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Jerry

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  1. Jerry

    My Poetry Books

    By Jerry,


    Poetry Books
    I have been wanting to put my poetry books together as ebooks or PDFs for a while now, but the methods I used before had their quirks - weird links and info on the sides or top and bottom of the books, and the format was often broken up when converted to PDF by someone's browser or ereader. Recently, I came across this website (printfriendly.com) that easily converts your documents or files to PDFs - basically just drag and drop, then rename the file as you'd like.
    One of the things I was unsatisfied with when my second poetry book was printed up was that I had written a poem for my Mom, two days before she passed away, but I could not include it in that book because it was already at the printers. Now, as an ebook/PDF, I was easily able to add it to this edition of the book. Lord willing, if I am ever able to print any of these books up again, I will include it in the physical book.
    For ebook/PDFs, click on the links below to download the zip files, which you just need to unzip in your Download folder, and then open in your ereader:
    Refuge In The Storms Of Life PDF (My first poetry book)
    The Seasons Of Your Pilgrimage PDF (My second poetry book)
    Poems And Promises PDF  (a booklet put together recently, including encouraging poems and short devotionals) Please feel free to download and pass these on if they are a blessing and encouragement to you.
      And if the Lord opens up the door, I will post my third poetry book that I am slowly working on (So Amazed By Grace) when it is actually completed.
  2. Jerry
    Sevenfold Promises And Statements In The New Testament
     
    A. Seven aspects of the Lord’s prayer.
     
    Matthew 6:9-13
    After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, 
    1) Hallowed be thy name. 
    2) Thy kingdom come. 
    3) Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 
    4) Give us this day our daily bread. 
    5) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
    6) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: 
    7) For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
     
    B. Man’s heart without Christ is full of sin - seven things mentioned.
     
    Matthew 15:19
    For out of the heart proceed 
    1) evil thoughts, 
    2) murders, 
    3) adulteries, 
    4) fornications, 
    5) thefts, 
    6) false witness, 
    7) blasphemies:
     
    The parallel passage in Mark 7:21-22 lists 13 things, which is a picture of rebellion.
     
    C. Sevenfold promise of the coming Saviour (shalt/shall).
     
    Luke 1:31-33
    And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
     
    D. Sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit.
     
    John 16:13-14
    Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,
    1) he will guide you into all truth: 
    2) for he shall not speak of himself; 
    3) but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: 
    4) and he will shew you things to come. 
    5) He shall glorify me: 
    6) for he shall receive of mine, 
    7) and shall shew it unto you.
     
    E. Sevenfold promise to the Apostle Paul for his ministry.
     
    Acts 26:16-18
    But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, 
    1) to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 
    2) Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 
    3) To open their eyes,
    4) and to turn them from darkness to light, 
    5) and from the power of Satan unto God, 
    6) that they may receive forgiveness of sins, 
    7) and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
     
    F. Sevenfold promise that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love.
     
    Romans 8:35
    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
    1) shall tribulation,
    2) or distress, 
    3) or persecution, 
    4) or famine, 
    5) or nakedness, 
    6) or peril, 
    7) or sword?
     
    Romans 8:38-39 contains a further promise of 10 things that cannot separate us from the love of God. 10 being symbolic of the whole world - and here is everything in all creation that we might possibly think could ever separate us from God, but because of the Lord’s power, nothing can or will!
     
    G. A sevenfold “what if” argument for the resurrection of Christ.
     
    1 Corinthians 15:12-19
    1) Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 
    2) But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 
    3) And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 
    4) Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 
    5) For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 
    6) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 
    7) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
     
    If Christ is not risen, then all is hopeless indeed - BUT HE IS!
     
    1 Corinthians 15:20
    But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
     
    H. A sevenfold promise for those who live separated lives - separated from sin unto God.
     
    2 Corinthians 6:14-18
    Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, 
    1) I will dwell in them, 
    2) and walk in them; 
    3) and I will be their God, 
    4) and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; 
    5) and I will receive you, 
    6) And will be a Father unto you, 
    7) and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
     
    I. Seven characteristics of godly repentance.
     
    2 Corinthians 7:11
    For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, 
    1) what carefulness it wrought in you, 
    2) yea, what clearing of yourselves, 
    3) yea, what indignation, 
    4) yea, what fear, 
    5) yea, what vehement desire, 
    6) yea, what zeal, 
    7) yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
     
    J. Sevenfold promise that God will provide everything we need to fulfill His will.
     
    2 Corinthians 9:8 
    And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in allthings, may abound to every good work:
     
    K. Seven aspects of true faith in the church age mentioned, including the Godhead/Trinity.
     
    Ephesians 4:4-6
    1) There is one body, 
    2) and one Spirit, 
    3) even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 
    4) One Lord, 
    5) one faith, 
    6) one baptism, 
    7) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
     
    One Spirit (the Holy Spirit),
    One Lord (Jesus Christ, the Son),
    One God and Father.
     
    L. Seven components to the whole armour of God.
     
    Ephesians 6:14-18
    Stand therefore, 
    1) having your loins girt about with truth, 
    2) and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 
    3) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 
    4) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 
    5) And take the helmet of salvation, 
    6) and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 
    7) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
     
    M. Paul’s sevenfold natural advantages counted loss for Christ.
     
    Philippians 3:5-6
    1) Circumcised the eighth day, 
    2) of the stock of Israel, 
    3) of the tribe of Benjamin, 
    4) an Hebrew of the Hebrews; 
    5) as touching the law, a Pharisee; a Pharisee;
    6) Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; 
    7) touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
     
    Paul lists seven natural advantages he had, which he rejected in favour of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection.
     
    See Philippians 3:7-10
     
    N. Seven aspects of Paul’s character and beliefs given.
     
    2 Timothy 3:10
    But thou hast fully known 
    1) my doctrine, 
    2) manner of life, 
    3) purpose, 
    4) faith, 
    5) longsuffering, 
    6) charity, 
    7) patience,
     
    O. Sevenfold assertion of Christ’s deity.
     
    Hebrews 1:2-3
    Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, 
    1) whom he hath appointed heir of all things, 
    2) by whom also he made the worlds; 
    3) Who being the brightness of his glory, 
    4) and the express image of his person, 
    5) and upholding all things by the word of his power, 
    6) when he had by himself purged our sins, 
    7) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
     
    P. Seven furnishings in the temple/tabernacle.
     
    Hebrews 9:4-5
    Which had 
    1) the golden censer, 
    2) and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, 
    3) wherein was the golden pot that had manna, 
    4) and Aaron's rod that budded, 
    5) and the tables of the covenant; 
    6) And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing 
    7) the mercyseat;
    of which we cannot now speak particularly.
     
    Q. Sevenfold statements about each covenant, Mount Sinai contrasted with Mount Zion (Sion), the Law compared with grace.
     
    Mount Sinai:
    Hebrews 12:18-19
    For ye are not come unto the mount 
    1) that might be touched, 
    2) and that burned with fire, 
    3) nor unto blackness, 
    4) and darkness,
    5) and tempest,
    6) And the sound of a trumpet,
    7) and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
     
    Mount Sion (Zion):
    Hebrews 12:22-24
    But ye are come unto mount Sion,
    1) and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
    2) and to an innumerable company of angels, 
    3) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
    4) and to God the Judge of all,
    5) and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
    6) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,
    7) and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
     
    R. Heavenly wisdom has seven characteristics.
     
    James 3:17
    But the wisdom that is from above is
    1) first pure, 
    2) then peaceable, 
    3) gentle, 
    4) and easy to be intreated, 
    5) full of mercy and good fruits, 
    6) without partiality, 
    7) and without hypocrisy.
     
    See also Proverbs 9:1.
     
    S. Seven things about God’s people.
     
    1 Peter 2:9-10
    But ye are 
    1) a chosen generation, 
    2) a royal priesthood, 
    3) an holy nation,
    4) a peculiar people; 
    5) that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 
    6) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: 
    7) which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
     
    T. Seven characteristics we are to add to our faith.
     
    2 Peter 1:5-7
    And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith 
    1) virtue; 
    2) and to virtue knowledge; 
    3) And to knowledge temperance; 
    4) and to temperance patience; 
    5) and to patience godliness; 
    6) And to godliness brotherly kindness; 
    7) and to brotherly kindness charity.
     
    In this devotional, I have chosen not to include anything from the book of Revelation, as I had pointed out all the sevens I had found in two previous studies.
     
    Sevens In Revelation
    Old Study On Sevens In Revelation
     
    November 8th, 2023
    Jerry Bouey
  3. Jerry
    Sevenfold Promises And Statements In The Old Testament
      A. Sevenfold covenant/promise to Abraham   Genesis 12:2-3 1) And I will make of thee a great nation, 2) and I will bless thee, 3) and make thy name great; 4) and thou shalt be a blessing: 5) And I will bless them that bless thee, 6) and curse him that curseth thee: 7) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.   B. Sevenfold promise to Jacob   Genesis 28:13-15 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: 1) the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 2) And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: 3) and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 4) And, behold, I am with thee, 5) and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, 6) and will bring thee again into this land; 7) for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.   C. God’s sevenfold promise of deliverance to the Israelites   Exodus 6:6-8 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and 1) I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, 2) and I will rid you out of their bondage, 3) and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 4) And I will take you to me for a people, 5) and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 6) And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; 7) and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.   D. Sevenfold expression of God’s name   Exodus 34:5-7 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, 1) merciful and gracious, 2) longsuffering, 3) and abundant in goodness and truth,
    4) Keeping mercy for thousands, 5) forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, 6) and that will by no means clear the guilty; 7) visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.   E. Seven ways God says He took Israel out of Egypt   Deuteronomy 4:34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, 1) by temptations, 2) by signs, 3) and by wonders, 4) and by war, 5) and by a mighty hand, 6) and by a stretched out arm, 7) and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?   F. Sevenfold promise of victory and possession of the land   Joshua 21:43-45 1) And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; 2) and they possessed it, 3) and dwelt therein. 4) And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: 5) and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; 6) the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 7) There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.   G. Ruth’s sevenfold statement of faith   Ruth 1:16-17 And Ruth said, 1) Intreat me not to leave thee, 2) or to return from following after thee: 3) for whither thou goest, I will go; 4) and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: 5) thy people shall be my people, 6) and thy God my God: 7) Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.   H. Sevenfold nature of the Holy Spirit   Isaiah 11:2 1) And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, 2) the spirit of wisdom 3) and understanding, 4) the spirit of counsel 5) and might, 6) the spirit of knowledge 7) and of the fear of the LORD;   (See also Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6)   I. 7 things the Messiah would do when He comes to the nation of Israel - the 7th is at His second coming (compare with Luke 4:18-19)   Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because 1) the LORD hath anointed me 2) to preach good tidings unto the meek; 3) he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 4) to proclaim liberty to the captives, 5) and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 6) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, 7) and the day of vengeance of our God;   to comfort all that mourn; (This last phrase is not referred to in the passage in Luke mentioned above as the emphasis is on what Jesus did during His earthly ministry AND where He chose to stop His quoting of Isaiah from; as “the day of vengeance of our God” is referring to when Jesus comes the second time to judge this world and to reign from Jerusalem, though many people at that time did not understand this yet.   J. Seven benefits of faith, from David.   Psalm 103:2-5 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 1) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;  2) who healeth all thy diseases;  3) Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;  4) who crowneth thee with lovingkindness  5) and tender mercies;  6) Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;  7) so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. November 4th, 2023
    Jerry Bouey
  4. Jerry

    The Lord Sees Our Potential

    By Jerry,


    devotional
    The Lord Sees Our Potential
    As a much younger believer I remember reading a book or commentary where the author points this passage out:
    Judges 6:12, 14  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour... And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
    Then he mentioned that the Lord God saw Gideon's potential as a warrior BEFORE Gideon ever fought his first battle. The Lord opened the doors needed for Gideon to step into that role and equipped him fully for it - long before he ever fought that first battle. God already stated that Gideon had the might, the strength or power, that was needed to fight the upcoming battles God had planned for Gideon to set free the oppressed Israelites of his day.
    Our Heavenly Father is sovereign. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows everything about us, has a plan for us, and He has all that is needed to bring out that result in our lives that we may fulfill His will, as we walk with Him daily by faith.
    We see this same principle in two other passages:
    Exodus 6:26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 
    Exodus 12:17, 41, 51  And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever...  And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt...  And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
    Notice the language the Lord used to describe His oppressed people. He referred to them several times as a host, an army, BEFORE they ever fought a battle with the Canaanites and other nations they would encounter on their way to the Promised Land. AND notice, the Lord of Hosts had already equipped them BEFORE they ever left Egypt.
    Exodus 13:17-18 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
    Harnessed means armed, equipped for war.
    I find the contrast presented in the passage above interesting. God knew His plan for His people, He was putting into motion the events that would free them from their oppressors, and knew what would hinder them; therefore He chose not to bring them a certain way until they had gotten the battle experience He knew they would need to conquer the Canaanites in the land He was leading them to.
    One other example I want to bring to your attention:
    Exodus 3:7-10 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
    Moses, I've chosen you to deliver My people from Egypt. Then came Moses' excuses, which God dealt with one by one. Maybe the biggest fear for this leader-to-be was basically the fear of public speaking - in this case, speaking to Pharaoh, the leader of the Egyptians, and speaking to the nation of Israel as their new leader.
    Exodus 4:10-12 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
    God promised to provide someone to speak on Moses' behalf - he just needed to be obedient and go do what the Lord had called him to do. The Lord, in His wisdom, provided Moses' brother to help him (whom the Lord had already sent on his way to meet Moses). The part I find so intriguing is that after Moses' and Aaron's initial meeting with the elders of the nation of Israel (in which Aaron did speak), and their first encounter with the Pharaoh (in which they spoke together), we find that Moses was the primary speaker from then on.
    Exodus 4:29-30 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 
    Exodus 5:1-3 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 
    Exodus 6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 
    Exodus 7:1-2 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
    Exodus 8:9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?
    One final observation from all these passages is that the Lord God promised to be with them in all He had called them to do. Notice the following:
    Judges 6:12 ...The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
    Exodus 4:12 ...Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
    Exodus 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 
    The Lord is with His people, guiding them, preparing them for whatever He has planned out for each of their lives, equipping them for service and opening the needed doors for ministry in their lives.
    What has your heavenly Father called you to do in Jesus' name? Are you fulfilling His will? He has left us with so many promises - not just that He will be with us as we go into all the world with the Gospel of salvation, but that He will provide, prepare, and equip each of us as we walk with Him in obedience and serve Him day by day. Consider these final two promises:
    Revelation 3:7-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
    This next one is a sevenfold promise that the Lord will provide EVERYTHING you need through His Word and the power of His Holy Spirit to faithfully serve Him.
    2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
    Go forth, thou mighty child of God and serve Him today!
    November 2, 2023
    Jerry Bouey
  5. Jerry

    A Word Fitly Spoken

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    I know I am not where I once was in regards to writing devotionals and studies - but I am still studying, and sharing different word studies to encourage and exhort the believers around me. Tonight, the Lord impressed upon me to turn that into a ministry and use what He is teaching me now, even if it is somewhat different than what I used to write.
    Proverbs 25:11 says, A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
    I can go through my emails and texts to my friends sent out in the last few months and see what apples of gold I can share with my brothers and sisters here on these boards. If I post a date with a word study, it is mostly a gauge for me to know when I originally sent it out - then I am reminded of when in my life the Lord emphasized those devotional thoughts on my heart and mind. Please feel free to interact with the word studies posted, give me your feedback, and I trust the Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and He has blessed me in studying His Word and digging a little deeper as I walk with Him.
    Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

    The Greek word for uttermost is panteles. The root word pan means “all, every.” Teles and the word Jesus used in John 19:30 for “It is finished” come from the same root word meaning “(to set out for a definite point or goal); properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state).”

    Just as everything needed to save us was done at Calvary (ie. by our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, shedding His blood, bearing our sins and suffering God’s wrath in our place) - It is finished! - even so, will all be done in and through us (the process of calling us, justifying us, sanctifying us, glorifying us - in fact, every single thing that our Lord promises to do for us in regards to our salvation) will be done by Jesus. Just as He finished the work of dying for our sins on Calvary, even so will He do all things needed to make us fit to dwell eternally with Him - from the guttermost to the uttermost, as they say.
    Jerry Bouey
    July 31/2021.
  6. Jerry

    The Lord Is My Song/A Song In The Night

    By Jerry,


    devotional, music
    The Lord Is My Song
      The following comes from the Introduction to my poetry blog, Songs In The Night, and is a challenge to each of us to have music that glorifies the Lord:

    The name is based on the following passages:

    Job 35:10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night.

    Psalms 42:8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

    Psalms 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

    I have found through personal experience that only the Lord Himself can give songs in the night - only He can give His perfect (complete) peace and joy to His children in the midst of their trials and sorrows. It is only through Him that songs can spring up out of troubled hearts - and it is those same songs that truly can touch and minister to the hearts of others.

    Not only does the Lord Jesus Christ gives songs, He also is our song. In light of eternity and all that He has done for us, truly He is the only song worth singing about.

    Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

    Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

    Psalms 118:14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

    Not only should God's Word be our songs:

    Psalms 119:54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

    Our songs should be filled with His Word!

    When we are to:

    Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

    It is tragic that so many sing songs that are either void of the Word of God, or that contradict or confuse it.

    One thing I have always found interesting, is that when we have the Scriptures dwelling in us, there is a song in our hearts - and when we look at this passage:

    Ephesians 5:18b-20 ...but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

    We see that being filled with the Spirit of God produces the same effect - that is because the Holy Spirit always leads according to the Word He inspired and wrote.

    When your focus is steadfast on the Lord, meditating on His Word, He surrounds you with His songs.

    Psalms 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

    If you are saved, I hope that you use your songs to praise the Lord Jesus Christ who saved you.

    Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

    Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

    Our songs should be a testimony of our trust in our Saviour.

    Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

    Whether songs of praise, songs of deliverance, or songs of joy - whatever the song, they should be all about the Lord!

    Is your tongue the pen of a ready writer - and are your songs about Him?

    Psalms 45:1-2 A Song of loves. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.  
    May you glorify and honour Jesus Christ through all your songs!

    Jerry Bouey
    July 17th/06   A Song In The Night
    Though darkness hides the sunlight,
    A song is in my soul;
    In the night of my affliction,
    The Lord is in control.
    I cannot see His footsteps –
    The path He leads me down;
    All the way, there’s a promise:
    His path leads to a crown.
    Within the stormy blackness,
    Jesus has His eye on me;
    Though the darkness hide Him,
    By faith I still can see.
    Though nighttime falls around me,
    The cross leads to the tomb,
    My footsteps will not falter,
    His Word lights up the gloom.
    Though I know not the journey,
    The Lord will take me through;
    I will trust in my Saviour –
    He has my best in view.
    Even though my steps be darkened,
    My Father knows the way;
    And He will safely guide me –
    From the shadows into day.
    June 14th, 2006
    Jerry Bouey
  8. Jerry
    The Companion Of The Way
    00 - Foreward & Introduction The Companion of the Way
    by
    H.C. Hewlett
    1962
    Moody Press
    Chicago, Illinois
    ~ Out of print and in the public domain ~

