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That Glory May Dwell in Our Land

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
(Psalm 85:9)

GOD desires to fill our land with His salvation and glory. In fact, His promise is that salvation is near to those who fear Him. This is wisdom, for the Bible teaches us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. But what does it mean to fear the LORD?

The fear of the LORD is a wide-ranging concept which describes the attitudes we hold and the  responses we make toward God in every aspect of our life. To fear the Lord means to believe His word and obey what He says, to respect and honor His name in everything we do. It means to love what He loves and hate what He hates. It is the recognition that we need Him more than anything else in the world, and that to lose Him would be the greatest tragedy of all. The fear of the LORD is to love Him, trust Him, run to Him and have all our expectation in Him. It all boils down to this: Faith in Him.

When we learn to walk in the fear of the Lord, salvation is at hand. The promise that salvation is near to those who fear Him does not mean that it is almost here. It means that it is here. The Hebrew word used here for “salvation” is yesha. It includes the idea of salvation, deliverance, health, prosperity, restoration and preservation.

Notice that this is His salvation, that is, the salvation that comes from the LORD. Whenever you find the word “LORD” in capital letters, it refers to the Hebrew name Yahweh, This is the personal name of God, the name by which He reveals Himself in covenant with His people. It is a name of relationship.

Salvation in a name

There is another Hebrew word that is used for “salvation,” and that is yeshua. It is a word that combines Yahweh, the personal name of God, with the word yesha. The word yeshua means Yahweh saves, Yahweh delivers, Yahweh heals, Yahweh prospers, Yahweh restores, Yahweh preserves. It is the fullest possible expression of salvation, because it is the salvation that comes from the Lord. What is more, when we read of “His salvation” in Psalm 85:9, it is equivalent to the word yeshua, because it is the salvation that comes from Yahweh.

Now, there is something else I would like you to know about the word yeshua, because it blesses me so much to find it in the Old Testament, and I think it will bless you, as well. It is this: When you find the word yeshua translated in the New Testament, it is used as a personal name. That name is — Jesus!

So when I read, “Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,” I see Jesus. In other words, Jesus is near to those who love, trust and have their hope in the Lord. For Jesus is salvation, and we receive salvation by receiving Him.

Remember when the Philippian jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved?” The Apostle Paul gave this simple answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31). There is only one name that will do, and that name is Jesus. The Bible says, “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

That glory may dwell in our land

The name of Jesus is the name of salvation, and He is near to those who trust and hope in Him. Wherever the salvation of the Lord goes, His glory follows. God’s salvation is near to those who fear Him that glory may dwell in our land.

The Hebrew word for “glory” is kabod. It literally means “weight,” but in biblical usage it refers to the substance or measure of goodness. It is a tangible expression of goodness, or the “weight” of every good thing. The glory of the Lord is the tangible expression, or the “weight,” of His goodness.

Now, God is not stingy with His glory. In fact, His salvation means that He desires to show His goodness to us. It is out of His glory, the weight of His goodness that He comes to save, deliver, heal, prosper, restore and preserve us. The Bible says, “The LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly [that is, in the fear of the LORD]” (Psalm 84:11).

When we trust in Him, we not only receive His salvation, but His glory as well. His glory comes to dwell with us, that is, to remain. It is not just a stop-over along the way, but a permanent abiding. It is meant to be a habitation, not a merely a visitation. The tangible expression of God’s goodness — His prosperity, His joy, His peace, His power — will remain with us as just long as we are hospitable to it.

We’ve already seen what that hospitality is — it is the fear of the Lord. It is what brings His salvation (Jesus) near to us. 

A Wider Vision

Now, let’s get a wider vision of this. Salvation is not just for a few. God’s offer is much broader than that. He is so good, and His grace is so big, He wants to see everyone get in on it.

Did you notice in Acts 16:31, that it said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.” God is going after whole households with salvation — to change lives, mend relationships, restore broken families!

But God's plan is even greater than that. His promise is that glory may dwell in our land. It’s not just about us. The salvation of the LORD is for whole communities — villages, towns, cities. Not just our own country, either. In both the Old Testament and the New, we see that God is reaching out for the nations, even for the generations, that He might show them His salvation (Jesus) and express His goodness to them.

This is praying ground! The Bible says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

Here is His will and the promise of His Word: “Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” He is looking for those who fear Him — who love Him, trust Him, hope in Him. He is looking to bring His salvation into every area of their lives. He is looking for a place for His glory to dwell. Not just a place, but countless places, to fill the world with His glory. “For the  earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

We can pray for this and expect to see it come to pass. We can become confessors of His glory, interceding for all those whom God wants to reach. Are any specific individuals or families coming to mind? Any particular cities or communities? Is God bringing a certain country or nation and laying it on your heart? Is He speaking to you about a generation in your area or abroad? Then pray on their behalf. Claim the promise of God for them, that they might come to the fear of the Lord and know His salvation, that the tangible expressions of God’s goodness might dwell with them forever.

Dear Lord,

All my expectation is in You. I live in awe of Your name. I trust in Your word and believe Your promises. I love what You love and hate what You hate. I need You more than anything, and to lose You would be the greatest tragedy of my life. You are my life, my peace, my joy, my prosperity, my healing, my salvation — my Jesus!

LORD, I agree with Your desire to reach out to families, cities, nations and generations, to show them Your salvation and Your glory. As You lay them on my heart, I will pray for them, that they may come to know the fear of the LORD, to trust in Jesus and receive Your salvation. That they may know Your glory in every land throughout the world, to see how good You are and  experience Your goodness for themselves. Thank You, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

© 2004 by Jeff Doles.
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