head

 This morning we begin worship with:

Psalm 24:8-10

Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty

in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that

the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts,

he is the King of glory!

This describes a portcullis, where the gate is lifted vertically with much effort by a rope and pulley system, the bottom edge of which was made to both look threatening and to be lethal if suddenly dropped.  When normally opened, the gatekeepers would only open it sufficient for the height of those entering and leave exposed that lethal bottom edge, which could be dropped in a moment by a sudden slash of the rope.

For the King, our King of Glory, however the gate needs to lifted so high that the top of the gate (its head) is visible above the wall, so the bottom edge would be hidden and the gate could be secured in place.  It is opened in this way so that the returning King may enter without fear of a coup by rouge gatekeepers.

The King, our King of Glory, does not enter alone, for too we enter with Him as part of this triumph.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?