    Chapter 1 - FRIEND WITH FRIEND - Genesis 18 - Abraham
    Chapter 2 - THE PATIENT WRESTLER - Genesis 32 - Jacob
    Chapter 3 - THE DWELLER IN THE THORNBUSH - Exodus 3 - Moses
    Chapter 4 - THE SUPREME COMMANDER - Joshua 5 - Joshua
    Chapter 5 - THE BREAD OF THE WEARY - 1 Kings 19 - Elijah
    Chapter 6 - THE HOLY SOVEREIGN - Isaiah 6 - Isaiah
    Chapter 7 - THE SANCTUARY OF THE EXILE - Ezekiel 1 - Ezekiel
    Chapter 8 - THE COMPANION IN THE FIRE - Daniel 3 - Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
    Chapter 9 - THE LIGHT OF EVENING - Daniel 10 - Daniel
    Chapter 10 - THE FACE THAT WELCOMED - Acts 7 - Stephen
    Chapter 11 - THE STRENGTH OF THE TOILER - Acts 26 - Paul
    Chapter 12 - THE STEWARD OF GOD'S HOUSE - Revelation 1 - John
    FOREWORD
    "Companion of the Way!" Scarcely could a more apt title be found for this book. It is an enriching study of the constant companionship, all-sufficient grace and unfailing faithfulness of Him whose presence ennobled men of God in olden times as it does men of like spirit today.
    Man is a social being: he cannot find fulfillment in isolation. He must have companionship. Deep and true friendship is one of life's richest experiences. And if this be so on the human level, what shall we say of the higher plane? The life that is life indeed is found only in the divine Companion. Without Him, life has no abiding significance.
    Would we learn how Abraham became the friend of God? Or how Moses experienced the goodwill of Him who dwelt in the bush? Or how Joshua was led to victory by the with the drawn sword? This book points the way. The breath of the sanctuary is in every chapter. The thoughtful reader, drinking in its message, will be led inevitably into deeper fellowship with the Companion of the Way.
    John Smart
    Editor, "The Fields"
    INTRODUCTION
    THE PERPETUAL PRESENCE
    The ultimate longing of the redeemed soul is for God Himself. Nothing less than the experience of the divine presence can ever satisfy the heart that has tasted of His grace. God did not create man to be independent of Him, but to need Him always. He did not endow him with that mysterious gift which we call personality, and with faculties spiritual, moral, and mental, that he should tread life's highway alone. It was His design that the personality should find its purpose in the fellowship of the giver, and the faculties their utmost meaning in the carrying out of His benign will.
    Though sin has challenged this relationship of Creator and creature and has spread its pollution throughout the centuries of man's history, yet whenever the heart has known the divine forgiveness, the basic need of God's presence has reasserted itself. The longing of the soul has found its expression in many a cry recorded in the Scriptures. We listen to some of these, as psalmist, lawgiver, and disciples speak with words whose intensity betokens the stirring of the depths of need and of desire.
    "My soul thirsteth for thee" (Psalms 63:1).
    "My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God" (Psalms 84:2).
    "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence" (Exodus 33:15).
    "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent" (Luke 24:29).
    In these we recognize far more than the urgency of the immediate circumstances which brought them to utterance. Those whose lips framed the petitions spoke -- though unknown to themselves -- for all God's people at all times. In their words we have our share, even as in their emotion we feel the throbbing of our own heart. But they were more than spokesmen; they are our kinsman in the family of God. Their language is ours, though it is the speech of heart rather than of lip.
    In spite of the different scenes attendant upon different eras of history, the answer to all such longing, as far as our mortal condition can receive answer, is in the sublime fact of the perpetual presence of God with His people. As we read and reread the books of Scripture, we become deeply conscious that through sunshine and through shadow, through storm and through calm, there has stood with His own, and walked with them, One whose faithfulness has never faltered and whose love has never waned. "Behold, I am with thee . . . I will not leave thee" was his word to Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:15), and the promise was repeated to Joshua: "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Deuteronomy 31:6) and "Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them" (Joshua 1:6), and to Solomon: "And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD" (1 Chronicles 28:20). It has been given to us also who have been drawn by the surpassing attraction of our adorable Saviour to press on to the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
    At times the divine presence has been made visible to the eyes of men. In varying circumstances of place, of age, and of need, men subject to like passions as we are have had the all-transcending experience of seeing God. They have seen Him not in the full blaze of the light of Deity -- that vision of His face which no mortal can bear -- but in guise suited alike their frailty and to His ways of grace and government with them, and with us too, for whom these things are recorded in the Word. While these appearances differ in their setting, they are one in their purpose to life the gaze of the soul from the temporal to the eternal, and from the vanities of earth to that ultimate reality which is God Himself.
    Looking back on the Old Testament in the light of the New, we find that the theophanies of the ancient Scriptures were all Christophanies, i.e., it was always in the Son that God revealed Himself to men. In certain cases, the New Testament gives express confirmation of this, as, e.g., in the appearing of the "I AM" to Moses in the burning bush and in that to Isaiah when the prophet listened to the homage of the seraphim. Beyond this, the general truth may be learned from the teaching of the New Testament concerning the uniqueness of the place of the Son in the Trinity of God. He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the One in whom that which is otherwise invisible in God becomes visible to the creature, not indeed as a result of the Incarnation, but because of the essential relationships in the Godhead. Again, that which is made known of God in the theophanies is ever consonant with that which is taught directly concerning the Son. The One who appeared in Old Testament days spoke and acted as being personally God, even to the acceptance of worship; nevertheless He appeared in relation to another who was called God. This is illustrated in the use of the title "Angel of the LORD." These things find their harmony in Christ, the only begotten Son, Himself the Word of God, the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of His person.
    The appearance of the Lord described in the Scriptures are not to be considered merely as things isolated and as events entirely apart from the normal course of the path of faith, but as illustrative to us of the wealth of that sacred companionship which every believer is called to know. The appearances are recorded to show who it is that abides with us, and what His power is to sustain, to encourage, to deliver, and to transform.
    Though today we see not our Lord save as He is known to the eye of faith, His presence is none the less real. He has not forgotten His beloved people, nor failed to be with them. He has companied with them, not generally, but even individually, so that each one has had reason to count the promises made good to him. Throughout the centuries he has stood with His redeemed ones, ever loving, ever patient, ever true. They have all proved it -- the martyr in the fiery flame; the ill person with fevered brow, restless and weary; the widow bereft in one hour of husband and of stay; and the tired servant, witnessing in some foreign land. They, too, have proved His presence who on the dizzy heights of prosperity and success have been preserved from false steps, and they also who have found the happiest relationships of earth enriched and ennobled by the unseen presence. And have they not proved it also, who have known the horrors of modern warfare and the long, long hours of the nerve-racking blitz?
    Christ reveals Himself supremely to hearts that count Him precious. He yearns to show them His face and to light up their lives with His constant smile. He is not reluctant to bless, but desires His people to be blessed. When the soul with set purpose puts Christ before all else, the sense of His presence deepens through life. Memories of His grace and faithfulness recur with their encouragement and with their rich incentive to lean more fully upon Him and to count upon His nearness in every trying hour. Thus the perpetual presence, known and enjoyed, will manifest itself as an abiding Christ-consciousness.
    The first moments of thought that begin each new morning will be: "When I awake, I am still with thee" (Psalms 139:18). Though the burden of the day challenge the soul with temptation and with care, it will do so only to find the soul ensheathed with an invisible mantle, even Him who has become the soul's retreat and hiding place. The joys of life will be doubled because shared with Another who will add His own portion to the feast spread for Him. Prayer will be no wearisome routine, but such free and intermittent conversation -- though reverent and holy -- as only true friends know. The hour of retiring to rest will be serene with the knowledge that even though the thoughts be hushed in sleep, the Presence will not be withdrawn. Then, should it please God that the gates of death should open, the soul will prove that when companions of the pilgrimage can journey with it no longer, He will still be near, and dearer than ever, till the veil be passed, and the soul catch its first wondering sight of His blessed face.
    In the following pages there are selected for meditation nine glimpses of the sacred presence given in the Old Testament, together with the three instances in the New Testament where the Lord Jesus Christ was seen by men on earth in His post-ascension glory. Taken together, they show something of what He has been to His saints throughout their history, but all that He has been He remains today, and shall remain forever. Moreover, because it is the same Person whom they display, and the same deep interest in the welfare of man's soul, they add their clear witness to the unity of Scripture and the continuity of its narrative. One face looks out upon us from its pages; one heart yearns over us with indescribable longing.
    When at last we are at home with Him, we shall see Him to be the One who, unseen, often communed with us, as He did with Abraham His friend, who wrestled with us as with Jacob -- and with like ennobling touch, and who sought not to consume but to irradiate with His beauty, as in the bush which Moses saw.
    We shall see Him as the One who gave victory over the foe, as He gave it to Joshua, and who succored us in depths of discouragement, as He succored Elijah under the juniper tree.
    We shall see Him as the One who prepared us for service, revealing and purging our iniquity, as He did with Isaiah, and who strengthened us in that service in the loneliest day, as He did Ezekiel.
    We shall know Him as the One who walked with us in our fiercest trial, as He did with the three Hebrews, and whose revelation was the consummation of life, as it was with Daniel.
    Then we will find that it was no mirage of earth that comforted us but the sight of "Jesus standing at the right hand of God," as Stephen saw Him; that it was "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" which was the treasure we carried in earthen vessels, as in Paul's experience. Then we will find that behind all the mystery of life, sufficient for every care and for every toil, there stood the First and the Last, the Chief Steward, as He stood with John in Patmos.
    With such realization and such company we shall be wonderfully at home in heaven. Events of earth that once seemed so strange will be understood then as truly preparatory to that bliss. No longer through a glass darkly, but face to face, we shall behold Him in whose presence we have ever been in our pilgrimage, God's glorious Son, in whom God will be fully known.
    There no stranger - God shall meet thee --
    Stranger thou in courts above --
    He who to His rest shall greet thee,
    Greets thee with a well-known love.
    It is our purpose to consider each of these records (save that of Paul's experience, which was fivefold) from three aspects. We must notice
    (1) The setting in which the appearance was vouchsafed,
    (2) The revelation of the Person and ways of the heavenly Companion, and
    (3) The blessing that followed in the life.
    Thus may we perceive for our comfort and our cheer precious lessons of His grace to us, with whom He still walks unseen. Shall not our hearts fill with richer praise as we remember His faithfulness and lovingkindness, yesterday, today and forever?
    AN APPRECIATION
    I am twice grateful to my dear friend, Mr. Hewlett, first, for allowing me to read his book and next for giving me the privilege of writing a few words of appreciation and introduction.
    The author is like a skillful musician, sitting at his keyboard and pouring out his melodies; he has only one subject - Christ - and one desire - to know Him for himself and then to spread His fame to others. Through this travail his book is born.
    A Greek sage wrote, "The proper study of mankind is man." But, in fact, not one of us knows himself until he knows God. If we had focused our attention on the closing line of the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," and kept it, we should never have needed the other nine in the Decalogue nor the other 612 in the Pentateuch.
    So, since Christ is the Way to God, my friend has done well to describe twelve of the highways of light along which the feet of the saints have traveled in distant ages. The saints have never walked alone; it has always been true that "Jesus himself drew near, and went with them."
    I think that I have especially enjoyed "The Face that Welcomed"; its analysis of Stephen's experience is choice.
    I must congratulate my friend on his chapter titles; they read like a wedding march or an Attic chorus.
    May the Head of the Church carry this volume far and wide in blessing and give the author something for himself.
    Harold St. John
  9. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 10 Stephen

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    10 - The Face That Welcomed - Stephen (Acts 7)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING

    The triumph of Stephen was the first great crisis in the history of the Church. For Israel, too, it was a crisis, for in the death of the first Christian martyr the nation's probation ceased. Even after the cry of apostasy, "We have no king but Caesar," and that bitter taunt, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him," the Divine patience waited long. The Messiah had been scorned in the days of His flesh. When he was by the witness of the Spirit presented to the nation as the ascended One, who had been made both Lord and Christ, whom God had exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins, the witness of the Spirit was likewise scorned. The man who spoke to the Jewish council with "face as it had been the face of an angel" was hurried to death by men convicted but unrepentant. Then God began to display His secret purpose to bring Gentiles along with Jews into the Church. The Gospel was carried far and wide -- to Samaria, to Antioch, and to the ends of the earth, and the guilty nation was given over to the judgment that resulted in the destruction of the city and the temple in A.D. 70.

    But the martyrdom of Stephen was a crisis for the Church, for the heavenly outcalling acquired a deeper fellowship with Christ. In the stoning of Stephen, the Church tasted of the cup of its Lord's suffering unto death, and was despised and rejected of men as He had been. The Lord Jesus suffered "without the gate," in the place of reproach and dishonor; Stephen was "cast... out of the city," and stoned. Thus began the long procession of witnesses that has continued unto this day. Some of its faces are in a measure familiar to us. We know of Stephen and Paul, of Polycarp, or Perpetua and Felicitas, of Tyndale, of Ridley and Latimer, of Huss, of John and Betty Stam, and of others whose sufferings and death have been inscribed in the annals of men. But for the most part the witnesses are unknown to us. Yet every life laid down for Christ's sake was precious in the eyes of the Lord, and every name is written with honor in the Book of Life. By and by we shall meet these dear brethren and sisters in the family of God, and with them we shall extol the grace that was sufficient for all. The Lord who succored Stephen was their Lord, too. Not one of them was forsaken of Him, but His presence was with them all, where the stones fell, or the sword descended, or the fire burned, or in the Colosseum, or amid Alpine snows, or in Siberian wastes.

    We can scarcely read the account of Stephen's experience before the council without seeing afresh the Lord Jesus Himself standing before that same tribunal. The martyr was accused by false witnesses of violent words against the holy place. "We have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us" (Acts 6:14). The Lord was charged by lying lips, "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days" (Matthew 26:61). To this charge the Lord answered nothing, even as the prophet had predicted: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). But to the words of the high priest, "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God," He gave answer, "Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

    In Stephen's case there was reply at considerable length to the question of the high priest, "Are these things so?" (Acts 7:1), for it was his task finally to arraign Israel's leaders with their crime in the murder of the Messiah. When their rage exceeded all restraint, he likewise bore testimony to the glory of the Son of man. To the Lord's answer the high priest gave the terrible response, "He hath spoken blasphemy," and the council said, "He is guilty of death." The fatal decision was made; they would listen to no further word from His lips. At Stephen's proclamation concerning the Son of man, "they... stopped their ears." Cut to the heart by his defense, they could not bear to hear that which reminded them of the solemn declaration by the Lord Jesus.

    Strange it was that the council should be concerned about the reports that Stephen had said that "this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place," if He were, as they claimed, still in death. The very words of the charge betrayed the uneasiness of the Jews touching the preaching by the followers of Jesus that He was alive from the dead. The chief priests knew full well the report of the guards who had fled from the tomb. They knew also that the explanation that the guards had slept was a lie. Unable to account for the empty tomb and the courage of the disciples, they silenced their doubts by renewed action against the preachers of the Gospel.
    II. THE REVELATION -- THE HEAVENLY VISION

    "When they heard these things, they were cut to their heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:54-56). Then, as always when He dwells ungrieved in the believer, the Holy Spirit so ministered the compensations of God to Stephen that he, too, was more than conqueror. The fury of earth was met by the opening of Heaven, and the loneliness of his position by vision of his Lord. To Stephen, as to Paul and to John, it was given to see the glorified Lord with mortal eyes. To all others it has been given to see Him only by faith, but such is the Spirit's delight to reveal Christ to His people that though they are at times in heaviness through manifold temptations, yet they love the One whom they have not seen and, believing in Him, they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

    In that hour Stephen's gaze was turned upward to Heaven and home, and was not disappointed. Since the ascension of the Lord Jesus, Heaven had been more than ever home to the people of God. In all ages they had desired "a better country, that is, an heavenly," but now the One who had lived on earth those thirty-three years of purity and grace, had endured for their sakes the shameful Cross, and had risen again from the dead, had passed "within the veil." In its love He dwelt, and He had taken their hearts with Him. His home was forever theirs. Before He died, He had assured them, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." They looked for Him, and could be satisfied only with Him. Even if they were called to pass through death, it was only "to be with Christ; which is far better."

    And now the heavens were opened, as they had been to the Lord Jesus at His baptism at Jordan. The realms of light disclosed their approval of that which met their gaze on earth, first (for His is ever the pre-eminence) of the Beloved Son and then of the servant who confessed Him so faithfully. Only in Him and in His people can Heaven delight, but its delight is real, pure, and unashamed.

    Looking stedfastly into those bright scenes, Stephen saw the glory of God. He had commenced his defense before the council by reminding his hearers that the God of glory had appeared to their father Abraham. This was the true meaning of their history, and it was this that made them a separate people on earth. The gods of the nations were vanity; the God of Abraham was the God of glory. Whenever the children of Abraham had been true to their calling and their heritage, they had rejoiced in His majesty. None of them knew Him better than did Moses. He had seen His glory in the burning bush, in the deliverance from Egypt, and upon Sinai, but still his prayer rose up: "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory" (Exodus 33:18). David spoke of the God of glory (Psalms 29:3) and looked to the day when the everlasting doors should be lifted up that the King of glory might enter in (Psalms 24:7). Moses had come down from the mount with rays of that glory lingering on his face, and even Stephen's judges saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Gazing into the source of the light that lit his face, Stephen saw the glory that Abraham had seen and, moreover, in the heart of its radiance at the right hand of God he saw "Jesus standing."

    Ere the Lord had gone to the throne, He had spoken His sure word of promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). "Alway," i.e., "though all the days" -- what could more clearly set forth the perpetual presence? But Stephen was given even more than the token of the presence. He learned its climax, that the One who companied with His saints and with him would bring their path to its triumphant goal with a vision of His face and a welcome to His side. Upon the martyr the vision was bestowed before his eyes closed on scenes here, that he might tell us what waits the gaze of all who die in faith. Surely that face of light was bent down upon him and poured its love upon him, for it was to the Lord Jesus that he addressed his dying words and, confident in Him, he fell asleep.

    "Jesus standing." That is not to be read as contradiction of the statement that "He . . . sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3). Both positions picture profound truths, and both give aspects of His ascension life which exist concurrently. In relation to His finished work on earth and to the exercise of His sovereignty, He is viewed as seated. In relation to His unfinished work in Heaven, that gracious ministry which He undertakes for us now, He is viewed as standing. He remained "this same Jesus." The glory of the throne had not changed His heart toward His own. As He had ever been to them -- tender, compassionate, understanding, and true, so He was still. As in love He had toiled for them on earth, so in Heaven would He minister to their need in the same love.

    With his eyes fixed on Jesus, Stephen bore testimony to that which he saw and named his Lord by that title which Christ's own lips had so often used. "I see... the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." The reference was obviously Messianic, for, as we have noted, it was in accord with the Lord's own words, "the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power." It testified that the despised Jesus was actually the Son of Man of Daniel's vision, who would come with the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13), that He had reached the height of absolute power, and that nought could hinder the fulfillment of his prediction to the council. Stephen's own need was fully met in that he saw Jesus at God's right hand, even as today by faith "we see Jesus . . . crowned with glory and honour." The doom of the leaders of Israel, the guiltiest of the guilty, was sealed in that the martyr saw the Son of Man in that place of power.
    III. THE BLESSING -- CHRIST'S FRUIT IN HIS MEMBERS

    "Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul" (Acts 7:57-58). Their fury knew no bounds. Driven on by their hatred of the name of Jesus and by the knowledge that they were impotent to mar His glory or frustrate His will, they undertook summary judgment on His confessor. With frenzied cry and utter refusal to hear another word, they laid violent hands on Stephen and cast him out to his death. Denying him even the pretense of justice and of trial, they cut off his life with the cruel stones. It was the death which was decreed by the law of Moses for the blasphemer, it was meted out to one of the noblest of the long line of faith. According to the law, as given in Deuteronomy 17:7, the witnesses were required to be foremost in the execution of the death penalty. They had brought the evidence; they must be first to cast the stones. Not content with falsehood, Stephen's accusers added to their infamy by sustaining their witness in the place of stoning. In those solemn moments wherein they strained their lives with innocent blood, they left their garments in the care of a young man called Saul. It is the first time that we hear of this man, who figures so much on the page of Scripture, but whose story is forever woven with that of Stephen.

    "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death" (Acts 7:59-8:1). In this passage the word "God" is in italics. There is no object stated for the very "calling upon," and the reference is most naturally to the following words. As Paul showed in his greeting to Corinth -- "with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours" (1 Corinthians 1:2). -- calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus was the mark of the New Testament Christian. His name was honored, as the name of Jehovah in the Old Testament was honored. "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord [Jehovah] shall be saved" (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13; Joel 2:32). The conviction of the early church was unmistakable, and attested by Stephen, that in the naming of the Lord Jesus they owned Him as Jehovah. That Pharisees, such as Saul, brought up in the strictest monotheism, should come to adore a once-crucified man as being eternally in the Godhead is evidence that to them His credentials of deity were beyond dispute.

    Stephen's words recall those spoken last by the Lord upon the Cross. In unshaken trust, the Lord had commended His spirit to the Father; so did the martyr commit his spirit to the Lord. This again was witness to the deity of Jesus. Then kneeling, Stephen "cried with a loud voice." (This expression, in which the energy of the speaker is gathered up, is used of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 27:50.) The Lord had prayed for those that crucified Him: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Imbued with the same spirit of forgiveness that revealed how truly he was in the mind of Christ, Stephen likewise prayed for his murderers. How precious must this have been to the Lord Jesus, and what fruitage for Him in the life of His saint! Thus with eyes and heart alike occupied with his Lord, Stephen "fell asleep." It was not death, but victory. The Lord Jesus had said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death" (John 8:51), and so it was with the martyr. So it is with all who trust Him.

    In his vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the fragrance of his character, and in his suffering for His sake, Stephen became the pattern believer of this age. His name (Stephan, i.e., crown [stephanos], or garland of victory) pointed to the heavenly destiny held out to all his brethren, including to the measure of their devotion to Him, the crown of glory and honor. Stephen's interpreter was the man whose conversion was the firstfruits of the divine response to his dying prayer. What was concentrated in the last moments of the one was spread out in the years of experience of the other, so that the latter wrote, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body"; and again, "So then death worketh in us, but life in you"; and again, "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:10,12,18).

    What shall meet our gaze as we thus look to the things "not seen?" First, and supremely, we shall behold the glory of our Lord, His unfading triumphs, His exaltation in manhood at God's right hand, His infinite depths of holiness and of love, and the unutterable wonder of His blessed face. We shall see our Father's home, with its many mansions -- all forever open to the children of His love; we shall see the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" wrought for us by the "light affliction" of this present time. Again, we shall behold "the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away." Then there is the reward which hands once pierced by cruel nails shall bestow upon lonely toilers from the harvest fields of earth. Moreover, we shall feast our gaze upon the joy of unclouded fellowship with Christ and with the redeemed of the ages. Then there is the occupation of the blest, the holy service wherewith "his servants shall serve him."

    To see the face which Stephen saw is to be enabled to live a heavenly life amid earthly care. It is ours with him and with Paul to behold "the glory of God in the face of Christ," and soon the joy of faith shall be swallowed up in the joy of seeing Him as He is.

    Present with Thee, oh, Lord Jesus,
    Some day this rapture I'll know;
    Sweeter than aught of earth's visions,
    Passing all bliss here below.

    Present with Thee, in Thy glory,
    Days of my pilgrimage past;
    Down at Thy feet I shall worship,
    Prostate before Thee at last.

    Present with Thee, my Redeemer,
    Because my load Thou didst bear;
    I shall adoring behold Thee
    Glory ineffable wear.

    Present with Thee, in Thy likeness,
    Clothed in Thy fitness, not mine;
    Gladly Thy loveliness telling,
    Owning Thy glory divine.

    Present with Thee -- not a shadow
    Casting its gloom o'er my heart --
    Calmly I'll dwell in love's sunshine,
    Nor from Thee ever shall part.

    Present with Thee, my Beloved,
    This Thy desire toward me,
    Even that ever and ever
    I should be present with Thee.

    --H. C. H.--
  10. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 9 Daniel

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    09 - The Light Of Evening - Daniel (Daniel 10)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE UNBLEMISHED YEARS

    The story of Daniel is given to us in Scripture in a series of character studies exquisitely drawn. These begin with a youth standing with three companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, at the crossroads of life, and making choice of the path of the will of God irrespective of earthly loss (chap. 1). The next three scenes show us the interpreter of dreams and of hard sentences standing before the monarchs of Babylon (chaps. 2, 4-5). Whether as a young man before Nebuchadnezzar, unfolding to him "what shall be in the latter days," or in the vigor of settled manhood, telling him of that which will humble his pride, or as an old man pronouncing Belshazzar's doom, Daniel exemplifies the words of the psalmist that "the secret of the LORD is with them that fear him" (Psalms 25:14).

    The closing glimpses of Daniel remind us that the righteous "bring forth fruit in old age" (Psalms 92:14). In his early years, he will have no compromise with idolatry; in the ripeness of age he fears not to kneel and make his prayer to the living God alone. In the royal palace Darius the king spends a miserable and sleepless night; in the lion's den Daniel the Hebrew is at rest in the protecting care of God (Chap. 6). Again, he appears as the intercessor, who with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes confesses the sins of his people, seeks the mercies of God for them, and is answered "about the time of the evening oblation" with the visit of Gabriel and the greeting, "Thou art greatly beloved" (chap. 9). Finally, his yearnings for his people are rewarded by the vision which crowns his days, wherein his eyes beheld the glory of the Lord.

