronger and stronger as you travel
life’s journey? Only by following the Lord Jesus. If you do not follow Jesus
you will become weaker and lose your way. But if you follow him you’ll grow stronger
and stronger, until you appear before God in Zion.
Believers who die appear before God in Zion. That is where
they now are: before God in the heavenly Zion. They went from strength to
strength.
Though they may have become mentally and physically weak,
yet they went from strength to strength because they always stayed close to
Jesus.
Both my mothers became very old. At the time of their death
they were like little birdies—weak and frail—but they knew where they were
going: to Jesus!
Parents, teach your children about the importance of
following the Lord Jesus on their pilgrimage through life.
You who are weeping, follow Jesus and you will travel from
strength to strength.
Follow Jesus and you will arrive at the good destination—before
God in Zion.
- Consider Elim, an oasis mentioned in Exodus 15:27. How would it have been a place of refreshment for the Children of Israel?
- Why was the Psalmist, in Psalm 42:3, weeping?
- Who will wipe away the tears from your eyes? See Revelation 7:17 and 21:4.
