King David, even at home in his comfortable palace, spoke of himself as a sojourner — one still traveling towards home. Puritan Thomas Manton explains that God’s children should count the world as a strange place, and Heaven to be their home.
David… had so ample a possession (he was king over an opulent and flourishing kingdom), yet Psalm 119:12 says, I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner…. Not only he that was a wandering partridge, and flitted up and down, but David that was settled in a throne, he that was so powerful and victorious a prince … he doth acknowledge, Lord, I am a stranger. Jesus Christ, who was Lord paramount, he tells us I am not of this world (Jn 17:14)… He that was Lord of all, had neither house nor home; he passed through the world to sanctify it for a place of service; but his heart and constant residence was not here, to fix it as a place of rest. And so all that are Christ’s, have the Spirit of Christ, and say, as David in the text, I am a stranger in the earth. We do not dwell upon earth, but only pass through it.
The Breadline 
Hello Dave,
when Jesus said those words at Jn 17:14, don’t you think he said them because he knew that he was originally a spirit creature and that he would return to the spirit realm to sit at his Father’s right hand until the appointed time when his Father will make him king of his kingdom?
Isn’t it written that God created man as a human being with the prospect of living forever in a garden of Eden (or paradise) conditions and that God never mentioned him dieing unless he disobeyed his creators instructions?
If we believe like the Puritan T.Manton, then we must believe that Gods purpose for a human race created in his image to live forever on a garden of Eden earth have been foiled. Now we know that God is almighty and at (Isaiah 55:11) he states “so my word that goes forth from my mouth will prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it”.
Now, with this knowledge we see at Gen 3:15 how God (after Adam followed Eve in partaking of the forbidden tree) ensured that his purpose for the earth and man “would have certain success”.
Jesus said at (Matthew 5:5) 5 “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.
Yes, he knew that his Father created the earth to be inhabited by man who were created in their Image
Also when he resurrected individuals, they were not resurrected as spirit beings, no, they were resurrected in the flesh to be reunited with their loved ones, and this was done as a foregleam to what he will do durring the resurrection
(John 5:28-29) 28 Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.
And where will these resurrected sheeplike ones reside, well the 37th psalm gives us a pretty good idea and it makes sense since it is in line with Gods purpose for mankind and the planet which he states was created to be inhabited.
At the 37th Psalm in verse 11 we are assured “But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace”
Yes verse 29 tells us “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it”.
Yes, that’s why Jesus said what he did at Mt 5:5, because he knew it was his Fathers purpose. Think about it, the reason every living thing gets old and dies is because of the original sin, not because we were created to die.
I believe that although the Puritan Thomas Manton was a zealous Christian, he only knew what was understood at his time. We however who are living at the conclusion of this system of things have clearer understanding of some of the scriptures.
We know that God instructed Daniel at (Daniel 12:4) 4 “And as for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of [the] end. Many will rove about, and the [true] knowledge will become abundant”
It stands to reason that some of the true sense of the scriptures has been revealed to Jesus’ faithful stewards and passed on at the “proper time” (just like timely weather warnings before a hurricane hits).(Luke 12:42-44) 42 And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? 43 Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so! 44 I tell YOU truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings.
Yes these faithful ones are literally appointed by Jesus over not some, but “all” his belongings so after giving those who make up the body of attendants their measure of spiritual food, those attendants feed the rest of the sheep which make up the world wide congregation of God. This spiritual food is in part, some of the clearer sense or understanding of the scriptures which God told through Daniel would be revealed to those of his people living in the “time of the end”
You see, this clearer understanding wouldn’t have been available to the sheep centuries ago so for the Puritan man Thomas Manton to have felt that way is understandable.
So when we pray and meditate about why David prayed those words at Ps 119:12 we remember God’s purpose and realize that it was with the knowledge that he too would eventually die and be laid next to his forefathers until he hears Jesus voice commanding him to get up.
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Hello Zen,
I must tell you that your comments are not at all clear, but I think I can help. The quote from Manton was addressing the biblical attitude of King David — and, hopefully, of all true believers — who look beyond life in this world, to life with their Father. (And for the record, believers will be with God in the new heaven and the new earth; see Isaiah 65-66 and Rev. 21).
You misunderstand and misapply both Daniel 12 and Luke 12. Worst of all, however, is your reference to Jesus as a “spirit creature” — which He is not! Jesus is the eternal Son of God, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. And, by the way, it was Jesus who said to His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14).
pdb
PS: Zen, your comments are simply too long. You are welcome to ask a question, or make a short statement. I suggest you start your own blog (its free). If you do, I would be happy to display a link to it here, so people can find you.
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Thank you Dave, I’ll do my best to limit my statements. My understanding is that the Jews never believed in going to heaven, the 37th Psalm seems to make that perfectly clear and is substanciated by Jesus at Mt 5:5. I do think that Gods purpose for a paradise earth and perfect humans (those resurrected to everlasting life) to inhabit it will be fulfilled. Those spirit begotten ones that God has chosen, that “little flock” and “heirs” as Jesus refers to them as, yes the remnant of those will be caught up and taken to heaven & they will inherit the heavenly kingdom and they will rule as priests and kings with Jesus durring his millenial rule. (Revelation 20:6) 6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.
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Hi Zen,
(Much easier to catch your point in this reply).
We might just agree on much here — although I *do* think the Old Testament believer had a hope of life with God in heaven and on the “new earth.” I see JOB (19:25-26) and other OT scriptures as looking forward to a *physical* existence in the presence of God.
Also, on PSALM 37 — yes, Jesus cites this at MT 5. Yet in both contexts, the ultimate point being made by the Lord is that the eternal future of the righteous will differ from that of the unrighteous. So, I see both a physical inheriting of the earth AND a reference to heavenly life enjoying God’s favor.
(As you reread and study read Psalm 37, note this emphasis in vv. 37-38. And when Ps 37:39 mentions the Lord as a refuge/stronghold, we are reminded that there is a metaphorical dimension to this psalm’s promises as well — meaning, the LORD is not simply a physical fort for us to dwell in, but He is and will be fortress-like for His people.)
pdb
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Dave, as far as the first point, Job 19:25-26, I’ll take the liberty and add verse 27 and say that Job, completely humbled, acknowledged his wrong viewpoint and admitted that he had spoken without knowledge. Yet, he had expressed faith that he would “behold God.” (Job 19:25-27) How could that happen, since no human can see Jehovah and live on? (Exodus 33:20) Actually, Job saw the manifestation of divine power, heard God’s word, and had his eyes of understanding opened to see the truth about Jehovah. Job therefore ‘made a retraction and repented in dust and ashes.’ (Job 42:1-6) The many questions that he had been unable to answer had proved God’s supremacy and had shown the smallness of man, even one as devoted to Jehovah as Job was. This, in fact, helps us to see that our interests are not to be put above the sanctification of Jehovah’s name and the vindication of his sovereignty. Our prime concern should be maintaining integrity to Jehovah and honoring his name (Matthew 6:9, 10).
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