    Daniel, like Joseph, the earlier revealer of secrets, exhibited a blameless life. Like him, also, he knew the desolation of being torn in youth from the ties of home and of being a prisoner in a strange land. Both men stood scatheless in temptation and attained to high office in a foreign court. They knew the testing of hatred and the subtler testing of high honor, but neither could be reproached with any sin. Nothing was able to turn them from the stedfastness of their ways or rob them of their insight into the purposes of God for the ultimate blessing of their people. Thus they came to the end of the journey, full of days, and full of honor.

    As the sun of his life began to set, a greater Sun rose before Daniel's sight. Throughout the events that crowded his memory there had been manifested the power and faithfulness of God. he had walked alone and yet not alone. Behind the varied scenes of his path the Lord had stood, leading His servant on from strength to strength and ever appreciating the constancy and fidelity of his testimony. As the Lord had promised in Isaiah's day, so He was to Daniel. "Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, . . . even to your old age I am he; and... even I will carry, and will deliver you" (Isaiah 46:3-4). Far from failing His aged servant, He drew even closer to him, till His presence was revealed in surpassing splendor. He had given to Daniel many unfoldings of things to come, but to the last of these He added that which excelled them all, the unveiling of His own majesty.
    II. THE REVELATION -- SURPASSING GLORY

    "In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; . . . In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled" (Daniel 10:1-3). Daniel had lived till the decree of Cyrus had enabled Zerubbabel and his company to return from Babylon to Jerusalem. God had kept His word by the mouth of Jeremiah; He had stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to make the necessary decree and had stirred the returning exiles to lay the foundation of His house at Jerusalem. But Daniel had been shown that beyond the commandment for the rebuilding of the city there would be troublous times, that Messiah the Prince would come and be cut off, and that the utmost desolation would befall the city. His exercise concerning Israel deepened till he spent three whole weeks in mourning and fasting. He saw the path of sorrow that lay ahead of Israel, and for their sakes he chastened himself before God.

    "And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude" (Daniel 10:4-6). In its details the vision bears close likeness to that given to John in Patmos. The golden girdle, the radiant face, the blazing eyes, the feet like unto gleaming brass, and the voice of incomparable fullness tell of the same glorious person in both scenes. In either case, the sight presented was one of surpassing grandeur. That the Lord's presentation of Himself to Daniel in appearance as a man, though in excelling brightness, should remind so much of that to John after His ascension and glorification in actual manhood, shows the underlying unity of all His unveilings of Himself. While some of His appearings in the Old Testament anticipated the lowly grace of the days of His flesh, the appearance vouchsafed to Daniel pointed forward to His revelation to earth in the glory of His kingdom.

    The linen garment, in accordance with the frequent usage of Scripture, indicated the purity of all His ways. He is "the Holy One and the Just" (Acts 3:14). The girt loins proclaimed His ministry as the mighty One, the omnipotent Toiler, whose activities are beautiful with the excellence of Deity, even as the girdle with its fine gold. The body like to the beryl, with its amber light, the face with its intense brilliance, and the eyes as lamps of fire, all told of One who is the brightness of God's glory. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5); and that pure light streams forth unchanged and undiminished in the person of the Son. In the presence of that light nothing is hidden; from the gaze of those all-seeing eyes nothing can be concealed. "O LORD," said the psalmist, "thou hast searched me, and known me . . . If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee" (Psalms 139:1,11-12). Deep as was the perplexity of Daniel as he considered his people's welfare, all their way was understood by the Lord. No bewilderment lay upon that omniscient mind. The end was sure. In spite of Israel's failure, their conflict would end in peace, and the night of sorrow, in cloudless day.

    "And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision: but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength" (Daniel 10:7-8). Upon the prophet's companions there came such a sense of fear that they trembled and fled. God was in the place, though they knew it not. There had been a day when "the earth shook . . . at the presence of God"; how much more should puny men tremble in such a circumstance? But to Daniel the presence was revealed, and he sank to the ground in utter weakness. All his strength was gone. Nothing was left of the personal vigour, the nobility of manhood, which had characterized him. There was only the corruption, the ruin of our poor race.

    "Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground" (Daniel 10:9). So overpowered was he by the vision, and by the voice of the Lord, that he lay prostrate, unable to act and unable to think until strength was ministered to him by the touch of an angel's hand. That voice was more than mortal frame could bear, and Daniel lay insensible on the ground. Nor yet could he know the bliss of eternity and exult in the voice like the voice of a multitude -- the voice of Him in whose majestic utterance would be blended the countless expressions of His heart toward each of His redeemed.
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE BELOVED

    The love with which the Lord looked on His servant by the river Hiddekel was not less than that with which He would look on him in the better country -- the hungry. So the angel was sent to rouse him from his sleep, and to speak of that true love. To his aroused consciousness there came the words of tender greeting, "Daniel, a man greatly beloved." Such was the mind of heaven; such was the Lord's appraisal of His aged servant. All his path had been watched with unremitting care, all his exercise had been valued with unerring wisdom, and all his years had been compassed with unceasing love. Dear to the Lord was that long life of purity and honor, of witness and devotion. Some time before, in the first year of Darius, Daniel had been saluted as the "greatly beloved" (Daniel 9:23), but now his life must be crowned by this token of divine approval.

    Roused by this greeting, Daniel stood trembling, to be told that from the first day of his mourning his words had been heard. They had been words which drew forth the succor of Heaven's throne, and the messenger had been sent to him to answer his heart's longing. When Daniel spoke to the angel of the effect of the vision upon him, he was further strengthened, and the message was repeated and amplified. "O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong" (Daniel 10:19). As in the case of John in Patmos, the sight of the glory was followed by the words of comfort, "fear not." There was no cloud between the Lord and His faithful servant. For long years they had walked together, and the vision, so overwhelming in itself, was granted, not because of shortcoming on Daniel's part, but because the unseen Friend of the way would give full answer to the desire of Daniel's heart for the welfare of his people. The purposes of God would not fail. The ministry of intercession is in the current of the mind of God, and the prophet's unselfish prayer for the sinful nation brought the approval manifested in the vision. With such an almighty One overruling in the affairs of men, nought would hinder the fulfillment of every promise concerning Israel.

    Once more the "man clothed in linen" is before us in this scene by Hiddekel. "And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished" (Daniel 12:7). The portrait of the Lord in this passage is paralleled by that in Revelation 10, when He appears as a mighty angel, yet in such majesty as only the occupant of the heavenly throne could bear. In both passages is declared His solemn oath that to all the sorrow of those dread days of Jacob's trouble there shall be an end. Dark will be the night, but the coming in glory of the King of Israel, the King of Kings, the King in His beauty, will bring the longed-for day.

    Daniel's prayer was answered, his work was done, and his path was complete. The record ceases, but without mention of the withdrawing of the presence. Daniel is last seen in the wonder of its revelation. Long since he has left the scenes of his toil, and now he is at home with the Lord. Soon, not in mortal weakness, but robed in the dignity and power of the resurrection body, he shall walk with the Lord and rejoice evermore in communion face to face. The experience vouchsafed to him in his last years shall be his perpetual portion. Forever beloved, he shall gaze without fear on that transcendent face, and listen to the music of that excelling voice.
  11. Jerry
    The Companion Of The Way
    08 - Companion In The Fire - Three Hebrews (Daniel 3)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE DAUNTLESS THREE

    Among the captives taken from Judah to Babylon in the days of Jeconiah were a number of youths of noble birth. The names of four of these are recorded in Scripture with special honor. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah left for all who should follow in the path of faith the lesson that there are no days when it is too dark for God to work and no circumstances in which He cannot sustain those who trust in Him. Life must have been desolate indeed when the gates of Babylon closed upon the weary captives. Involved in the tragedy that had befallen their nation for its sins, yet themselves of blameless character, these Hebrew youths found themselves attached to a court marked by pride, cruelty, and all the defiling influences of idolatry. Even their names were changed, and there were imposed on them new names associated with the worship of the false gods of Babylon. The tide ran swiftly against their spiritual life. Every factor of their environment was calculated to dim the memories of their upbringing and to efface from their hearts their earliest loyalties.

    Challenged by the insidious temptation to partake of the king's meat and thus to acquiesce in offering to idols, they did not falter in their allegiance to the God of their fathers, to the One who had said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them" (Exodus 20:3,5). Preferring loss to defilement, and counting the fear of the Lord more precious than life itself, they resisted the temptation and were at last vindicated in their stand by the overruling care of God. Centuries earlier, He had said to His people, "Them that honour me I will honour" (1 Samuel 2:30). The truth of this faithful word was clearly evidenced in the story of these young men. God gave them such knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom that they won the approval of the king. After the unfolding of the dream of the great image, Daniel was made ruler over the whole province of Babylon. His three friends, now known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, were set over the affairs of the province. They were among the few who could be trusted by God with high positions in the affairs of earth. Proud Babylon is no more, and the scenes of its glory have long since been a desolate waste, but the four exiles who showed such fidelity have honorable place among the great cloud of witnesses by which we are compassed about in the heavenward way.

    More than twenty years passed, and the proud yet fertile mind of Nebuchadnezzar conceived a scheme for the unifying of his great empire. Its far-flung provinces lay secure in his dominion, but he sought control not only over the bodies but also over the souls of men. He built an image of gold, set this colossus in the plain of Dura, and ordered all who were prominent in rule throughout his territories to attend the dedication of the image and bow before it in worship (Daniel 3:1-7). Of all forms of tyranny none are more cruel or relentless than those which are found in the religious sphere.

    Nebuchadnezzar attempted to enforce the spiritual despotism of a state religion, and allowed no alternatives to obedience save a terrifying death. If all the dignitaries of state prostrated themselves before the image of gold, itself the visible representation of the power and wealth of the kingdom over which he ruled as absolute monarch, then they and all their people would be subject to him in every domain of life -- physical, intellectual, and spiritual. The human personality would be enslaved to the impersonal state, and, worst of all, it would be denied the exercise of that homage of the creature for the Creator which is at once the necessary law of its being and yet the noblest freedom.

    Faced with such a situation, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego manifested the same courage which had marked them in earlier days. To them, compromise was impossible. There could be nothing in common between the worship of the living God and the worship of an idol. As in a day still to come, when earth shall know the sway of its last and most awful tyrant, and when the choice will be clear-cut between the worship of God, with the threat of physical death on the one hand, and the worship of the beast and his image (cf. Revelation 14:6-11), so it was for the three Hebrews. The law of God was still true for them. They could not bow to any image. Better to them was a cruel death than such dishonor to their faith, and disloyalty to their God.

    Watched relentlessly as the result of the envy of certain Chaldeans, they were accused to Nebuchadnezzar of flouting his decree. To the king's pride it was so incredible that anyone should disobey him that in rage and fury he sent for the fearless three and demanded of them, "Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king" (Daniel 3:13). Then, having renewed his threat of the fiery furnace, he flaunted his impiety in the words, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (Daniel 3:15).

    Similar words had been spoken by another monarch. In the days of Hezekiah, Sennacherib the Assyrian had said, "No god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?" (2Ch 32:15). God had heard the prayer of Hezekiah and of Isaiah the prophet, and He had saved His people from their peril. "The angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand" (2 Kings 19:35).

    Not by such judgment upon the king, but nevertheless by the intervention of the same One, "the angel of the LORD," did God deliver His servants from the fiery death. First, however, their testimony was given to His power to save, and their faith was tested to the utmost.

    "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king, But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (Daniel 3:16-18). Full well they knew that it was not a case that might be made the subject of petition; they knew the man before whom they stood and that without hesitation he would mete out the threatened doom. They knew that they could do nought but refuse his command. Their path had been clear to them throughout the events leading up to that moment of crisis. But they knew also that though Nebuchadnezzar was king of kings (see Daniel 2:37), it was only by the sovereign will of the God of Heaven that he had received the kingdom. The king was powerful, but God was all-powerful.

    Their hearts were at rest with a calm which this world could not give. On the one hand, God was certainly able to deliver them; on the other, if He were pleased to call them through death from the toil of earth, they would submit to His perfect will. He had promised, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; . . . when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (Isaiah 43:2). No malice of man could hinder the fulfillment of the promise of their God. Upon His presence they relied; He would not fail them, nor forsake them, whether in life or in death. With this confidence, therefore, they said to the king, "He will deliver us out of thine hand."

    Filled with fury, till his very face was distorted, Nebuchadnezzar gave vent to his anger by the utterly needless order that the furnace be heated seven times more than usual, an act whose only result was to bring about the destruction of the mighty men who carried out his sentence on the three Hebrews. There is no rage like that which is baffled by the serene constancy of its intended victims. Goaded by his frenzy, the king hastened the matter, and his men paid the price for his folly. The three confessors were bound in their full attire and cast into the midst of the furnace. Every circumstance attendant on their ordeal was made to minister to the exhibition of the power of God; even their garments bore their part in the triumphant witness. Doubtless the instigators of the matter were full of satisfaction at the apparent removal of the Hebrews from their high office, but their joy was short-lived.
    II. THE REVELATION -- MORE THAN CONQUERORS

    "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace" (Da 3:23). They were now past all mortal aid. God had permitted this extremity to show that their deliverance was from Him -- and Him alone. Before they were cast into the furnace, it was in Nebuchadnezzar's power to do what he pleased, whether to send them to the fire or to withhold them from it. But once they had passed within the furnace, the proud king could do nothing. He could watch, but was powerless to intervene. He could not even save his own mighty men from the fierceness of the flame. He must learn that the end of human prowess marks but the beginning of divine strength. God is not bound by the limitations of His creatures; their puny resources are as nothing to His infinite greatness.

    "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (Daniel 3:24-25). Never had the king been so amazed. No wonder of his career, whether of brilliant conquest or of royal achievement, could stir his heart with the emotion which he now betrayed. The fire to which he had condemned the three who had dared to defy him had but destroyed their bonds. They walked at liberty in the flame, as though at home in its embrace. Its terrors had gone, and its blaze enwrapped them as with an atmosphere of glory.

    Moreover, they were not alone. With them there walked One whom the startled king described as like in form to the Son of God. Clearly the presence of this One was the secret of their deliverance. The king beheld the transcendent form and the majestic mien which proclaimed Him to be no mortal but a being from Heaven. We would not expect the king to imply by his words such an appreciation of the person of this wondrous visitant as they convey to us. He was but a heathen and acknowledged many supposed deities, even as later in life he spoke to Daniel of "the holy gods" (Daniel 4:9). Not till the restoration of his reason (Daniel 4:34) did he seem to attain to the knowledge of the one most high God. While his words spoken as he gazed into the furnace would be capable on heathen lips of the sense, "the son of God," it is nevertheless possible that in the strong emotion of the moment, as was certainly the case immediately after when he addressed the three Hebrews as "servants of the most high God," he spoke only of their God. But whatever his degrees of perception of these things, his words were overruled to express, in the speech of those who know the one true God, the most sublime fact. It was indeed the Son of God who walked with the three in the fire.

    It is entirely in accordance with the promise, "I will be with thee" (Isaiah 43:2), and the consistent teaching of Scripture touching the theophanies to recognize in the One who appeared in the fire the very Son of God, the Deliverer of His people. The circumstances of His appearance with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, illustrate delightfully the lesson of Romans 8:37. "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Had the three been miraculously preserved in the furnace, yet without any sign of the divine presence, they would certainly have been conquerors. But the surpassing wonder of their experience was not their deliverance, viewed in itself, but rather the companionship of their Lord in the furnace. In the added marvel of this sacred fellowship they were "more than conquerors." So was it in Paul's day. So has it been with all who have known amidst their trials the joy of walking with the Son of God.

    What was new in the path of the three was not the fact of the Lord's presence, but rather its manifestation. He had walked with them unseen throughout their years of testimony, and it was this which was the secret of their courage in the face of such dire peril. He had ever been with them to guard and to strengthen. All that the fire could do was to make visible, even to the sight of a heathen king, the presence that was already with them. How often in history have persecutors been compelled to own that their victims had a resource which they could not take from them, an unseen spring of cheer that defied all their hatred and their cruelties!

    With the vast majority of the people of God, the Friend and Guide of the long road of life has been real only to the vision of faith. With the mortal eye that have braved every danger, and trusted God in the last breath. Some indeed "quenched the violence of fire," but "others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection" (Hebrews 11:34-35). Stephen saw his Lord before he was dragged to the place of death and, serene in that heavenly vision, fell asleep under the weight of the cruel stones: others have borne like suffering and have seen the glorious face only when their eyes had closed to this scene. Never, however, has the fact of the divine presence ceased; it has been constant through every vicissitude of life.
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE TRIUMPHANT TESTIMONY

    "Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them" (Daniel 3:26-27). So complete was the vindication of the stand of the Hebrews that they were saluted of the king before they left the furnace by the title "servants of the most high God." Theirs was a service and a nobility surpassing that of the courtiers who thronged around the king. His prince and governors bowed at his word; the three owned a higher allegiance than that belonging to any earthly potentate. Around them gathered all the great men of Babylon, who marveled to see that the fire had no power either on the persons of the three Hebrews or on their garments. There was not even the smell of fire about them to tell of their ordeal. How often must these same dignitaries have recounted to their associates and to their families in the years that followed the story of this amazing scene, of the three who worshipped a God whom they themselves had not known, and of the mighty power of that great God! Thus the fame of the God of Israel would spread far and wide in a testimony with consequences which cannot be estimated.

    "They have no hurt," said Nebuchadnezzar, and his princes saw that not a hair of their head was singed. "I give unto you power . . . over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you," said the Son of God to His disciples (Luke 10:19). How true it is that in the path of the will of God there is nought that can hurt His people! Amid the trials and sorrows of life they walk unscathed, and from their experience in trial and from the companionship of the Lord Jesus they receive eternal good. Only sin can hurt them, marring their fellowship with their Lord, vitiating their capacities for service, and wounding their own souls. However deep the sufferings of His martyrs, not they but their persecutors are hurt. Not for nought does the Lord speak to His tried ones, "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:11).

    "Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God . . . there is no other God that can deliver after this sort" (Daniel 3:28-29). Could Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego have foreseen as they made their choice to be true to their God whatever the cost that its sequel would be a doxology from the lips of the greatest of all Gentile monarchs? Could they have known, in those moments when they stood alone in the plain of Dura and all others were bowed in idol worship, that ere many hours were passed it should be an offence, binding upon all people in the empire of Babylon, to speak anything amiss against their God, the God of deliverance? What a tribute it was to their faithful witness and to Him who maketh the wrath of man to praise Him! (Psalms 76:10).

    When the records of the sustaining grace of the centuries are all complete, then lonely road and fiery trial shall yield their part to that great song of praise the gladness of which shall never cease. The road will be ended, and the trial long past, but the Lord who walked with His own will company with them forever, and they shall walk with Him not in the flame of trial but in the blaze of His glory.
  12. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 7 Ezekiel

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    07- Sanctuary Of The Exile - Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE DIVINE COMPENSATION

    Nowhere in the records of the divine presence is the kindness and faithfulness of God more evident than in those that relate the story of the exile of the people of Judah and of Jerusalem. On account of the evils wrought by King Manasseh wherewith he polluted the house of the Lord in Jerusalem and filled the city from end to end with innocent blood, God delivered the king and later the nation into captivity in Babylon. There in his affliction Manasseh humbled himself before God, who brought him again to his kingdom in Judah (2 Chronicles 33:13). The nation entered in its turn into captivity in three stages in the reigns of Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, all of whom came under the power of Nebuchadnezzar.

    Among the captives taken with Jehoiachin was Ezekiel the priest, whose narrative begins with his place among his fellow-exiles by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldeans. In the providence of God, he was raised up to minister to the people of the captivity in order that they might understand the justice of God in removing them from their homeland and from the temple around which their national life had centered, and that even amid the sorrows that had befallen them they might be stirred to seek God anew and be sustained and cheered in their witness for Him among the nations. Some there were who clung to the promises of God and sought still to honor Him and to keep His law. To all these, even as to the apathetic, the embittered, and the rebellious, Ezekiel bore the message of the future regathering of Israel to their land. Two views were blended in his prophecies, the near and the far. The one took place when the kings of Babylon had been replaced by the kings of Persia, and the other shall be when Israel's Lord and King returns in power and glory to earth and to His ancient city.

    God did not forget His people. Away from their land and from their sanctuary, they seemed remote from all the blessings of their fathers, but the great Blesser Himself drew near and revealed His glory to Ezekiel the priest, the representative of the godly. In Jerusalem, God's dwelling place had been in the Holy of Holies, between the Cherubim, and thither in days of care and of stress those who loved His name directed their thoughts, and thence they sought His favor. When the threatening letter from Sennacherib was received by Hezekiah he "prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth . . . Save thou us out of his hand" (2 Kings 19:15,19). In the people's distress the psalmist besought God's intervention, and prayed, "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth" (Psalms 80:1). Another psalm tells exultingly the glory of His kingdom: "The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved" (Psalms 99:1)

    What then should His people do in the land of captivity, and whither should they turn when the temple should be no more? The answer of God to their need was to manifest Himself, enthroned, not amid the cherubim of gold or of olive wood, but above the living creatures, the cherubim of Heaven. In the vision of Isaiah (Isaiah 6), God had displayed His majesty and the service of the seraphim in the temple, but in Ezekiel's lifetime the temple would be destroyed, and the prophet would abide an exile in a strange country. It was in such circumstances that Ezekiel was given the visions of God described in the chapters that open and close his book. Though earthly symbols passed away, the heavenly realities were unchanged, and the heavens were opened that glories which no king of Babylon could ever defile should be set before the exile's gaze. Ere the earlier visions ceased, and ere the tidings came that Jerusalem was smitten (Ezekiel 33:21), God gave the promise which was the very meaning of the visions. "Therefore say, Thus saith the LORD God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come" (Ezekiel 11:16). From the guilty city of Jerusalem and from the doomed temple on Mount Moriah the presence of the Lord would be withdrawn, but He would be with His people, a sanctuary for a little time (i.e., till the captivity should be over), a temple to which they might constantly repair to give thanks to Him, to inquire of His will and to receive His blessing. So true is His perpetual presence.
    II. THE BLESSING -- THE DIVINE EMPOWERING

    The visions of glory were vouchsafed to Ezekiel at four separate times, in four distinct settings, and with four different messages.

    1. In the fifth day of the fourth month in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity. By the river Chebar. Giving him a commission to be a watchman to the people. Chapters 1:1 to 3:21.

    2. Seven days later, in the plain. Making him a sign, and his actions signs, of the certainty and the details of the judgments about to fall upon Jerusalem. Chapters 3:22 to 7:27.

    3. In the fifth day of the sixth month of the following year. In his house. Showing the departure of the glory of God from the temple and the city. Chapters 8:1 to 11:25.

    4. In the tenth day of the first month in the twenty-fifth year of captivity. Location in Chaldea unnamed. Showing the future dignity of the city, and the coming of the glory of God to the house of God, never to depart. Chapters 40:1 to 48:35.

    In each case the narrative begins with like words.

    1. "The hand of the LORD was there upon him" (Ezekiel 1:3).
    2. "The hand of the LORD was there upon me" (Ezekiel 3:22).
    3. "The hand of the LORD God fell there upon me" (Ezekiel 8:1).
    4. "The hand of the LORD was upon me" (Ezekiel 40:1).

    Three more times in Ezekiel we read of the hand of the Lord in relation to the prophet. In his first experience of the controlling power of God in the visions, he said, "The spirit lifted me up, and look me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat (Heb., hot anger) of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me" (Ezekiel 3:14). Writing concerning the eve of the coming of the tidings that Jerusalem was smitten, he said, "Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth" (Ezekiel 33:22). Then, when he was shown the final regathering of Israel, under the figure of a national resurrection, he said, "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones" (Ezekiel 37:1). In these seven references to the hand of the Lord there is seen the putting forth of the divine power by which Ezekiel was enabled to behold the visions. That power cast its shelter around him, strengthened him for the revelations and for the service they claimed, and impelled him to carry out his ministry in spite of its burden of judgment and the resentment of his hearers. Truly "The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21).

    Another expression recurring in these passages is that which tells of his prostration in the Lord's presence.

    1. "And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake" (Ezekiel 1:28)
    2. "And I fell on my face" (Ezekiel 3:23)
    3. "And I fell upon my face" (Ezekiel 43:3)

    Remarkably, in the third vision there is no mention of his falling upon his face before such glory, but twice Ezekiel is seen in like attitude, pleading for the sinful nation, "I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel" (Ezekiel 9:8). "Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?" (Ezekiel 11:13). In answer to the first petition God gave reply that He would not spare those guilty of the crimes that defiled Jerusalem, but to the second He gave promise that to those scattered among the heathen. He would be a sanctuary. In this way we are shown two things that should ever bow us low before God, worship and intercession. The heart that knows most of prostration in reverent awe in the secret of that wondrous presence is that which will be most active in beseeching His mercy upon the sons of men.
    III. THE REVELATION -- THE DIVINE MAJESTY

    "And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire" (Ezekiel 1:4). In connection with an earlier theophany, there is mentioned a whirlwind from which God spoke, which likewise came out of the north. In the latter part of Job 36; 37, there is given a most graphic picture of the approaching storm. At the beginning of chapter 37 Elihu speaks, "At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place" and toward its end, he says, "Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty" (Job 37:1,22). It is this majesty which is more fully described in Ezekiel. "The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet" (Nahum 1:3). The stormy wind (whirlwind) fulfills His word (Psalms 148:8). By a whirlwind He was pleased to take up Elijah into Heaven (2 Kings 2:1), and in the splendor that flamed out of a whirlwind to manifest Himself to Ezekiel.

    The cloud and the fire were inseparably associated with Israel's history, especially with their deliverance from Egypt and journey through the desert to the promised land. Carried captive from that land because their sins had exceeded those of the nations driven out before them, they could little expect to see again those manifestations of power and glory with which God had blessed them in those brighter days. Yet, being God and not man, He acted toward them with such faithfulness that even in the land of captivity He displayed the tokens of His majesty.

    "Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man" (Ezekiel 1:5).

    "As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle" (Ezekiel 1:10)

    "And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had" (Ezekiel 10:12).

    "I knew that they were the cherubims" (Ezekiel 10:20).

    The profound themes portrayed in the living creatures, the cherubim, call not for speculation or curiosity, but for awe and praise. The cherubim are found always in association with the throne of God and have a threefold function in relation to its government. First, they "cover" the throne, i.e., to them is committed the guarding of the divine honor. Secondly, they share the administration of the throne in that they are its close attendants and execute its decrees. Thirdly, they manifest the character of God in His government of all that He has made.

    "Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:23-24).

    "And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel . . . And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made" (Exodus 25:18-22; 26:31).

    "And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high. And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold . . . And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims" (1 Kings 6:23-28; 8:6).

    "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come . . . And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 4:6-8; 5:8-10).

    This character is fourfold.

    1) The Ruler of the universe is always majestic; nought that is petty or base is ever known among His ways.
    2) He is a ministering God, who ceaselessly attends to the needs of His own creation. Apart from His care it could not be maintained.
    3) "His understanding is infinite." He appreciates all the requirements and all the frailty of His creatures, and seeks to bestow on them His fellowship, according to their measure of capacity for it.
    4) He possesses boundless adequacy for the carrying out of His purposes and the supplying of every need of His creation. He Himself knows no limitation.

    These four traits are exquisitely expressed in the four faces of the cherubim. The lion speaks of majesty, the ox of ministry, the man of understanding, and the eagle of that which is far above the limits of earth. The appearance under which the living creatures are presented, with variation of detail from book to book of Scripture, and yet with an underlying harmony throughout, may be compared with the livery worn by the attendants of an earthly throne. The livery may be worn by different persons in different circumstances, yet is it still the same in style and meaning. Whether those who are concerned with the administration of the throne of God be always the same beings or not, yet the cherubic likeness is consistent throughout.

    In the Old Testament the cherubim are sometimes figurative, as in the structure and the holy vessels of the tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon. Sometimes the cherubim are living beings, as at the gate of Eden and in the visions of Ezekiel. The living creatures of the Old Testament thus appear to be of the angelic order. Ezekiel himself speaks of the downfall of one who is called "the anointed cherub that covereth" (Ezekiel 28:14), whose greatness far exceeded that of the literal king of Tyre. Created to high service in relation to the throne of God, he coveted that which he should have covered.

    "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14).

    When that cherub, so great and high, failed in his trust, God revealed One "who was made a little lower than the angels," and who ever-vindicated the character and maintained the honor of the throne. In His lowly manhood the beloved Son manifested the fourfold nature of God's ways, as is seen in the distinctive portraits of Him in the four Gospels. Matthew displays His kingly majesty; Mark, His perfect service; Luke, His holy manhood; John, His eternal deity.

    In His glorified manhood, exalted "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named," the Son will ever administer every function of the throne, but associated with Him in that sphere of honor will be His redeemed ones from earth, all of them partakers of the heavenly calling, destined to share His glory. Brought nearer to Him than angels have ever been, and enjoying therefore a greater nearness to the throne, they will be linked with Him in functions hitherto entrusted to the angels. Accordingly, in Revelation 5 angels are "round about the throne and the beasts and the elders." The living creatures themselves are "in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne" and are joined with the elders in one song of praise. Therefore it would seem that the living creatures and the elders set forth the redeemed in two capacities different in themselves, but borne by the same persons. As elders, they have complete maturity and priestly access; as living creatures they are associated with the Lamb in His government. This is confirmed by the undoubted fact that the functions of the cherubim are all attributed, in statements not symbolic but express, to the glorified saints. They will judge the world, and judge angels; they will serve for ever and ever; they will be marked by wisdom and spiritual understanding; they will have spiritual bodies conditioned to the environment and life of Heaven, and thus free from earthly limitations. It is fitting, therefore, in view of their character and occupation, that they should be pictured wearing the livery of the throne, i.e., the cherubic likeness.

    "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

    The climax of the vision was the revelation of the throne and of its occupant, One who appeared as a man, and yet with a splendor not of earth. He who covers Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2) deigned to appear to Ezekiel in form which he could comprehend (the appearance of a man), and yet with such incomprehensible majesty that Ezekiel bowed to the earth upon his face. As in the scene which the Apostle John beheld in Heaven, there was a rainbow round about the throne (Revelation 4:3), so the brightness about the Man whom Ezekiel saw was likewise as the appearance of the bow. As the rainbow was given to Noah as the token of God's covenant, as the pledge of His abiding promise, so the very brightness which invested this Man witnessed by its appearance to the faithfulness of the covenant-keeping God of Israel.

    It was the glory of Jehovah which Ezekiel beheld. Though the location and other circumstances of its manifestation had changed, the glory itself endured forever (Psalms 104:31). It was not so with the gods of the heathen, the vain deities whose fame ceased with the destruction of their worshipers. These gods were powerless to protect those whose downfall they wrought. The eyes of the prophet and of those who heeded his words were lifted from the helplessness of the nation to their abiding resources in God. In the third vision, Ezekiel witnessed the departure of the glory from the temple and the city, yet earlier than that, in the first vision, he saw the glory in the land of exile. Thus did the goodness of God strengthen him for the sadness of the ruin which should befall Jerusalem. The sins of the temple brought desolation to their country, and the judgments of God stripped from them their national independence, but He Himself was still the refuge of all who trusted Him. In all His glory, in all His power, in all His sovereign overruling in the affairs of men, He was with His saints. It has ever been so in the annals of our poor race. From age to age God has remained the same. Nothing could more suitably have shown this to Ezekiel than the vision of the Lord enthroned above the living creatures, the Lord whose will is supreme throughout the universe!

    In his final vision, Ezekiel saw the return of the glory to the royal city. The day of the vision's fulfillment has not yet dawned, and night's darkest hour must yet cast its pall of anguish upon the nation of Israel. Nevertheless, when the prophet had long since passed from the scenes of his labors, the glory of the Lord appeared in the land which Ezekiel loved and shone round about the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night, as to them were given the glad tidings of the birth of "a Saviour, . . . Christ the Lord." He will yet come as the King of glory, and His city shall be known as Jehovah-shammah (the LORD is there) (Ezekiel 48:35). Then all the prophet's longings for his people will be satisfied. The presence that cheered him in exile will be the constant joy of restored Israel. This is his last word, the consummation of all his hopes and the fulfillment of all his visions -- THE LORD IS THERE.
  13. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 6 Isaiah

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    06 - The Holy Sovereign - Isaiah (Isaiah 6)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE PREPARATION OF THE PROPHET

    The spiritual experiences of the men through whom God gave His Word provide a fascinating and fruitful study. The writers were chosen and prepared by divine skill to be fitting vehicles for the communication of the message of life. Not only did they pass on the Word in its inspired perfection, but each was wrought to noble sympathy with that which he declared and to adoring contemplation of the One who is the sublime theme of all Scripture. Thus the Word was given, not in mechanical fashion, but through minds radiant with the light of God, and through hearts burning with the love of God.

    So it was with Isaiah. To read through the sixty-six chapters of his prophecy is to pass through the spacious halls of a great portrait gallery and to see on every side fresh glimpses of the majesty and grace of our Lord Jesus. To note but a few, He is the branch of the Lord, beautiful and glorious (Isaiah 4:2); the Wellbeloved (Isaiah 5:1); Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14); Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), the King in His Beauty (Isaiah 33:17); The Servant of the LORD, of marred visage, and yet very high (Isaiah 52:13-14); The Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3); and the Redeemer (Isaiah 59:20).

    What man was chosen so to lift up Christ before our wondering gaze? His own name, meaning, "the salvation of Jehovah," is a signpost to the content of his prophecy, and prepares us "with joy [to] draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). The name of the Lord that is so characteristic of his writing -- "the Holy One of Israel" -- bids us consider the infinite holiness of Him who wrought our salvation in His Person, in His sufferings, and in all His dealings with the children of men. In comparison with the length of Isaiah's service and the scope of his prophecies, little is revealed touching his life, its privilege or its pain, though often as we listen to the music of his words, sometimes rapid and exuberant, sometimes slow and sorrowful, we are made to feel the emotions that surged through his heart. Of all the path wherein he walked with God and knew the faithfulness of His presence little has been told, but one experience has been recorded which embraced within itself the central features of his message, and stamped its impress in his inmost being.

    Isaiah's prophecies began in the long reign of Uzziah and continued through those of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. While still a young man, he was given a vision of the Lord Himself and received from His lips the commission to service. This experience brought to fullness his preparation for the prophetic ministry. Thenceforth he spoke as one who had seen the Lord, whose heart had been laid bare in the light of His presence, and whose sin had been purged by the sacrifice of the altar. Thus cleansed and commissioned, and with that sight of surpassing splendor ever treasured in his soul, he entered the long years that stretched before him to speak unfalteringly and yet meekly of the nation's sins and with holy joy of the Lord God who should come to Zion, its Maker and its Redeemer.
    II. THE REVELATION -- LOFTY THRONE AND LIVE COAL

    "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple" (Isaiah 6:1). The year of the vision was a landmark in Israel's history. Uzziah (meaning "the strength of Jehovah") was a monarch "marvellously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction" (2 Chronicles 26:15-16), and at last he died a leper. The kingly glory of Judah entered upon a fitful decline, and remarkably there was founded about that time the city of Rome, in the zenith of whose power Zion should be "plowed as a field" (Micah 3:12). The death of so great a king, and in such condition, would throw its shadow deeply across the life of the young prophet, particularly since he was in no doubt as to the low spiritual state of the nation. In that very year, however, he beheld the vision that compensated for all loss. He saw the One whose throne was from everlasting. He saw the Lord, Adonai, the sovereign, "the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy" (Isaiah 57:15). As befitted His majesty, He was sitting on a throne high and lifted up (or lofty). The scene was set in the temple, and His train, the skirts of His robe of kingly splendor, filled all the palace.

    In later years Isaiah was to tell how He whose name was Holy dwells "in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isaiah 57:15). But first he must learn in deeper understanding the holiness of that name and must himself know the reviving of the contrite heart and experience the dwelling with him of the Holy One. So he proceeds to describe what he beheld.

    "Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:2-3). In attendance upon the throne, and as a living canopy for it, stood the seraphim. Their name ("burners") witnessed to the awful splendour that surrounded them, the radiance of that uncreated light before which they lived and ministered. In that presence they hid their faces with their wings, thus proclaiming the reverence due to the Creator; they hid their feet likewise, for they were but creatures, whose existence had no purpose save to fulfill His pleasure; with two of their wings they flew in His service. These things were all in perfect order -- His honor, His pleasure, His service.

    Such was their attitude, and like to it was their adoration. Seraph cried to seraph, owning the holiness of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts. The threefold "holy" of their homage was more than emphasis; it bore its own testimony to the Trinity of God. The title, "LORD of hosts," used in the Old Testament from I Samuel onwards, told of One at whose bidding there awaited the unnumbered armies of heaven. As the darkness deepened over the nation, the title was used more and more, and especially in the post-exilic prophets. It His claims were despised on earth, they were honored in Heaven. He reigned amid the hosts of light, and was worshiped and obeyed without intermission. The tense (imperfect) of Isaiah 6:2-3 indicate that the homage and service of the seraphim went on continually. The praise of God never ceases in Heaven, as is shown also by the scene yet to be which John saw in the Patmos vision. "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8).

    Of primary importance is the quotation in John 12 of a later verse in this sixth chapter of Isaiah. The apostle writes: "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him." Therefore, He whom the prophet saw in his vision was our Lord Jesus Christ, throned in His rightful glory ere He came to effect redemption. From that majesty He stooped to humiliation and suffering and to the sorrows of the Cross.

    Who shall fathom that descending
    From His rainbow-circled throne,
    Down to earth's most base profaning,
    Dying, desolate, alone --
    From the Holy, holy, holy,
    We adore Thee, O Most High,
    Down to earth's blaspheming voices,
    And the shout of "Crucify"?

    The words of the seraphs looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow and to the time when earth, which saw His advent in lowliness, should see Him come in power and great glory. So certain are the purposes of God that Heaven could speak of the future as though already realized. "The whole earth IS full of his glory" (v. 3). It is not only that the earth shall be filled with His glory, but that nought else could be it's fullness. Where sin had wrought its havoc and death had wielded its pale scepter, only the glory of the Lord Jesus could fill the scene with joy and peace. For this glad day our poor earth waits, and though night's darkest hour is still to come, there shall follow the morning without clouds when sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

    "And the posts of the door [or, the foundations of the thresholds] moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke" (Isaiah 6:4). At its dedication the temple had been filled with the glory of the Lord so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud (1 Kings 8:11). When the temple was made the setting for the appearing of the Lord to Isaiah, the place could scarcely sustain such a manifestation, and the very foundations swayed at the seraph's cry. What, then, will this earth do when it is about to see His glory and when His judgments are being poured out? "The earth shall reel [same word as 'moved' in Isaiah 6:4] to and fro like a drunkard" (Isaiah 24:20). Because the judgments of God must precede the day of glory, "the house was filled with smoke." These words are taken up in Revelation 15:8, where it is written concerning a scene when judgment is nearing its climax, "The temple [i.e., in heaven] was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power."

    Most significant is the threefold witness of Isaiah 6 to the spheres which are filled with the Lord's glory.

    1. His train filled the temple.
    2. The whole earth is full of his glory.
    3. The house was filled with smoke.

    In that temple there was room for one throne, and one only. The prophet later recorded the proud boast of one who was foremost in rebellion against God. "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: . . . I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:13-14). But no creature, however great, could partake of that incommunicable majesty that pertained solely to the Godhead. Only the Lord could be enthroned in the temple; only His glory shall spread through the earth, "for the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day" (Isaiah 2:11). He can have no rivals. All dominion must be His. The house was filled with smoke, even as "Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire" (Exodus 19:18). The holiness of God must have its way throughout His dwelling place; nought could be exempt from its searching claims.

    "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5). As Isaiah gazed upon the scene before him, he was stirred by that profound sense of unworthiness of which the godly are ever conscious when they come face to face with God. Isaiah considered that building filled with the majesty and holiness of his Lord. Did it not claim that his life should ever be a little sanctuary in which the Lord should have undisputed sway, and in which the Holy, holy, holy should ascend without ceasing? But how should he take such words upon his lips, seeing that he had for himself beheld the thrice-holy One? Words of confession burst from him, words that were utterly true, words in which there was no reserve of self-righteousness. "Woe is me!" In the preceding chapter of his book he had pronounced six woes upon the sinful; now he utters the seventh woe on himself. "I am undone -- cut off -- destroyed." He had neither fitness in self for such a scene of holiness, nor title to abide in such a presence.

    "I am a man of unclean lips." The word "unclean" was that which must constantly be on the lips of a leper. Isaiah had seen the horror of leprosy in the case of king Uzziah, and now he owns himself to be of like character. His very lips were polluted. How should they speak words of purity, and how should he continue in the service of the Holy One of Israel? How should he speak of the sins of others, seeing he could not speak of the holiness of God? Nor could he find aught else as he reflected upon the condition of his nation. All were alike in their guilt, "a people of unclean lips." The lips of Miriam had been filled with murmuring, but in God's sight they were unclean, and He made their condition morally to be seen as leprosy physically. The lips of Gehazi had been filled with covetousness and falsehood, and the acts of Uzziah with presumption and anger, and their uncleanness had been made manifest. The prophet realized his kinship with them, and in that dread awakening poured out his confession. Are his words less applicable to us today?

    That which wrought most powerfully upon him was a sight greater than that of seraphim. "Mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." The emphasis of the statement is upon the title -- the King, Jehovah of hosts. To the godly of Israel no name was as His and no greatness as His. All their reverence and all their longings surrounded Him. As Jeremiah said, "But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king" (Jeremiah 10:10). Isaiah had seen him with his very eyes. This was the sight which made him loathe his dross. Compared with this sight, all earthly grandeur was as nothing. In beholding Him, he had seen every precious thing -- holiness, wisdom, truth, and love -- these and all other traits of the divine character, in limitless display. Because he had seen Him, and had seen all loveliness radiant on His face, he could speak the words in later prophecy that have so stirred the longings of the redeemed and filled their hearts with gladness and awe: "Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty" (Isaiah 33:17).

    "Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged" (Isaiah 6:6-7). True confession brings the divine cleansing, even as we are assured by the apostle that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). As the burden of the seraph's cry was the holiness of God, so it was fitting that one of them should be employed to convey to Isaiah that which would take away his iniquity. A holy God must have holy prophets. "Be ye holy; for I am holy" is His unalterable demand.

    That which touched Isaiah's lips was a coal from off the altar, a live coal, i.e., with the altar fire burning brightly in it. It had come from the brazen altar, for that -- not the incense altar -- could meet the sinner's need. The value of the live coal lay not in the fire as viewed in itself, but in the fact that it had first fed upon the sacrifice. It was the worth of the latter, as given to God in death, that could alone take away sin. Applied to Isaiah's lips, it dealt with their iniquity, for it was anticipative of the one sacrifice of infinite and eternal worth, even that of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. In that sacrifice, the holiness of God would be fully vindicated and fully satisfied, so that no stain of sin would remain upon those whose cleansing it would effect.

    The Christ of the throne is the Christ of the Cross. The Sovereign of the universe is the Sacrifice for sins. When Isaiah beheld His glory, more than seven hundred years were to pass before He should leave the throne for the lowliness of the manger, the loneliness of Judaea's hills, the sorrow of Gethsemane, and the unforsakeness of Golgotha, but even in the unfathomable woes of His sin-bearing, He was the same Person as when He reigned amid the seraphim. Therefore in the live coal it is His preciousness that is set before us and the exceeding anguish of His suffering in the fire of judgment for our sakes.
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE KING'S COMMISSION

    "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people . . ." (Isaiah 6:8-9). Hitherto only the voices of the seraphim and of the prophet had been heard, but the Lord Himself then spoke. He sought one whom He might send; this was divine Sovereignty. He sought one who would do in willing obedience; this was human responsibility. These, the two indispensable factors in every true call to the service of the Lord, met in the commission of Isaiah. Sovereign choice of the servant was seen in the Lord's mercy that granted him the vision that wrought so wonderfully in him. Exercise of the servant's heart was seen in his humility with which he bowed to the revelation of the divine holiness and owned his uncleanness. Thus prepared by the Lord's mercy for the Lord's call, he accepted without question and without reservation the voice of the Lord to his heart. Then the word was spoken that sent him forth, the word of irrevocable privilege that gave him to be the bearer of the Lord's message to the nation.

    The fruitfulness of Isaiah's ministry is beyond our estimation. What is wrought in his own day and what it has meant through the centuries will be revealed by and by. We, who are so greatly indebted to it, must take to heart the lessons of his life and seek the light of the Master's presence, that, seeing "the King, the LORD of hosts," we, too, may pass by way of confession and cleansing to such commission as He may deign to give. And if the commission has long been ours, we may lay hold afresh upon its unfolding of the will of God and seek in holiness of life to fulfill His desire. As prayed McCheyne, so let us pray, "Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be made."
  14. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 12 John

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    12 - The Steward Of God's House - John
    (Revelation 1)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE LORD AND HIS CHURCHES

    When the aged Apostle John was permitted to suffer banishment do the dreary isle of Patmos, he might well have mused upon the inscrutable dealings of the providence of God. Must he who had known the wonder of being pillowed on the bosom of Christ come to rest his head on that rugged shore? This, indeed, was fellowship with the Lord Jesus, who dwelt of eternal right in the bosom of the Father but said of the days of His ministry in this world, "the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Yet more than this was embraced in God's will for John, for the time had come for giving through him the book which would complete the canon of Scripture. Seeing that the theme of all of God's Word is God's Christ, it was most fitting that its final part should record the last glimpse of the glorified Saviour given to men in this life ere His coming again. Beyond this glimpse was the unfolding of things to come, and the triumph of the Lamb, but to us in this church age was given the final message from the ascended Lord for our service and testimony. What then would be the nature of this word to the church, and in what character would the Lord manifest Himself to His servant?

    John was the sole survivor of the apostolic band. The direct voice of inspiration would soon cease. The church era was well started, and the lips of Paul and of others who had taught the great doctrines of the Church and the churches had long been silent. Local churches had been established in many lands and in their development had already shown the strengths and the weaknesses that would characterize the witness for Christ throughout this present age. In these circumstances it pleased God to reveal His Son once more to John, that through the apostle might be sent to the churches the Lord's mind concerning their progress. Seven churches in proconsular Asia were made recipients of messages that might be termed interim reports, for not only did they unfold that which the Lord saw required approval or censure, but they anticipated the final declaration of His mind at His judgment seat. In the light of these seven letters the churches of Asia, and all others since, would have opportunity to adjust their ways and so live that the day of Christ would involve for them not shame but only rejoicing.

    The vision of the Lord Jesus Christ given to John was entirely suited to the purpose of the seven letters. To grasp its meaning more readily, we must remember that the symbolism of the Revelation has its key in the preceding parts of the Scripture. Were our understanding of the Word more spiritual and more penetrative, we would surely find in Scripture itself the solution to the problems of Scripture's last book. The Word of God is a matchless harmony; it is complete; nothing is lacking. Like the sun, it is to be studied in its own light. However welcome may be the help afforded by the research of the historian, the true knowledge of the Revelation belongs to the believer who reads it with a mind saturated with the words and teachings of Holy Writ and with a heart responsive with the obedience of faith.

    The language of Revelation 1 to 3 makes obvious allusion to the message regarding Shebna and Eliakim in Isaiah 22:15-25. Shebna was the treasurer of David's house, but because of his pride he was to be replaced by Eliakim. His office placed him over the house and gave him a threefold duty touching the servants of the king. In the morning of each day's toil it was his duty to allot to every man his work and to equip him for it. During the busy hours that followed he would inspect and superintend the labour, and in the evening of the day he would pay the wages of each. For this office Eliakim was called, clothed, and commissioned.

    As to his call, he was honored by the Word of the Lord with the title "My servant," which indicated his character in God's sight and pointed to the greater Servant so richly portrayed in Isaiah's prophecies. Eliakim was the son of Hilkiah (i.e., the Lord's portion, the root of Hilkiah being used in the sense of "portion" in Deuteronomy 32:9 -- "the LORD's portion is his people") and foreshadowed the One who was uniquely the Lord's portion, and who where all others failed gave Him all He craved. The name Eliakim (i.e., God sets up) reminds of the prophecy of the Risen One -- "He... set my feet upon a rock." (The word Eliakim includes the root of the verb "set" in this passage in Psalms 40:2). Touching his clothing we read, "I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle" (Isaiah 22:21). Now the robe and the girdle remind of the garments in which the Lord Jesus is arrayed in Revelation.

    As to Eliakim's commission, God said, "I will commit thy government into his hand: . . . And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open" (Isaiah 22:21-22). But upon a stronger shoulder and into a stronger hand God has placed all authority, for "the government shall be upon his shoulder" (Isaiah 9:6), and the Father has "given all things into his hands" (John 13:3). The words concerning Eliakim are quoted in the letter to Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7. It is Christ who has the key of David and who opens and shuts at His sovereign pleasure. He has also the keys of Hell and of death; He has supreme control over the destinies of all men.

    The presentation of Christ in the first three chapters of the Revelation as the treasurer of the letters to the churches. In them we see the steward going on circuit around the churches and giving to each a report on its welfare. The letters all begin with a glimpse of His Person and authority, for all toil and testimony must spring from His bidding and His equipping. To each church He speaks, "I know," and to five of the seven, "I know thy works." He examines the condition of each, comforts or rebukes as is necessary, and makes recommendations for the future. Finally, He promises rewards to the overcomer. Here, then, are exemplified the three phases of the steward's task. It is Christ who appoints to us our work as servants of God and who prepares us for that work. Christ is the Overseer of our toil, and from His hands shall be received such rewards as He shall be pleased to give at the judgment seat.
    II. THE REVELATION -- THE HEAVENLY MINISTER

    To the Patmos vision we turn to behold the glory of God's steward, and we listen to the words wherewith John recounts his experience of the unveiled presence of the Lord. "I John . . . was in the isle that is called Patmos . . . I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day" (Revelation 1:9-10). It was a compensating vision which was given him. It has been truly said that "the world gave us Patmos, but God gives us the Spirit." So often has it been demonstrated that amid trial and affliction the believer is made to overcome by the Spirit's ministry of Christ. John heard a great voice, the voice of the First and the Last, bidding him write what he saw to the seven churches, each of which was named by the speaker. So John proceeds.

    "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle" (Revelation 1:12-13). Each candlestick represented a church, as the Lord stated, and each was golden, because set up by God Himself. How it must have cheered John's heart as he thought of those churches so dear to him, the first of which he had long lived with, to see the value God put upon them! In spite of all their failure they were "of him, and through him, and to him." In their midst was none other than the Lord Jesus. His presence was the secret of their continuance, even as with the churches of every century and of today. But for that faithful presence and His untiring ministry, none could maintain testimony in this dark scene.

    "One like unto the Son of man." Often had John heard the Lord speak of Himself by this title of His true humanity, which proclaimed Him to be the One in whom every noble and precious trait proper to manhood found full and harmonious expression. Because of His humanity He was the appointed judge, even as He spoke, "The Father . . . hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (John 5:26-27). In John's vision title stresses particularly the experience in manhood of the One whom he beheld in such majesty. Having served the will of God in the conditions normal to human life, sin apart, and being made "perfect through sufferings," He is an assessor who has known every circumstance of trial which a holy being could experience. Perfect in His understanding of His people's path, of their service, and of their needs. He is still the Son of man. His eyes are as a flame of fire, but they are human eyes; His voice is as the sound of many waters, but it is a human voice; His feet are like unto fine brass, but they are human feet.

    The garment and the girdle tell of the great glory of person which the Lord Jesus brings to His office as steward. It is noteworthy that John should see them and write of them, for he it was who described in John 13 the scene where the Lord had exchanged His outer garments for the girdle in order that He might wash the disciple's feet. The grace and humility of the upper room pictured most suggestively the facts of the Lord's stoop from heaven. Then He had laid aside His vestments of majesty, the splendor which had always surrounded Him, and condescended to take the servant's form that He might carry out the lowly ministry linked with the girdle. But in Patmos John beheld the Lord wearing both garment and girdle together. Once more He was clothed in majesty, having been glorified with the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, but He nevertheless remained the gracious minister to the needs of men. Moreover the position of the girdle claims attention. It might be worn around the loins, as befitting toil in the harvest fields of earth, or around the heart, as suited to the service of the sanctuary. It was the latter which John saw, for though the Lord retained the servant's form, His toil on earth in weariness and suffering was completed, and in its place was the tranquil ministry of His glorified state.

    The sublime description of Christ in Revelation 1:14-16 comprises seven distinct glimpses of His person, which are given in two groups of three and four respectively. That the feet should be mentioned immediately after the eyes, and before the voice and the right hand, indicates a purposive arrangement of John's subject matter. The first group tells of the holiness which ever pertains to Christ's dealings with His people in the witness for Him, for never for a moment can one act on His part be at variance with His essential, eternal purity. He is not only holy, but holiness itself. Hence all that is contrary to His nature is unholy. Because He changes not, there can be neither variation of His character, nor relaxing of His standards for His people. In both Testaments the word is "be ye holy; for I am holy," and this whether as in Israel's case, surrounded by the excesses of heathendom, or, as in our case, amid the disdain of God and the consequent decline of morals so painfully obvious in this present day. The second group tells of Christ's complete sufficiency to supply everything His people require for their life and witness. The unveiling of His person is always God's answer to our need. For every fresh realization of our own inadequacy God has a fresh revealing of the inexhaustible fullness of Christ.

    "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace" (Revelation 1:14-15). In the snow-white head we see holiness ruling, in the flaming eyes holiness searching, and in the burning feet holiness moving. His head is white, for His rule is marked by perfect purity. We are His bondmen, over whom He has right of complete dominion, but the basic principle of His government is holiness, even as Isaiah learned when he saw His glory and heard the adoration of the seraphim. If we would see His power put forth in blessing in our lives, then must we yield to His holy will the unreserved submission which is prepared for entire adjustment to the claims of His character. Holiness is imperative to blessing. Is it a vision of Himself which we crave? Then the Word speaks: "Follow . . . holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Is it service in which we would glorify Him? Then the Word speaks: "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord" (Isaiah 52:11). Is it prayer in which we fail? Again the Word speaks: "I will . . . that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands" (1 Timothy 2:8).

    "His eyes were as a flame of fire." We cannot escape their penetrating gaze. The depths of the heart lie bare to the solemn inspection. No motive is missed, and no secret thing is overlooked. To Thyatira the Lord sent the message: "These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire . . . I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts" (Revelation 2:18,23). Those eyes are still upon us today, as they shall be at His judgment seat.

    Then, then, I feel that He,
    (Remembered or forgot),
    The Lord is never far from me,
    Though I perceive it not.

    In darkness as in light,
    Hidden alike from view,
    I sleep, I wake, as in His sight,
    Who looks all nature through.

    From the dim hour of birth,
    Through every changing state,
    Of mortal pilgrimage on earth,
    Till its appointed date,

    All that I am, have been,
    All that I yet may be,
    He sees at once, as He hath seen,
    And shall for ever see.

    How shall I meet His eyes?
    Mine on the Cross I cast,
    And own my life a Saviour's prize,
    Mercy from first to last.

    What things does He see in us -- the unclean thought, the eye not turned away, the secret grudge, the jealousy of another's blessing, the unwarranted suspicious of another's motives, the greed for mammon, the proud ambition? These, and much else hidden from men under the guise of an outward rectitude, must be judged before the gaze of Christ if we are to know "years of the right hand of the most High."

    "His feet are like fine brass." Brass is the symbol of judgment, as it is so often in Scripture. When He moves in the midst of His churches to carry out His discipline, His steps are holy. He has not one standard for His foes and another for His friends. It is the same holiness which tests all and judges all. To Ephesus He said, "These things saith he... who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks . . . Repent . . . or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place" (Revelation 2:1,5). Yet even in these activities, His love and patience are fully manifested, and those glowing feet pause in their stately tread that He may stand at the door of a heart and plead for the fellowship which has been denied Him. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).

    "And his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength" (Revelation 1:15-16). Nowhere in Patmos would John be far from the surges of the Agean Sea, but they were all hushed by this glorious voice. Its sound is compared in Scripture to the pealing of thunder: "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth" (Psalms 29:3) (see Job 37:5), and to the voice of a multitude (Daniel 10:6). But when it speaks peace to the soul it is as heavenly music.

    Thy voice, like great waters -- how calmly our soul
    Shall hear in the glory its deep waters roll!

    But here and now it sounds above the restless waves of this world's commotion and stills the heart to rest.

    It is in this voice that first we find in this passage the sufficiency of Christ, for embraced within its flow is every stream of truth that comes from the heart of God. The voices of lawgiver, of psalmist, and of prophet, all gave precious words from the one eternal fount, but all their message, and far more, is conveyed by the voice of the Lord Himself. Even so are we taught in the opening verses of the Epistle to the Hebrews that the days of partial revelation are ended, in that God has spoken to us by His Son. He is the ultimate Messenger of God, even as He is all the Message. We listen in all our variety of need to the voice of Christ and find therein no lack of supply, but rather that which is given directly for our own heart. As the many waters blend in perfect harmony of sound, so the streams of truth in the Person and work of Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the life.

    "And he had in his right hand seven stars." The right hand speaks of power. As Moses and the children of Israel by the shore of the Red Sea sang to their God, "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power," so with even deeper meaning we acclaim the triumph of Christ's journey through the sea of death to the shore of resurrection and "the saving strength of his right hand." The seven stars were the angels (the messengers) of the seven churches. In the world's darkness each church was a candlestick; each person who was given responsibility within a church was a star. As the star has its shining, so the servant of Christ and of the church has his ministry. Each star was held in the Lord's right hand. Each servant, whatever his service, was safe in His care, safe within a clasp both possessive and protective, which was at once omnipotent in its strength and exquisite in its gentleness.

    "And out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword." It is the Word of God which is so described as proceeded from the mouth of its Author -- the Word in all its penetrating and discriminating power and in all its finality of authority (cf. Hebrews 4:12). To Pergamos the Lord said, "These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; . . . I . . . will fight against them with the sword of my mouth" (Revelation 2:12,16). With the sharp sword He will smite the nations at His coming in glory (Revelation 19:15), but first it must deal with evil among His own people. John saw the sword proceeding out of His mouth. It was not that it left the lips of Christ to lie inert, as it were, upon the ground, but that it streamed ceaselessly from Him. Thus was pictured one of Scripture's most profound facts, i.e., that the Word of God, while complete and given once for all, is presented as being ever freshly spoken from the heart of God to the heart of man. It is the living Word, which has been aptly described as being "contemporaneous with every generation of believers." The words of men partake of the frailty of their authors and pass away as they do, but the Word of God is instinct with His timeless life.

    "And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." In these words the all-sufficiency of Christ blazes out in full vigor. As the sun in the sky to the physical creation, so is the face of Christ to His redeemed ones. As this earth derives all its light, its heat and its energy from the sun, so in the spiritual realm we derive all from the exalted Saviour. On the holy mount His face shone as the sun; in the Day of the Lord, to those who fear His name, He shall arise as "the sun of righteousness... with healing in his wings" (Malachi 4:2). He is our Sun, and we may well pray --

    Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise,
    To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes!

    In John's vision there was no cloud. The glory of God poured forth its full radiance from that blessed face. The churches were candlesticks, and their messengers were stars -- all for the world's night, but the Lord was the Sun whose gladdening light shone upon "the children of light, and the children of the day" (1 Thessalonians 5:5).
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE ACCOLADE OF THE PIERCED HAND

    "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not" (Revelation 1:17). The glory was more than John could bear. He was not yet in the resurrection body, in which he would be at home in presence of such majesty. Overwhelmed by the vision, he fell at Christ's feet as if dead. Then there touched him the right hand that sways the destinies of the universe, and he felt it resting upon him in all its comforting grace and sustaining strength. Yet it was a human hand, one that long before in weakness had rested in a mother's tender embrace, one that had known the lowly toil of a carpenter's shop and had provided for others the necessities of life. It, too, had known the mystery of pain; through its palm a nail had bound Him to the tree. Upon the scars in His hands the wondering gaze of John had rested in that days when, risen from the dead, the Lord had said, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself."
    The touch of His hand brought great cheer to the aged apostle. It was not only that the Lord should bend in grace over His prostrate servant and raise him in life and strength. Others had felt His touch in the days of His humiliation and even after His resurrection, but none had known it in the exercise of its heavenly rule. Thus did John receive the accolade of the Lord of all. Upon their faithful followers, the kings of this world bestow knighthood with the touch of the naked sword, the symbol of warfare, but the Sovereign of the eternal throne gives His honor with the touch of His pierced hand, the symbol of victory already won. Then through the apostle's heart there swept the music of the many waters as Christ spoke His words of peace. John need not fear. It was for the culmination of his life's service that the Lord had appeared unto him, and that He might equip and commission him for the task that awaited. "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter."

    "I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:17-18).

    The Lord Jesus is the first and the last, the eternal One whose being precedes all creature existence, and whose glory is all its goal.

    He is the One who has "life in Himself," not derived but His eternally.

    He is the inexhaustible fount of life for His people in all their frailty.

    He is the One who became dead.

    As John heard those words and recalled his memories of Calvary, the spear, and the wounded side, he must have marveled that the Living One could ever taste death. But that death was past, and the crucified One was alive for evermore, and John was bidden to look up and see the triumph of the resurrection in the person of his Lord.

    Thus for John also was there the realization of the perpetual presence. John was the last to whom Christ revealed Himself in such fashion, but the fact of the presence is unchanged. For us as we serve here until the Lord comes, there is neither a vision of His glory to these eyes, nor His touch upon these bodies of humiliation. Nevertheless to faith there must ever be visible that wonderful face, and by faith there must ever be heard that voice whose matchless harmonies enthrall the soul, and whose words of cheer hush the sighing of the heart and awaken the song of praise. And faith must feel in every Patmos the invigorating touch of that hand, so gentle and yet so strong, the hand adorned with its nailprint, and in whose care we and all our service are safe. So shall we in our day, amid all the claims of life "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
  15. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 5 Elijah

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    05 - Bread Of The Weary - Elijah (1 Kings 19)

    I. THE SETTING -- REACTION AFTER VICTORY

    Though more than five hundred years elapsed between Joshua's wars and Elijah's ministry, the two periods were strangely linked by the tragic facts of the history of Jericho. When the city was destroyed, Joshua pronounced the solemn words: "Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it" (Joshua 6:26).

    When, long after, Ahab came to the throne of the northern kingdom, "In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun" (1 Kings 16:34). Immediately the record states: "Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word" (1 Kings 17:1). The rebuilding of the city upon which the curse lay was an act of daring impiety characteristic of the days of Ahab, but the Word of God failed not of its fulfillment, and the builder carried out his plans at bitter cost.

    Though such happenings took place in Israel, God did not leave Himself without a witness, and He raised up

    A Man For the Times,

    a man who, in striking contrast with his contemporaries, was characterized by a life in the presence of God. Elijah knew the living God, and could say of Him in truth -- "before whom I stand."

    Three and a half years after his first appearance to Ahab, there came the day when Elijah stood a lonely figure on Mount Carmel, but he was vindicated as the Lord's prophet by the fire which fell from heaven upon his sacrifice. It was a notable triumph. Jehovah was honored as God in the people's homage, the false prophets were slain, and the drought of judgment was ended by the rain of blessing. Few scenes have been as thrilling as that enacted on the mountain, with one man against eight hundred and fifty. That one man was utterly victorious because the living God was with him.

    So manifold were the blessings of God that day that we might well expect the narrative to continue with further triumphs wrought by a prophet greatly cheered in heart. But the notorious Jezebel, who was responsible for so much of Israel's idolatry and corruption, added to her crimes by sending to Elijah the dire threat: "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time" (1 Kings 19:2). The emphasis of the threat was on the words, "by to morrow about this time." The threat bore the stamp of urgency, and when it reached Elijah it found him overwrought by his exacting experiences in Carmel, weary in body, and depressed in spirit. Apparently he expected a greater response from the people than was manifest, and he was greatly downcast. Perturbed by Jezebel's message, he fled through the territory of Ahab and through Judah till he came to Beersheba, a hundred miles to the south.

    "And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there" (1 Kings 19:3). The name of Beersheba (the well of the oath, Genesis 21:31; 26:33) reminded him of the covenants made by his fathers with their neighbors, and hence of the covenants of his faithful God. Though Elijah left his servant there, he found neither comfort nor rest for his own agitated thoughts.

    "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers" (1 Kings 19:4). Bitter in spirit (see 1 Kings 19:10,14), he continued to flee south, having as his goal Horeb, the mount of God. Thither Moses had gone also in a day of idolatry and had spent long days and nights with God, interceding for his sinful people, but as the sequel shows, it was to make intercession against Israel (Romans 11:3). He pressed on alone, but when only a day's journey from Beersheba, he felt he could travel no further, and so he sat under a juniper tree (or, the broom, a desert shrub common in that district, growing to a height of about ten feet). Under its shade the very man whom God purposed to translate without death prayed that he might die. Was this the man who had stood so nobly on Carmel? Could such brief time permit such change?

    He was alone, and yet we feel our kinship with him. There have been times when we have come to "the well of the oath," and have even ministered to others the certainty of the divine promises but have failed to drink of their cheer ourselves. Though perhaps unseen by others, we have fled from opportunity and duty, and have sat where he sat, and like him have prayed in

    Bitterness of Soul.

    It was a veteran toiler of the mission field who once wrote, "There is a juniper tree just outside every mission station."

    "He requested for himself that he might die." The identical words recur in Scripture touching another disconsolate man. Of Jonah we read that when the gourd under which he sat outside Nineveh withered, and the east wind was vehement, and the sun beat upon his head, "he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live" (Jonah 4:8). So Elijah of Carmel and Jonah of the depths of the sea, alike wondrously honored of God when they proclaimed His message, were alike in their weariness and gloom.

    "I am not better than my fathers." Crushed and despondent with the seeming failure of his mission, he felt himself to be as his fathers. They had called to the people to return to God, and their voice had fallen on deaf ears. So had his. He would be better dead. Thus he reasoned, and yet without adequate cause. As God showed him at Horeb, there were seven thousand men in Israel who had not bowed unto Baal. To the hearts of these the ministry of Elijah would be as refreshing as the heavy rain had been to the parched ground. At that moment, when the people had owned God publicly, they needed the teaching and guidance of the prophet in order that the impression made upon them might be deepened and their energies turned to worthier channels. In his depression of soul, Elijah saw nothing of this; no ray of hope gladdened the future; he had no heart to continue; he sought to die. But God had told him no such thing. Death was not for him. The time would come when on another mount, neither Carmel nor Horeb, he would stand with Moses in the company of his Lord, and talk with Him "of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." (Luke 9:31). That death, the death of the Son of God, was the true theme of the adoring heart, even as it was the theme of Heaven and the counsels of eternity. God had

    Nobler Purposes for the Lips

    of Elijah than the employment they found under the juniper tree, but the weary man knew nought of this and sought not whether God's meaning for his present life was yet exhausted.

    The story of Elijah gives vivid illustration of a truth taught in the next chapter of I Kings. In the warfare between Ahab and Benhadad, king of Syria, the servants of the latter king sought to excuse their defeat by saying, "Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they." Accordingly they prepared anew, and their forces filled the valley. Then "there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD" (1 Kings 20:23,28). The Syrians deemed the Lord to be a God of the hills, but not of the valleys, yet He showed His power in both. Thus it was with Elijah, that God answered by fire on the height of Carmel, and to the lonely figure asleep under the juniper tree He drew near with awakening touch, and with voice of compassion. There is special comfort for us in this latter scene, for in our own day nothing endears our Lord Jesus to us in His present dealings more than His compassion in our weakness.
    II. THE REVELATION -- GOD'S GENTLENESS IN OUR FAILURE

    "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat" (1 Kngsi 19:5). His complaints hushed in a merciful sleep, Elijah lay far from the haunts of men, but he was not forgotten. He, too, must know the grace of the perpetual presence. To him there came One who bore the august title of "the Angel of the LORD," an expression used always in the Old Testament in the singular number and borne by one Being alone. Repeatedly had He appeared in His people's history. He it was who had called to Abraham from Heaven to stay the hand that held the knife and had spoken to Moses from the bush. In view of these things, and many more, we recognize in the Angel none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, appearing in angelic guise long before His incarnation at Bethlehem. What He was in lovingkindness then, He is now. Surely our hearts should bow before Him with joyous adoration exceeding that of the faithful of the Old Testament, since we have seen in fulfillment what they could see only in prophecy or type -- Bethlehem, Calvary, and Olivet.

    In that path of implicit trust in the Father's will which the Son of God traveled through this scene to the Cross, there was no failure,

    No Fretting, No Despondency,

    and no murmuring. Never did He deviate from the way appointed for Him; never did He flee from His ministry; never was He moved by fear of man. When the Pharisees said to Him, "Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee," He replied, "I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem." Even in that hour His heart was full of compassion, and He spoke of His yearning for His wayward people -- "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" (Luke 13:31,33-34).

    In all His ministry, whether in Old Testament days, in the days of His flesh, or in His ascension glory, He is the same in heart. "His compassions fail not. They are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22). Well might we add with the Scripture, "Great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23). "He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14). He knew the frailty of His weary servant under the tree and came to him with a gentleness which only such need could draw forth. On Carmel "the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench" (1 Kings 18:38), but under the juniper tree there was a nearness not known on Carmel. On the mount was the devouring fire; in the wilderness was

    The Very Touch of the Angel's hand.

    No word of rebuke was heard -- that would come on the proper occasion at Horeb, but here was "love that would not let him go."

    "Thy gentleness," said David, "hath made me great" (2 Samuel 22:36). It was gentleness which woke the sleeping prophet and bade him rise and eat. the word "touched" in this passage is that used in the narrative of Jacob, when the wrestler "touched the hollow of his thigh," but here is no painful, enfeebling discipline. Rather is there the kindness that aroused Elijah to find his needs fully met. While the prophet had slept, the Angel of the LORD had provided for all his weakness.

    "And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee" (1 Kings 19:6-7). Elijah beheld all that the journey demanded placed at his head, and ready for his use. There was no lavish banquet to intrigue the natural eye, yet that food sustained him as no other could have done. The lesson is not hard to find. In the "cake baken on the coals" is prefigured One who would know the fire and who would be the bread of God to all who would believe. Thus did the Lord Jesus say to the Jews, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). He was the living Bread which came down from Heaven, but that men should eat of Him necessitated His death upon the Cross, when He should feel the fierceness of the fire of judgment for their sins. His sufferings are over, but He remains the "cake baken on the coals," the food of all who walk the heavenward way.

    With the cake there was the cruse of water, fit emblem of the Holy Spirit given from the Father and the Son to be "another comforter." Even as in John 6 the Lord said, "He that believeth on me shall never thirst," so in John 7 He spoke the words of gracious invitation, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" Admittedly, the figure of the flowing stream surpasses that of the cruse of water, yet the latter spoke of the same Holy Spirit. As the cruse was associated with the cake, so was the giving of the Spirit the result of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Not till His atoning work was completed, and He had taken His place at the right hand of the majesty on high, was the Spirit poured out upon His people on earth. In wondrous Grace all who believe on Christ have been made to eat of the living bread, and "to drink into one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:13).

    We watch this ancient scene and reverently wonder what things filled the thoughts of the Angel as He gave to Elijah the figures of a greater giving, figures which spoke of the time seen from the depths of eternity when He should give Himself for the hunger of the souls of men. Fully known to Him was that which He should experience when He should leave Heaven for earth, the bitterest scorn that men could heap upon Him, and the most shameful indignities that sinful hearts could devise. Well He knew that He would then be "delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God . . . and by wicked hands . . . crucified and slain" (Acts 2:23). But the love that purposed the Cross was eternal love, even the love that dwelt in the heart of the One who stood so patiently beside the overwrought prophet.

    Why did the Angel give Elijah two meals? Seeing that the food was of such quality, would not one have sufficed? Here, again, we see the lovingkindness of the Lord, and trace its operation elsewhere in Scripture, for it is the same blessed Person who fills Old and New Testaments. The first meal looked backward and dealt with the ravages of the strenuous past; the second looked forward and strengthened Elijah for the future. The Angel thus showed His appreciation both of that which had been, in the weariness of the flight, and of that which was to be, in the arduous toil of the journey to Horeb.

    This same deep understanding of every circumstance of the way is set forth vividly in two passages of the New Testament.

    The Principle of the Two Meals

    is seen in John 20 in the appearance of the Lord in the midst of His own after His resurrection. He greeted them with His "Peace be unto you," which looked backward, and comforted them after the bitterness of their experience during the three days of the Cross and entombment. Then He showed the ground and reason of their peace in the print of the nails in His hands, and the spear wound in His side. All the sorrow of the past, all their perplexity, all their sense of shame at their forsaking of Him was swallowed up in the revelation of those wounds. Death had been vanquished, and since death had failed, nought else could separate them from Him. He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3), and none was more evident than the witness of His hands and side. This word of peace was the first meal. Then later, as He looked down the years of their service, yes, and of their sufferings, and gave them His commission, "so send I you," He repeated His "Peace be unto you" and thus strengthened them for all that lay ahead. This was the second meal.

    The same thing is seen in the words of comfort in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Mercy and grace are here very closely allied in their meaning, as in their bounty, but the difference in the two may be illustrated thus. It is the close of the day, and the believer kneels before the Lord and tells Him of all that has transpired through its hours and of all the weakness and failure. When all is spread humbly before His gaze, He gives His mercy, and all is dealt with. This is the first meal. But the heart looks up again to Him and tells of the burden that must be taken up once more, the cares of the new day, and the same inadequacy in self to meet them. Then He gives His grace, His all-sufficient grace, to help in the time of need. This is the second meal.
    III. THE BLESSING -- STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY

    "And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God" (1 Kings 19:8). The voice had spoken: "The journey is too great for thee." Ahead lay the long days and nights, and the prophet must be sustained to endure them, as also the deep lessons of Horeb. The journey is ever too great for us, be it the whole way homeward, or just one day's march. Without this heavenly food we must falter and fall, yet the voice of our Lord bids us arise and eat. If we look, we too shall see "a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water." With the vision of faith we shall see One who endured the Cross and rose again, and we shall find the living water, even in Him who was sent down by the exalted Christ to indwell us forever. With such supply we may press on wherever the journey may lead, not in our own strength, for such we shall not have on earth, but in "the strength of that meat." So shall we prove the truth of that precious word, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    How dear He should be to our hearts -- He who is "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." When we fail, He fails not, but abides with us still. He is the God of the hills of triumph; is He not also the God of the valleys of weakness?
  16. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 4 Joshua

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    04 - The Supreme Commander - Joshua (Joshua 5)

    I. THE SETTING -- PRELUDE TO CONFLICT

    The years of Israel's wandering had passed. The feet often weary on the desert way stood at last in the land of promise. Nought had failed of all that the Lord had spoken to His people. Moses, their leader, had been called to Mount Nebo, where he was shown all the land which the tribes should possess, and was thence called to Heaven, there to rest till upon another mount, the holy mount, he would stand in glory with his Lord. In his place was Joshua, who would lead Israel across Jordan and into the possession of their inheritance in the land.

    Neither in the desert nor in the land could the nation prosper save through the divine blessing and the divine presence. Accordingly, when Moses was taken from the sphere of his toil, and Joshua stood alone with his burden, the Lord spoke to him words which renewed the promise given to Moses at the burning bush. "Certainly I will be with thee," said God to Moses as He sent him to Egypt to deliver the people (Exodus 3:12). "As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee," said He to Joshua ere He bade him cross Jordan, and again, "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:5,9).

    The happenings at Jordan were themselves true vindication of the promise of the presence, but there awaited Joshua that experience of the Lord that should meet his need in warfare, as the revelation to Moses in the bush had met the latter's need in the forty years. It was one thing to stand in the promised land; it was another to take possession of its length and breadth. "Every place," said the Lord, "that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses" (Joshua 1:3). The land, however, was held by the kings of the Amorites and others, and it was necessary for these to be driven out. Years of conflict and conquest lay before the warriors of Israel, and they must battle courageously, but only by the power of their God could they prevail. Even so did Joshua remind them, "The living God is among you, . . . he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites" (Joshua 3:10). It was to be Israel's conquest -- yet not theirs, but God's.

    Before the first victory, which taught its own significant lesson, in that the walls of Jericho were razed by act of God and not by human prowess, Joshua received the great favor of an appearing of his Lord. It was his privilege to hear the voice that had spoken to Abraham, to Jacob, and to Moses, and to behold the One who had ever been with his people for their guidance, preservation, and empowering. Ere his warfare began, there was granted to Joshua a fresh display of the perpetual presence which would invigorate his heart and set before him the spiritual

    Conditions Indispensable to Victory

    As a young man he had stood upon the shore of the Red Sea when Moses and the children of Israel had sung unto the Lord and had spoken saying, "I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: . . . The LORD is a man of war: . . . Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders" (Exodus 15:1,3,11). Now beyond Jordan he stood with the weight of years upon him and the burden of the nation's welfare, and he must learn anew those things whereof they had sung.

    Even with the vigor of the spiritual strength developed through those forty years, Joshua required yet more to appreciate the character of God and His claims upon him. Only thus would he be equipped for the forward march through the land and for all the problems that would confront him. The lessons he would learn were not for Joshua only but for us also who look back upon his life and around upon our modern age. It is the fresh vision that leads to the fresh victory. To content ourselves with past experience of His presence, past glimpses of His face, and past hearing of His voice, is to forget that His fullness and power are alike inexhaustible and that His name is Jehovah, the name of unceasing promise. As Joshua stood in the land, but must tread in every place to possess it, so we have been "blessed... with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3), but these require to be appropriated by faith for personal enjoyment. As there were foes to challenge Joshua's right to the land and to withstand his march, so there are mighty powers of darkness which challenge us whenever we seek to realize our high calling and to enter into our heavenly wealth. Woe to us if we seek to meet them in our own strength!
    II. THE REVELATION -- THE SWORD OF THE LORD

    "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked . . . " (Joshua 5:13). Repeatedly in the Old Testament this expression occurs (to lift up the eyes and look) and with most solemn association. Thus it is used of Lot's gaze toward Sodom, but of God's bidding to Abraham: "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar . . . And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward" (Genesis 13:10,14), of Abraham at Mount Moriah, beholding the place and the substitute: "Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off" and "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son" (Genesis 22:4,13), of Isaac as his bride drew near: "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming" (Genesis 24:63), of Balaam's contemplation of the people he was compelled to bless: "And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him" (Numbers 24:2), of God's bidding through Isaiah: "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth" (Isaiah 40:26), and of Daniel's visions: "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last" (Daniel 8:3) and "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz" (Daniel 10:5). It indicates no casual glance, but the intent gaze, often with longing, with which the heart looks out in

    Moments of Destiny.

    Seeing that it is fraught with such importance, it is not surprising that it should be used of Abraham at Mamre when God visited His friend, of Jacob and Esau at their meeting, and of Daniel in the vision of God wherewith his earthly life was consummated. So Joshua in this scene, burdened with the nearness of the first city to be attacked and with the issues of the conflict, becoming conscious of the presence of a man who was outwardly a stranger to him, looked with keen eyes upon this One who confronted him.

    We do well to pause and remind ourselves that we need to be men of uplifted eyes, who in every time of choice and crises and on every occasion that makes new demands upon us look with set purpose to the face of the Son of God. Lifting our gaze from the earthly to the heavenly, from our need to His fulness, and seeking Him who yearns to answer every longing of the heart toward Him, we shall not be disappointed.

    "And, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand" (Joshua 5:13). Once more the Lord of Heaven deigned to present Himself in appearance as a man. His identity was not at first known to Joshua, but His acceptance of worship, His direction to Joshua to loose the shoe from his foot, and His use of the title, "Captain of the host of the LORD," combine to indicate who He was beyond all doubt. It was a true theophany, and, as ever, it was in the person of the Son that God was revealed. As befitting the occasion, He was seen holding

    A Naked Sword.

    That sword could not rest, for the land was in the power of those whose iniquity was full. As the Lord had executed judgment against the Egyptians for their sins, so must He execute judgment against the nations of Canaan. The driving out of those nations was not only necessary to the giving of inheritance to Israel but was merited by the appalling sins with which they had defiled the land. Since the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God had been longsuffering toward the inhabitants of Canaan, but the lesson had gone unheeded, and the time had come for the land to be cleansed.

    Very early in human history was the sword of God seen. When the peace of Eden was disturbed by the sin of our first parents, God "drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24). The flaming sword set forth the character of the throne of God, of which the cherubim were the attendants and ministers; God's holiness demanded that the way of the tree of life be closed to the sinner.

    Yet again the sword gleamed, but to find its sheath in the heart of the substitute for sinners. At Calvary there was fulfilled the saying of the prophet, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of Hosts" (Zechariah 13:7).

    Barred to me that heavenly Eden
    Till the flaming sword,
    In God's righteous wrath uplifted,
    Smote Thee, O my Lord

    And now the Heaven of heavens stands open to the believing sinner, for the throne is satisfied, and the Saviour slain on the Cross is the Saviour exalted at God's right hand.

    Thus the glory outside the garden of Eden and the sacrifice without the gate of Jerusalem both proclaimed the inflexible nature of God's dealings with sin. In Joshua's day the sword was drawn against the sins of the Canaanites, but the power that made Jericho defenseless before the warriors of Israel made those same warriors helpless before the men of Ai, and the Lord's verdict on their defeat was "Israel hath sinned" (Joshua 7:11). God has

    No Differing Standards

    for His foes and for His friends, so that sword was drawn also against the sin of Israel. This is seen markedly on two other occasions when Scriptures speaks of the One with "his sword drawn in his hand." When Balaam persisted in going to Balak, and his ass "speaking with a man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet" (2 Peter 2:16). "Balaam said unto the ass, . . . I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee . . . Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: . . . And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned" (Numbers 22:29,31,34).

    Again, when David sinned in numbering the people, "God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it . . . And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem: . . . And David said unto God . . . even I it is that have sinned" (1 Chronicles 21:15-17).

    The hireling prophet and the shepherd king were met by the same One with the same sword.

    The lesson is imperative to victory and to fellowship with the victorious Lord that on God's part there can be

    No Truce With Sin.

    That His grace has made us His own is no excuse for sin in our lives. It is not for us to presume upon grace. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!" (Romans 6:1-2). If we would know our Lord as the mighty One who gives victory over every foe without, we must first know Him as the holy One who condones no sin within us.

    "And Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come" (Joshua 5:13-14).

    Not Merely As An Ally

    revered and welcome must he be known to Joshua, but as supreme commander. Before He could unfold the plan of victory, He must be given His true place and honored with His rightful dignity. All sovereignty was His. Hence He spoke the word that proclaimed Himself as Captain and that bowed Joshua at His feet. The phrase "host of the LORD" is peculiar to the people as they left Egypt and entered Canaan. Of the Exodus it is said that "all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:41).

    From the first chapter of I Samuel the Old Testament writers speak not of the host of the LORD but of "the Lord of hosts." This title views armies, both heavenly and earthly, of angels and of men, as subject to the one Lord of all. His majesty and His power have surrounded His throne with shining myriads who do His will and of whom it is said, "The host of heaven worshippeth thee" (Nehemiah 9:6). His people Israel were likewise His host, but they often rebelled against Him. When at Kadesh-barnea they refused to enter the land of promise, they dishonored the divine captain and appointed from among themselves a captain to lead them back to the bondage of Egypt: "And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt" (Numbers 14:4) and "And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not" (Nehemiah 9:17). Would Joshua and his people receive the blessing of an omnipotent commander? Then must they submit themselves unreservedly to His authority.

    The Captain of the host of the Lord is none other than the Captain of our salvation: "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Hebrews 2:10). This latter title takes cognizance also of the Lord's own path through this world in lowly manhood, for the word here rendered "captain" combines two thoughts. He is the author, the source of salvation; He is also the leader in the way, He effects deliverance, and as deliverer He goes before. In this title, "salvation" refers to the whole of His deliverance of His people from its beginning at their conversion to its consummation at their glorification. The title is rich in its certainty, for it is attested by the crown of glory and honor upon the victor's brow. It is rich in its promise, for it speaks not of a captain of defeat, but of "the captain of their salvation." His leadership knows no failure. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14).

    "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?" The secret of Joshua's greatness, as that of all the men of God in Scripture, is seen in his exercise Godward. Had we only the record of David's wanderings and warfare, we would know him as a warrior, but we would not know the real David. For this we must read his psalms and listen to the breathings of his soul in trial, in penitence, in rejoicing, and in adoration. We would not know the real Paul had we only the record of his journeys and not the intensely biographical passages of II Corinthians and Philippians. Similarly, it is Joshua's humility and worship before His Lord and obedience to Him that underlies his military prowess and his consistent witness to the Lord's power.

    Worship is that unreserved homage of the creature which is to be rendered to the Creator alone; it is the prostration of heart in the presence of Deity. The realization of that presence should fill believing hearts with gladness; it must ever fill them with awe. Worship springs from appreciation of the greatness of God, the wonders of His attributes and ways, and, most of all, His revelation in His Son. With Joshua, worship was no formal thing; its reality was attested by the

    Completeness of His Submission.

    Placing himself entirely at the disposal of the One before whom he lay with his face on the earth, he sought at once to know His will. "What saith my lord unto his servant?" The emphasis of the inquiry rests on the words, "my lord." Like the apostle who saw the wounds in the body of the risen Christ, gazed into His face, and spoke forth his adoration in the words, "My Lord and my God" (Joh 20:28), Joshua in the address, "my lord," owned His claims upon him. So it was through all those years of unfaltering allegiance till that day when he said to the tribes, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve, . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).

    The path of blessing involves the active quest of the will of God. It is the exercised heart that is the guided heart. Our modern age is grievous because of the spiritual apathy of many who have been redeemed and the wastage of talent, gift, and years since there is so little seeking of the mind of God for His people's lives. The quest must be ceaseless. Had Joshua and the leaders of Israel remembered their necessary dependence upon the divine wisdom, they would not have been beguiled later by the Gibeonites, nor would it have been written of them that "the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD" (Joshua 9:14).

    "And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so" (Joshua 5:15). The first word of the Man with the sword proclaimed the majesty of His own Person, and the second the unfitness of His servant, in spite of his privilege, to stand in any personal merit in His presence. The ground itself was holy because of the infinite and eternal holiness of its Maker, who deigned to stand upon it. Accordingly, Joshua must show his own unworthiness and the reverence due to such august company by standing there with unshod feet. Not yet was a single word spoken concerning the approaching warfare or concerning Jericho and its capture. Joshua had sought his Lord's command. It had come, and he had obeyed at once. Even so had the Angel of the LORD spoken to Moses at the bush, and that before He proclaimed His purpose to deliver His people from Egypt. Only when Moses and when Joshua stood unshod in that presence could they hear the revelation of the divine will for the path that lay ahead. Herein may we find the cause of much of our failure. We assay to meet the foe, but we go without God. We surround our Jericho, but its walls mock our endeavor. Dispirited and embittered we turn from the path that would have given most glory to our Leader, and seek an easier task. But He looks for men who will stand in the secret of His presence and go out to triumph in His name.
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE PROMISE OF VICTORY

    Not till the servant was prepared for the message of victory did the Captain unfold the way in which Jericho would be taken. The sixth chapter of Joshua opens with a parenthesis touching the siege of the doomed city, but the second verse of the chapter continues the words of the Captain to Joshua. Here the narrative speaks of Him by the great name of "the LORD," which is the LORD GOD, or JEHOVAH, for Joshua had learned who He was, and had paid Him the homage which was due to none other. Well did he know the command of Moses, "Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name" (Deuteronomy 6:13). Consider also Matthew 4:10 "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

    "And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour" (Joshua 6:2). "I HAVE GIVEN." It was

    A Word of Absolute Power.

    Nought could frustrate it. By His own act God cast down the walls of the city, and "the people [Israel] went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city." (Joshua 6:20). "I have given." It was the word of One who, long after, ere ascending from Olivet to His throne, said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore . . . and, lo, I am with you alway" (Matthew 28:18-20), and of One who, appearing in glory to John in Patmos, spoke of Himself as "He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth" (Revelation 3:7).

    Does He not still speak to those who wait His holy will? Does He not say of every obstacle that raises itself to oppose His sovereign sway, "I have given"? God means all His people to be victorious, but not in their own strength. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). When the presence of the living God is known and honored, when His people have no truce with sin, when they bow in adoring submission to His blessed will and learn to stand in humility and reverence before Him to receive His bidding, then the highway to victory lies open. It is theirs to go ahead, not in the tragedy of an incomplete obedience such as Israel was made to mourn in Judges 2, but in implicit confidence in the Captain of their salvation and in the wisdom of all that He commands.

    "See, I have given."
  17. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 11 Paul

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    11 - Strength Of The Toiler - Paul (Acts 26)

    The path of testimony which Paul trod for so many years began with the experience wherewith that of Stephen ended, with the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. Not only was the Lord pleased to answer the martyr's prayer by the conversion of one implicated in his death, but He raised up this very man to carry on and to amplify, both by his preaching and by his writings, the witness to Christ in glory. While Paul spent his days in the proclamation of this grand theme, there was given to him on a number of occasions such a special realization of the Lord's nearness that, in this also, he was Stephen's spiritual heir. Taken in sequence, these present a rich unfolding of the great truths of the unchanging presence.

    The SATISFYING Presence (Acts 26)

    "At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; . . . Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:13-19).

    Three times in the Acts the record of Paul's conversion is given, two of these being in his own words. The last account is quoted because of the express words of the Lord Jesus, "I have appeared unto thee." Few men have ever hated the name of Jesus and the disciples of Jesus so fiercely as did the brilliant young Pharisee of Tarsus. His own confession is that he was "exceedingly mad against them." Intent on persecution, he was journeying to Damascus, when he was arrested by the shining of a light from heaven surpassing the brightness of the noonday sun. He has told us little of what he saw in that moment when the rays of glory from Christ's face shone upon him. He did not speak of it: "Am I not an apostle? . . . have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" (1 Corinthians 9:1). However the record is given largely in the impact of the vision upon his subsequent life.

    While Paul lay prostrate, a voice from the intense light asked him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Then the voice compared him to the ox that kicks back against the goad that would urge it forward. Had Paul been fighting inwardly against the accusings of conscience, and had the radiant face of Stephen and the grace of his dying words been often in his memory, challenging him to search out these things? Gazing upward, and realizing at once that he beheld the God of his fathers, for none else could bear such sublime majesty, he addressed Him as Lord. Trembling at the charge of persecuting Him, he asked, "Who art thou, Lord?" Was it the sight of manhood, even in that glory, that also drew from him the question? Then there came the words that shattered all his pride and obstinacy, words whose implications surely searched him hour after hour during the three long, sightless days that followed (Acts 9:9); "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." The hated Nazarene was the Lord of glory; the despised Jesus was the long-awaited Christ; the hunted sufferers were the saints of God.

    From that moment Paul was the willing captive of the Saviour's love. His further words, "What shall I do, Lord?" (Acts 22:10) became the keynote of his life. He gave himself to be Christ's bondslave, utterly and forever. He had set out that morning with gifts of persons likely to make him an idol of his people, and with the garlands of earth's glory thick upon him. In that

    heavenly sunshine

    these poor things withered and died, and henceforth nothing was of value to him in comparison with that face which he had seen, bright with the majesty of the Godhead and beautiful with eternal love. In later years he wrote of it to the Philippians: "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." And if we venture to ask: "Were you not precipitate in your renunciation, brother Paul? Was it not just your impetuosity of eager youth?" he replies, "I count (i.e., I still count, after all these years of toil and privation) all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:7-8). His soul was satisfied indeed.

    Marvel not that Christ in glory
    All my inmost heart hath won,
    Not a star to cheer my darkness
    But a Light beyond the sun.
    The SOVEREIGN Presence (Acts 22)

    "And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles" (Acts 22:17-21).

    It was Paul's first visit to Jerusalem after his conversion, and the Lord appeared unto him in a trance to direct him away from the city and send him to the Gentiles. Paul pleaded that he should be permitted to stay, and advanced the most laudable reasons for this. He had been a leader in the persecution of the believers. Was it not then most fitting that he should take his place publicly as a disciple where once he had "made havock of the church?" Again, there was his share in the death of Stephen, whose memory was so sadly dear to him. Ought he not by his testimony to make what amends might be possible for that grievous wrong? Ought he not to honor the Lord Jesus by confessing His name in the city where He had been crucified? Not only so, but there burned in his heart that love to his erring people of Israel which was later to find expression in the words, "I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Romans 9:3).

    These were in themselves entirely worthy motives, but the will of Christ must take

    precedence over the noblest choices

    of the soul. Christ's presence will not be the constant realization of the heart unless His sovereignty be recognized and unless He be owned as Lord of the life and all its relationships. His will makes no mistakes but decrees all with unfailing love and unerring wisdom. He sees the end from the beginning and knows the purpose of every step in the path of His servant which may seem perplexing to human eyes.

    It was thus with the service of Paul. He had been told at his conversion that he was to be a witness to all men, and to the Gentiles, but little could he have foreseen either then or in the visit to the Gentiles. Ahead lay the mighty ministry of his missionary journeys, wherein, for example, "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks" (Ac 19:10). Ahead lay the planting of those lines of churches in Asia and Greece. Ahead lay the writing of those letters in which the doctrines of the Gospel and of the Church should be embodied, even to such amazing revelations as those to the saints at Ephesus. Beyond all these, but the result of them, was the impact which Paul was to make on the centuries to come. Today we owe an incalculable debt to him and to the Lord's dealing in his life.
    The SUSTAINING Presence (Acts 18)

    "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city" (Acts 18:9-10). At Corinth the apostle met with much opposition and distress. There was the pain of the break with the Jews. To his witness to them that Jesus was the Christ they had responded with blasphemy, and he had left the synagogue. Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue believed, and all his house with him, but there was no abating of the relentless hostility of the Jews. Again, there was the constant problem of the Corinthian character, which led finally to the heartache of the apostle in his letters to the fickle and loose-living believers in that city. Just how he felt as he gave himself to win the Corinthians for Christ is seen in his words, "I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling" (1 Corinthians 2:3). From a natural viewpoint there was much to discourage, and he might well fear that the hatred of the Jews would lead to some outrage like the stoning in Lystra.

    In a night vision the Lord drew near to His tried servant and spoke those words of cheer which so often came from His lips, "Be not afraid." These words had been addressed to Jairus in the depth of his sorrow and to the terrified disciples when He walked across the sea to their help. These words were to be heavenly music to John in his exile in Patmos. To Paul they came as

    rich encouragement to continue

    his witness to the Corinthians. The secret of the Lord's message to him lay in the accompanying assurance of the perpetual presence, "I am with thee." The Lord's interest in Corinth lay not in its vast commercial empire and in its wealth, but in the believers, and especially in the despised man named Paul. This man might indeed be weak in bodily presence, and in speech of no account to Grecian reckoning but he was the vessel chosen of Christ to bring salvation to that place.

    No hurt should come to him from any man. No hand would be permitted to hurl a stone at him; no rod would be uplifted to leave its scar upon his back. The omnipotent presence would be his bodyguard to protect him from every ill. His fears were dispelled. Christ was his shield and his salvation. Later there was an uproar in the city, for the Jews took Paul before the tribunal of Gallio, the Roman governor, but Gallio indignantly dismissed both of them and their complaint, and the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and thrashed him there and then. Through all of this Paul was preserved unscathed, and he remained a good while in Corinth, until the time came for him to leave Greece. The Lord had much people in that city. Populous in itself, Corinth was strategically placed, with access to the Aegean and Adriatic seas. Through Corinth there flowed a constant stream of trade. The testimony for Christ was thus calculated to be carried far and wide by those who would come to Corinth, hear the message, and take it to their homes.
    The SUCCOURING Presence (Acts 23)

    "And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome" (Acts 23:10-11). It was an occasion of peculiar difficulty for Paul. He had come to Jerusalem -- though warned as to this (Acts 20:23; 21:4,11), bringing to the believers the bounty of the Gentile churches, and with it that deep burden of love for his nation which ever characterized him. Nevertheless, nothing seemed to go as he might have wished. Though unto the Jews he became a Jew, that he might gain the Jews, and to them that were under the law, that he might gain those that were under the law (see 1 Corinthians 9:20), he met with grave trouble. Rescued from imminent death by the intervention of the Roman garrison, he appeared before the Jewish council, but was removed by the soldiers lest he should have been killed in the strife between Pharisees and Sadducees. He had gone far to meet the clamor against him, even reasserting for the moment his old life with the Pharisees, but to no avail.

    In the darkness of the night following, a sad and weary man lay in the castle. From the Lord's words to him, "Be of good cheer," it seems that he was disconsolate and disappointed. Perhaps with his sensitive heart, he was also reproaching himself for the scenes which had taken place. Which of us has not known at least a little of the sting of self-reproach when we have searched ourselves, seeking reason for circumstances of difficulty and discouragement?

    It was then that the Lord stood by him, the Lord who knew all the devotedness of Paul's heart, and prized dearly his life of service and suffering. With words reminiscent of scenes in His earthly path in which He had spoken in like fashion to other needy hearts

    ministered His comfort

    afresh. The paralytic lying helplessly at the feet of Jesus, the woman who touched the hem of His garment, the disciples on the lake, and again on the way to Gethsemane, had all heard those gracious words (Matthew 9:2,22; 14:27; John 16:33). They had all known the peace given by that voice, for "when he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?" (Job 34:29).

    "Thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem." It was the Master's own appraisal of what lay deepest in the longing of His servant. Amidst all the strange events of Paul's visit to Jerusalem had run the golden thread of his witness to the Lord Jesus. None who heard him could doubt his wholehearted allegiance to his Saviour and his conviction of the greatness of His Person and of His work. But Paul's service was not yet finished. His desire to go to Rome (see Acts 19:21) was to be granted, even though the manner of its fulfillment was hidden from his sight. In the seat of earth's power, and even before the proud Caesar, the ambassador of the enthroned Christ must bear his witness to the One before whom even kings must bow, and whom earthly monarchs need as Saviour as truly as do other men. There "the prisoner of Jesus Christ" would stand, and there would he proclaim the blessed name. The conspiracy of the Jews at Jerusalem, the lonely years at Caesarea, and the shipwreck on Malta, were all alike in the permissive will of God, but were not allowed to frustrate the promise. The Lord brought Paul to Rome by ways which he knew not. To human eyes the path must have seemed mysterious, but all along the way the sacred presence went also.
    The SOLITARY Presence (2 Timothy 4)

    "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (2 Timothy 4:16-18). The apostle was in prison for the last time. His course was finished, and the time of his departure was at hand. Very soon he was to be "with Christ; which is far better." Already he had stood before Nero and in the words quoted above, he described that first trial. Greatly he felt the loneliness of that scene. Asian brethren were turned away from him (2 Timothy 1:15) and that Demas had forsaken him, having loved this present world (2 Timothy 4:10), but that all forsook him. Not one friend could be found to stand beside the man who had experienced so much in suffering for the sake of his brethren. He wrote, "Only Luke is with me" -- Luke, the dear companion of his journeys, who was content in a self-effacing ministry of attendance on the apostle. Yet in Paul's loneliness there was no bitterness, only love. As the Lord had prayed for those who nailed Him to the Cross, and as Stephen in like manner prayed for his murderers, so Paul prayed for those who had deserted him.

    We look back wonderingly to that trial, and try to picture in our thoughts the meeting of Paul and Nero. There they faced each other -- earth's best and earth's worst, the saint of blameless life and the monster of foulest sin. Even Nero was one for whom Christ died, and to whom the exceeding goodness of God willed to present the message of salvation. How great must be the guilt of that man with his load of fearful vice, with his hounding to death of the Christians, and with his rejection of the Christ of the Gospel!

    Alone, and yet not alone!

    "Notwithstanding," said Paul, "the Lord stood with me." It was a solitary presence, but it was all-compensating. Christ had been with him through all his years, and He did not fail His servant in his last weariness. Indeed, all the characteristics of His nearness to Paul in earlier days were gathered up in this final scene. It was a sustaining presence, for the Apostle said, "[He] strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known." It was a succouring presence, for he said: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." It was a sovereign presence, for his heart was at rest in this certainty: "The Lord shall deliver me . . . and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom." Then it was a satisfying presence, for he concluded his narrative with the last doxology of his writings, the glad tribute of a worshiping heart -- "To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen"

    Once more Paul's voice was heard. The closing greetings were to be added to his letter to the son in the faith who was so dear to him. What better thing could he wish than that which he, Paul, had known and proved so long? So he gave his last message, "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen." Christ had been sufficient for Paul. He would be so for Timothy. He is so for us today.
  18. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 3 Moses

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    03 - Dweller In The Thornbush - Moses (Exodus 3)

    I. THE SETTING -- THE TRIAL OF FAITH

    A new phase in the history of the people of Israel began with their deliverance from Egypt. They entered it a family, they came out from it a nation. The long years of bondage were overruled of God to evidence the faithfulness of His care and the indestructibility of the people with whom He had made His covenant.

    That the experience in Egypt would be one of servitude and yet of ultimate emancipation had been declared in the vision given to Abraham, as recorded in Genesis 15. While in a deep sleep he was told by God that his seed would be afflicted in a strange land, but they would emerge from it with great substance. Then he was shown a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire which passed between the pieces of the sacrifice which he had divided that day. Here was prefigured the twofold character of the sojourn in Egypt. On the one hand, the severity of their suffering would be as the heat of a furnace; on the other, there would be with them One whose glory was set forth as a lamp of fire. In the bitterest bondage He would be with them, and in all their affliction He would be afflicted:

    "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old" (Isaiah 63:9).

    so that their being preserved in Egypt would be a witness to His perpetual presence.

    At length a redeemed people stood on the shore of the Red Sea and rejoiced in complete deliverance from the power of the enemy. Before them lay the desert and the years of wandering hidden from their gaze, but not from God's. As that which was to befall them in Egypt had been prefigured in the vision of Abraham, so their experience in the desert was shown in a revelation of God to Moses their deliverer. This revelation sent him back from Horeb to lead Israel forth from Pharaoh's sway.

    In the desert of Midian a man who had been mighty in all the wisdom and learning of Egypt was humbly keeping sheep. Forty years of exile had reached their climax, and Moses approached Him in those long, lonely decades when he endured as

    Seeing Him Who Is Invisible

    He had not forgotten -- and could not forget -- the people of God with whom he had chosen to suffer affliction rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

    The nature of his exercise of heart at this solemn crisis in Midian is surely seen in Psalm 90, "A prayer of Moses the man of God."

    "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

    Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

    Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

    The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

    Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it" (Ps 90).

    Though keenly aware of the brevity of human life, he rejoiced in One who was from everlasting to everlasting, One upon whom the changing years took no toil, One in whom His saints found the true home of the soul. "Lord, thou has been our dwelling place in all generations." The generations of strangership in the promised land had been followed by those of acceptance and favor in Egypt during Joseph's rule. These in their turn had been followed by those of sorrow and suffering, but throughout the years God had been their refuge, their hiding place.

    In the tenth verse of the Psalm there is indicated the position of Moses at that very time. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

    He himself had reached eighty years of age. Having been maintained by God in full vigor, he sought to enter into

    The Purpose of His Preservation

    The pent-up longing for his people in Egypt burst forth in eager prayer. "Return, O LORD, how long?" How long should the grief and bondage continue? "And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil." He spread before God the tale of sorrow, dealing not with "second causes," but looking beyond them to His permissive will. "Thou hast afflicted us." Finally, he prayed that God would display His work and His glory to them and let His beauty be upon them.

    To these petitions God gave full answer in His mighty deeds wrought in delivering Israel and in the many reveallings of His majesty during their wilderness years. The first answer was granted to Moses himself in the appearing of the divine glory in the burning bush. It met all his yearning for his people and summed up that which God purposed to do for Israel in the years in which Moses would be their leader. In his prayer in Psalms 90 he had said, "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance." At the bush he was to learn how God would deal with a sinful people, acting in holiness and yet in grace, in judgment and yet in mercy, and in all manifesting among them His unchanging love.

    And Moses "led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb" (Exodus 3:1). Whether the expression "mount of God" used both in Exodus and in 1 Kings 19:8 is a Hebrew idiom for the height of the mountain, or whether it refers to the mountain as the place where God gave His law to the nation, it was at Horeb, and particularly at Sinai (Horeb being a wider term than Sinai) that Moses beheld the glory of God. It was also at Sinai on a later occasion that Moses came forth from the divine presence with its brightness upon his face, so that "the skin of his face shone" (Exodus 34:29). There it was that the people were to serve God after their deliverance: "And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain" (Exodus 3:12), and it was there that God showed them His greatness, and they heard His voice: "And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth" (Deuteronomy 5:24).
    II. THE REVELATION -- THE GLORY THAT TRANSFIGURED

    A. In the Bush at Sinai

    "And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt" (Exodus 3:2-3).

    He experienced, as did other men of God whose lives are narrated in the Scriptures, that the essential characteristics of his lifework were set forth in vision early in that work (see Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1; and Ezekiel 1).

    In the case of Moses we note four features of the Lord's appearing to him, for around these four the lessons of the scene may be grouped.

    1. It took place in the DESERT.
    2. It chose for its sphere a THORNBUSH (the thorny acacia of the Arabian peninsula).
    3. It lit the bush with a FLAME that needed no fuel.
    4. It culminated in the declaration of the NAME of GOD.

    The bush with its thorns reminds of the Eden sentence: "Cursed is the ground for thy sake . . . thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee" (Genesis 3:17-18). A desert growth, it had little to attract the eye, but that which arrested the attention of Moses was its endurance in the fire that burned in it. He would expect the thorns to blaze fiercely and to disappear, but to his amazement no harm came to the bush. The fire enwrapped its branches but did not char them. It imparted its radiance to the bush but took nothing from it. Each twig glowed in the fire but was unimpaired, being beautified but not consumed.

    The thornbush was a vivid picture of the nation that God was taking for His own. "He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness" (Deuteronomy 32:10).

    As The Thorns of the Bush

    so were the waywardnesses of the people, and as the thorns witnessed to the curse, so the national behavior witnessed to the ravages of sin in the hearts and lives of men. When but three days from the song on the shore of the Red Sea, the children of Israel began to murmur, and throughout the forty years they provoked God by their complaining and their disobedience. When but a few months from Jordan, with the long years in the desert behind them, they still murmured: "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread."

    It was no ordinary fire that flamed in the bush, but

    The Glory of the LORD

    which often was manifested in like fashion. In the vision of Genesis 15, Abraham beheld a burning lamp. It was a pillar of fire which gave light to Israel in the passage of the Red Sea. When the people abode at Sinai, "the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount" (Exodus 24:17). Out of the midst of the fire the Lord spoke to them: "And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice . . . Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?" (Deuteronomy 4:12,33). Out of the midst of "a fire infolding itself" the cherubim and the throne were revealed to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:4). In the Patmos vision John saw "seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God" (Revelation 4:5).

    It pleased God to display His glory in the thornbush and likewise to manifest His presence in Israel. As the fire had lit up the bush but had not consumed it, so would God, the holy God, dwell among the people for their blessing, but the nation would still be preserved. True, on the one hand, were the words of Moses as he spoke to them at the end of his path, "The LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24). Israel would prove this, yet, on the other hand, they would learn that the Holy One would dwell in their midst in sovereign grace, and that on the ground of the blood of sacrifice. Thus the flame in the bush spoke of the marvel of the divine presence amid a sinful and failing people and His purpose thereby to irradiate them with His light, to enfold them within its blaze, and to transform them to the likeness of His glory.

    From the bush God told Moses of His purpose to bring Israel from Egypt that they might serve Him upon the mount. He made Himself known as "the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6). When Moses asked His name that he might tell it to the people, God said unto him: "I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (Exodus 3:14-15).

    Three clauses claim our careful consideration.

    "I AM hath sent me unto you."
    "The LORD God . . . hath sent me unto you."
    "This is my name for ever."

    With these we link the words of Exodus 6:2-3: "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them."

    The name was Jehovah. Certainly it had been on the lips of the fathers of the nation ere God appeared to Moses, but now it was made known as to its sacred content. The declaration "I AM THAT I AM" was an unfolding of the meaning of the name Jehovah. The form of the word Jehovah appears deliberately to intermingle future and past tenses, i.e., He will be, He was, and so He is, and possibly even the sense the He causes to be, or brings to pass.

    The name speaks of

    The Unchangeable One

    with whom essentially there is no past nor future, but rather an eternal present. That which He is, He ever has been. His progressive revelation to His creatures of His glory, and of His purposes for them, is the outflow of all that He is, but it betokens neither change nor development in Him. Again, that which He is He ever shall be. His name is therefore one of ceaseless promise. His infinite Person abides the same. With Him there can be no weariness and no exhaustion, but ever the greatness, the wealth, and the vigor of eternity.

    The fire and the name proclaimed similar truths. The fire was self-sufficient; it required nought from any other source to support its blaze; it was a manifestation of the divine glory. The name told of the One whose being is independent of all other existence, the One who later said, "I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me" (Isaiah 45:5). In His kindness He gives to His creation all that it needs, but He Himself is in need of nothing from it, "neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). All His works and ways in His universe have their fount in His own nature. Nothing external can impose any necessity upon Him, or add to Him, or take away from Him. Dependence is a basic law of all created existence. The Creator alone possesses the freedom of an absolute independence.

    Because God, the timeless One, had been with the people in their sufferings in Egypt, they had not been destroyed, but the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied and grew. God was about to manifest His presence still further in power and glory among His people, and this was indicated in the burning bush. As the bush grew in the wilderness, so would Israel be brought to that same place and, because of their unbelief, would be compelled to wander forty years along a desert way. Cut off from natural resources for daily supplies, they would learn the lessons of the wilderness and find that God alone could meet their needs.

    Then, as the name of God was spoken to Moses from the flame of fire, so would God be revealed in Israel in the wealth of His character and ways. His mind for the nation was that He would use it to the proclaiming of His name to the sons of men. In spite of Israel's failure, the name was revealed, until amid the nation, and born of it as to His human birth, there was manifested the only sinless Man, and from His pure lips there came the words, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). To the Jews who heard Him the claim was unmistakable. For them there could be no middle course. Either they must own His rightful use of the title, "I AM," and worship Him, or they must account Him a blasphemer worthy of death. In their folly they rejected Him, but it was He who had spoken to Moses from the bush who now spoke to them in lowly manhood.

    B. Amid the Nation at Sinai

    The time came when the lessons of the bush were proved true indeed. The nation was encamped by Sinai, and while Moses was on the mount with God receiving the two tables of testimony, the people tired of waiting for him and sought gods to lead them. When Moses came down to the camp, he found them worshipping a golden calf. They had left Egypt, but were still tainted with its idolatry. So truly did the bush bear its thorns. Thus, at the very beginning of the national history, Israel commenced that course of perversity that would lead ultimately to the coronation of their King with a crown of thorns. Though Gentile hands would fashion the actual crown, did not Israel, in a deeper sense, even in Moses' day, begin to plat the thorns that would pierce His brow?

    Not only did the Lord plague the people for the sin of the worship of the golden calf, but He said to Moses, "I will send an angel before thee . . . for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way" (Exodus 33:2-3). "And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth" (Exodus 33:15-16).

    It was as if Moses had said,

    "What Distinguished the Thornbush"

    from others in the desert but the presence in it of the Lord? What will distinguish and separate Israel from other nations but that same presence?" The thornbush had shone with a radiance not its own. So would the presence of God give the nation a unique character. The true mark of God's people is always God's presence. Yet the Lord had said that He would not go in their midst, lest He consume them in the way.

    But was not the lesson of the bush that He would be in their midst, and yet they would not be consumed?

    To Moses it was unthinkable that they should journey apart from the company of God. If he had found grace in His sight, then he craved the display of that grace toward the nation. Only on the ground of grace to the guilty could a people so guilty know the abiding of their Lord among them. The plea was granted, and the Lord replied, "I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name" (Exodus 33:17).

    Again Moses prayed, "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." As in Psalm 90 his prayer had been, "Let thy [glory] appear," so now he sought the fulfillment of the promise of the bush in a new glimpse of the glory. He was not disappointed, for when next he went up into Sinai, "And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth" (Exodus 34:5-6). Moses did behold the glory, and that in accordance with the terms of the word in Exodus 33:23, "And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." As from the flame in the bush the name was proclaimed, the supreme name, JEHOVAH, the I AM, so from the presence cloud that name was told out afresh: "Jehovah, [a] God, merciful and gracious."

    In this case there was linked with it the unfolding of the divine character. God would deal in mercy and grace with His frail and sinful people.

    He Would Abide Among Them

    He would do marvels. Then, as the flame beautified the bush with its light, so the glory of the presence lit the face of Moses till it shone, not only accrediting his position as mediator of the covenant, but betoking the desire of God to beautify all His people. "He will beautify the meek with salvation," said the psalmist (Psalm 149:4), but in Moses the meek the lesson was taught long ago.
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE GOOD WILL OF GOD

    How truly Moses rejoiced in the kindness of God manifested at the bush was evident in his words as he drew near to the close of his life. With God-given sight, he looked back over the lessons of the past and forward to the goodness which God had decreed for His people, and he blessed the tribes. The blessing of Joseph, so stirring in its recital, reached its climax in the words of Deuteronomy 33:16, "the good will of

    him that dwelt in the bush."

    The experiences of the years of Israel's wanderings had not dimmed Moses' sense of the goodness of God. Rather the truth set before him forty years before had become increasingly precious, so that as he surveyed the blessings of God and the riches He would bestow upon His people, he found nothing to say concerning Joseph to surpass the kindness wherein God had deigned to dwell among the wayward tribes.

    We must not miss the force of the word dwelt. Brief as was the actual flaming of the glory in the bush, God displayed His purpose, not merely to visit His people, but to dwell among them. It was this which was further manifested to Moses when he was instructed concerning the building of the tabernacle, "Let them make me a sanctuary; that I way dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8). It was this for which provision was made righteously in the many sacrifices of the Levitical order. And when the long drama of time is ended, and all things are made new, and death, sorrow, crying, and pain shall be no more, then will the voice from heaven declare: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and

    God himself shall be with them

    and be their God" (Revelation 21:3). The desert will be past, and every mark of the curse will be removed, but the presence which has never failed will be the gladness of eternity.

    Our LORD has not changed in His love for His redeemed ones. As He delighted to presence Himself with His people of old, such is His delight in respect to His own today. The passing years prove more and more the desert character of this poor world through which we pass and deepen within us the sense of our weakness and shortcoming, so that we who belong to Christ see ourselves not inaptly pictured in the thornbush. This is true, moreover, of each local company of believers, whether large or small. As a consuming fire, our holy Lord deals with our dross, but His heart's yearning is to display His own likeness in us. So will it be when we are with Him in Heaven; so would He have it even now while the desert lies about us. In the coming day we shall know the fulfillment of His words, "The glory which thou gavest me I have given them" (John 17:22), but here and now He seeks to light each believing life and each assembly of His people with the radiance of His presence and to reveal His blessed name more and more. Soon the desert will be exchanged for the paradise of God, "and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads" (Revelation 22:3-4).
  19. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 2 Jacob

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    02 - The Patient Wrestler - Jacob (Ge 32)

    I. THE SETTING -- GRACE AND GOVERNMENT

    In the life of Jacob we see exemplified the discipline by which God deals with the waywardness of His people and leads them on to His purposed goal. How effective it was in Jacob's case is seen in the golden sunset of his life and in his last words to his sons. Speaking to Joseph, he said: "God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me . . . the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads" (Genesis 48:3,15-16).

    It was God who had blessed him,
    God who had fed him,
    and God, revealed as the Angel of the Lord, who had redeemed him from all evil.

    Jacob attributed nothing to self. All was of God. The psalmist in his day bore this witness: "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake" (Psalm 115:1). (Italics mine). Jacob spoke likewise in his prayer at Peniel: "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant" (Genesis 32:10).

    God appeared to Abraham as the God of glory; it was surely as the God of grace that He revealed Himself to Jacob. The sleeping fugitive pillowed on the stone at Bethel was arrested, not by the anger of the brother from whom he fled, but by a sight of Him who seeks the unworthy and works with them to make them living monuments of His ways in grace and in government.

    In his dream Jacob was given:

    His First Glimpse

    of the realm of order and of light that lies far above this world of sordidness and of sin.

    He saw the way that led upward to Heaven and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it.

    He saw the Lord and heard His voice saying to him, "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

    Then to this promise God added that of His perpetual presence, "Behold, I am with thee, . . . for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Genesis 28:14-15).

    The response of Jacob to the heavenly vision was to take the stone which had been his pillow of rest and raise it up as his pillar of testimony. Only that upon which we have rested personally can be the substance of our witness, else our testimony would be in word only and not in truth. God's acceptance of this response is evident from His words in a later dream of Jacob: "I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me" (Genesis 31:13).

    Twenty years elapsed between Jacob's conversion at Bethel and the experience at Penuel, and these showed how feebly he had learned the lessons of the first dream. It had set before him a life of rest, of heavenly-mindedness, of divine guardianship, and of witness, but the years were marred by the scheming which so characterized his behavior.

    It is pitiful to see him engaged in a battle of cunning with Laban. It is always contrary to the dignity of the people of God for them to be striving with the people of the world, and that in worldly ways. Having deceived his father, Jacob was deceived by his father-in-law.

    As He Sowed, He Reaped

    Only the faithfulness of God sustained him, and delivered him from his sorry position at Padan-aram.

    Free at last from the troubles and toils of his service to Laban, Jacob journeyed back to Canaan, but a new and sharper phase of the divine discipline awaited him. At Bethel God had shown what He would do for him; at Penuel Jacob was to find what God would do with him. Jacob's concern at this time was his fear of Esau's vengeance. Jacob sent messengers to negotiate with Esau, but the kindness of God, which foresaw all and provided for all, anticipated Jacob's move.

    "And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him" (Genesis 32:1). He had seen them in his dream at Bethel. Once more they were revealed to him, and "he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim [i.e., two hosts]" with evident allusion to his own company of family and servants and the company of angels. So fluctuating was his reliance on the power of God, in spite of his experience of God's keeping, that when the word came, "Esau . . . cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him," he "was greatly afraid and distressed." Was it not enough that God's host had met him before Esau's could? Was it not sufficient in this fresh crisis that God had shown to him as He would later to Elisha's servant that "they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 6:16)?

    In one particular especially Jacob is a picture of us all.

    How prone we are to act as though God needed some help to keep His Word!

    Instead of waiting His fullness of time for the fulfillment of His promises, we seek to take matters out of His hand.

    Rebekah was guilty of this in her counsel to Jacob to disguise himself as Esau. Had she trusted God, she would have seen the blessing of Isaac come to Jacob in God's way and would doubtless have been spared the sorrow of the parting. The effect of her example was seen in Jacob through many years. Ever restlessly scheming, he arranged his people and his property to minimize the disaster of Esau's expected attack, and then turned to God to ask protection from that which he feared. Evidently his shrewd strategy was his first line of defense. How true to life!

    How like him are we!

    Nevertheless, there was

    Gold Among the Dross

    In his extremity Jacob besought the Lord and reminded Him of His promises and of His bidding. God has said, "Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee," and earlier at Bethel God had said, "I will surely do thee good." God will ever hear the prayer of the one who reverently sets before Him His own promises. In spite of the turmoil of his life, Jacob prized the promises, and confessed the mercy and the truth with which God had kept His Word and blessed him. "With my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands." Of himself he said humbly, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant" (Genesis 32:10). We are reminded of Paul's portrait of himself as "less than the least of all saints" (Ephesians 3:8). It may be that in Jacob's case the owning of his unworthiness had in it an allusion to the deceit which had led to his becoming a fugitive, even as in Paul's case there was the memory of his persecution of the Church.

    In answer to his prayer, God gave him far more than his one petition.

    The suppliant asked for deliverance from Esau; God gave him what was of greater importance -- victory over Jacob. Little did he realize that before God could grant what he sought, He must first bring him to a position of utter helplessness.

    Still planning for himself, and not asking God for guidance, he arranged a substantial present to appease Esau, and said, "Afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me" (Genesis 32:20). But God purposed that he should first see another face and enjoy a greater acceptance.
    II. THE REVELATION -- GOD'S WAYS NOT MAN'S WAYS

    "And Jacob was left alone" (Genesis 32:24). Again and again the place of loneliness has been the place of transformation. Ofttimes the divine wisdom permits circumstances in which the believer finds himself bereft. Friends, or health, or wealth may be taken away.

    The dreams of eager youth fail of fulfillment.
    The stimulus of noble ambition is replaced by the weariness of frustration.

    In that solitude One draws near who never forsakes His own.

    He has allowed the things that bewilder.
    He has permitted the loneliness, that He may satisfy the life with Himself.

    No problem baffles Him. No circumstance is beyond His overruling power. With Him the situation is never out of hand.

    It was when Job had been stripped of well-nigh all that the Lord, who watched His tried servant, appeared to him in the storm and spoke such words that Job replied at last, "I know that thou canst do everything . . . I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee" (Job 42:2,5). In that revelation Job found not only repentance but "the end of the Lord" and proved that "the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy" (James 5:11).

    "And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day" (Genesis 32:24). To no created angel was this task entrusted. Admittedly, He who thus dealt with Jacob was called "the angel" (Hosea 12:4), but this because He was "the angel of the LORD" (see Genesis 31:11,13, where the angel spoke of Himself thus: "I am the God of Bethel," and Genesis 48:16, where Jacob spoke of Him as "the Angel which redeemed me"). In this passage He is spoken of as a man, for His government was beautiful with a gentleness which exactly met the patriarch's need. He had appeared not to overwhelm, but to transform.

    Not To Crush, But to Bless

    The touch which took away the human strength was the touch of love that would not cause needless pain. The Lord said of His ways with Ephraim as a people: "I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love" (Hosea 11:4). So He dealt with Jacob personally. Nor is it otherwise in His dealings with us. At the Incarnation He took humanity into union with His deity, so that He who has said, "Lo, I am with you alway" is rich toward us with the fulness of both natures. Illimitable power and exquisite gentleness are linked together, and the wisdom of God with the sympathy of personal experience in weariness and suffering.

    Nought else we are told of the manner of His appearing to the patriarch. It was He who wrestled with him. He sought the mastery which alone could bless Jacob's life, but self was strong in Jacob, and he resisted stubbornly till daybreak.

    Not until then did Jacob realize who it was who wrestled with him, or the purpose of the mysterious conflict. The struggle went on till the moment of the dawn, which suggested so vividly the spiritual blessing of the scene, and the discipline suddenly became sharper. "When he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him" (Genesis 32:25).

    It was the end of Jacob's physical prowess.
    His power to war was gone.

    What thoughts must have surged through his heart! How should he meet Esau? Was this the end to his prayer to his God?

    Then came the knowledge of the Person of the wrestler.

    Who was this whose touch had such power but who nevertheless refrained from using it till the dawn.

    Who was this who had wrestled in long patience?

    Only One it could be, even Him who now said: "Let me go, for the day breaketh" (Genesis 32:26). To Him he had prayed for deliverance from Esau, but now the prayer had been answered in ways which Jacob had not contemplated. He now learned what many another was to learn through the centuries, that the Lord says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" (Isaiah 55:8).

    Jacob's expectation was in the line of his strategy. The Divine response was to take from him his strength, that he might

    Cling to the Almighty One

    Conscious of this, and broken in spirit as weakened in body, Jacob "wept, and made supplication unto him" (Hosea 12:4).

    The day was breaking. Ahead lay its toils and cares and the meeting with Esau. But Jacob clung still to his Lord, and said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me" (Genesis 32:26). Without His presence and His blessing Jacob was helpless. That which he had wrought in the past was no longer possible to him. Others must work, for "man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening" (Psalms 104:23).

    Jacob's responsibility would now consist in guiding the development of the family from whose twelve sons God would make a nation for Himself. Jacob was about to enter the promised Land with those whom God had given him, and he must dwell in it as become an heir of promise.

    All this demanded an enhanced experience of God and relationship with Him, and a renewed blessing.

    God gave that which was needed and conferred upon Jacob, as earlier upon Abraham, a new dignity. The record now wraps itself around three names, and these we must note in their turn.

    Firstly, there is

    The New Name

    of the patriarch. Of the man who clung to Him and sought His blessing God asked, "What is thy name?" (Genesis 32:27). Like a shaft of heavenly light searching the inmost depths of the heart, there came the question that brought from him the one word that summed up his ways by nature. Coming from One whose eyes are as a flame of fire, the question drew forth the confession of all the past. "And he said, Jacob (supplanter)." No other word could he add. The name told its own tale. Had not his brother said: "Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times" (Genesis 27:36).

    With Jacob this humbling experience, this revelation of himself to himself, took the form of a crisis. It is not always so.

    With some, the conviction that preceded conversion is acute and dread.

    With others, especially those who have been converted in early life amid the privileges of a godly home with its shelter from the ways of the world, there is the deepening humiliation of lifelong discovery of the sinfulness of the heart.

    But, however it be, there can be no extenuation of that which we are apart from the grace of God.

    "And he said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel (i.e., striver with God): for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed" (Genesis 32:28). The experience of the night was preserved forever in the new name Israel. As God has wrestled with him, so had he wrestled with God and had prevailed, yet not by his wrestling, but by his acceptance of its purpose, and by his clinging in utter dependence upon God. Jacob strove with God, and in the reference in Ho 12:3, it renders the same verb "had power." The emphasis in the giving of the name seems, however, to be upon striving. Israel is therefore a name of strength in weakness -- strength gained by clinging to the strong One. It was not that the man henceforth exhibited always the Israel character. At times he was manifestly Jacob, but the new dignity was his, to be displayed increasingly in his life and to be passed on to the nation which sprang from him, as a reminder that its triumph would ever come from God and from His enabling grace.

    Then there is

    The Hidden Name

    of the Wrestler.

    "And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there" (Genesis 32:29). The first act of Jacob after receiving his new name was to make the request: "Tell me... thy name." In that wonderful moment it was no idle curiosity that prompted his words but a true longing to know the Blesser. This is ever the mark of healthy, spiritual life -- a consuming desire for God Himself. Throughout the Scripture this longing is breathed, as in the prayer of Moses: "that I may know thee" (Exodus 33:13, see also Philippians 3:10). The life given by God is satisfied only in its source. "This is life eternal," said the Lord Jesus, "that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). When the flame of desire to know God burns but feebly in our heart, it is time to search our ways before Him, and to pray, "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?" (Psalms 85:6).

    That the name was not revealed to Jacob implies no wrongful motive on his part but rather the mystery of that name. Its unfolding could proceed only in keeping with the purposes of God for the manifestation of His beloved One.

    When in his day Manoah asked the same One (the Angel of the LORD) His name, He replied in words identical with those spoken to Jacob, "Why askest thou thus after my name?" (Judges 13:18), but He added, "seeing it is secret?" Here again is an anticipation of Isaiah 9:6, "His name shall be called Wonderful."

    The name could be declared only when the time had come for the revelation of His person, for the word "secret" spoken to Manoah is the same word "Wonderful," in Isaiah 9:6 - His name.

    He has been made known abundantly to us in His journey from God to God (John 13:3), but the fulness of His name is known to no creation. "He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name" (Hebrews 1:4). "God . . . hath . . . given him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). "He had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself" (Revelation 19:12). "No man knoweth the Son, but the Father" (Matthew 11:27).

    That infinite name is unfolded in every treasure of His creation, for creation is all His handiwork.

    His name is told out in every wonder of the universe, the vastness of which mocks our comprehension. Into its beauty of design and harmony earth's greatest minds have delighted to search, but behind all its phenomena is He who is its ultimate reality, for "these are parts of his ways" (Job 26:14).

    The name is unfolded in all the wonders of redemption, for this, too, is the work of Him who redeemed us by His precious blood. In the depths of His stoop, in the sufferings of his Cross, in His exaltation from the tomb to God's right hand, and in the triumphs of His grace in human lives, the name is declared.

    But where else except in the heart of the Father is that redemptive work and its cost fully known? The name is unfolded in all the excellencies of His eternal being; it is the total of what He is -- in His activities, in His relationships, and in His own Person.

    The seeking of His name must therefore be the true and eternal quest of the soul.

    Finally, there is

    The Name of the Place

    of the wresting. When Jacob awoke at Luz, after the dream of the ladder, he called the name of the place Bethel (the house of God), saying, "This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17), but the place of the wrestling he called Peniel (the face of God), saying, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (Genesis 32:30).

    How evident was the enrichment of his spiritual experience! The house of God -- the face of God! Once it was God's abode; now it is God Himself!
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE LIGHT OF THE MORNING

    No detail is given of the specific blessing imparted to Jacob by God at Peniel, save that "he blessed him there" -- there, where the man whose thigh He had touched bowed to the meaning of the discipline, and where a mortal being conscious of the presence of God looked into His face and sought to know His name.

    The record throws a veil over the terms of the blessing. Indeed, that which is between the soul and God can never be fully known by another. Yet it was blessing imparted personally, and it strengthened the heart of Jacob with its assurance of the certainty of the Lord's purpose for him.

    Calm in its promise, he could face Esau and all the way that stretched unseen into the future.

    Beyond the wrestling, with the new dignity it brought, and beyond the receiving of the blessing, sovereign and irrevocable, was the supreme good of the sight of the face of God.

    Jacob had thought only of seeing Esau's face, but God had interposed the vision that alone can satisfy. In so doing, God had taught the lesson required not only by Jacob but by every generation of believers -- and by none more than ourselves -- that only as we have seen the face of God are we equipped to see the face of men.

    In the light of His face is our salvation along the journey of life: "Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved . . . Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved . . . Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psalms 80:3,7,19), whether from the fear of men or from the snares of this world, and we are enabled thankfully to say, "Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased" (Psalms 4:7). Without the shining of His face, we are as other men. "Hide not thy face from me," prayed the psalmist, "lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit" (Psalms 143:7). To the believing heart that vision is its own beatitude, and its wonder gleams throughout the Scriptures from the early records to the last witness of Revelation, "They shall see his face" (Revelation 22:4).

    To the patriarch it was a matter of awe that he should see the face of God and yet be permitted to live.

    Likewise spoke Gideon and Manoah when they too, saw the Angel of the LORD. In a sense, it was a glimpse beforehand of that which gives Heaven its supreme blessedness, and therefore it spoke of acceptance with God. Such it was, but not for Jacob's sake alone. He saw the face of One whom he called Redeemer: "The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth" (Genesis 48:16), and we also, by faith, have gazed on the Saviour's face and have been accepted for His sake.

    Not for nought is it recorded that as Jacob "passed over Penuel

    The Sun Rose Upon Him" (Ge 32:31).

    Its gladdening warmth cheered his halting steps, but more than that, it figured the rising upon his gaze of a greater Sun. The time is coming when upon those that fear His name "the Sun of righteousness [shall] arise with healing in his wings," and Israel's long, dark night shall be over, and the King of glory "shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds" (2 Samuel 23:4).

    The day came, and with it the meeting with Esau, but the overruling care of God brought the brothers together not to strive but to weep.

    God was faithful to His servant and displayed the certainty of His promise, "I am with thee, and will keep thee."

    So will He be with us and keep us and lead through life's discipline till the dawn of eternal day and the seeing face to face.
  20. Jerry

    The Companion Of The Way Ch 1 Abraham

    By Jerry,


    devotionals
    The Companion Of The Way
    01 - Friend With Friend - Abraham (Genesis 18)
    I. THE SETTING -- A MAN AND HIS GOD
    About midway between the fall of Adam and the Cross of Christ, it pleased God to reveal Himself to a citizen of Ur, in Mesopotamia, by the name of Abram. The impact upon Abram of that appearing, and its consequence in human destiny, are beyond our power to estimate. The true focal points of history are not the wars of nations, not the uprisings of earth's great ones for their brief day, and not even the much-vaunted eras of man's achievement, but those times when the grace of God has intervened for the carrying out of His perfect will toward men. This is seen supremely in the death and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; it is manifested also in many another occasion. The turning of Paul's path from Asia to Europe was of far greater moment than the succession of the Caesars to the imperial power, even as the empowerment at Pentecost of the Church, against which the gates of Hell should not prevail, was of importance transcending utterly the pomp of the proud city of Rome, whose gates the barbarians would storm. So it was with the call of Abram, for God chose the man to whom He would say, "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). The campaigns of Chedorlaomer -- the Napoleon of his day -- are of interest only to the archaelogist (save as his Waterloo is narrated in Genesis 14), but Abram is "the father of all them that believe."

    "The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham" (Acts 7:2). It was the vision that drew him from the degrading worship of the false gods of his people, and from the culture of Ur, and its sins, and made him a wanderer in the land of Canaan. However dear had been to him the associations of the past, he turned his back on them all, and left country, kindred, and father's house to become a stranger on earth and at home with God. That first vision made him the man of the altar and of the tent: "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 12:7-8). The tent proclaimed him a sojourner and the altar, a worshiper. The one showed how lightly he held the things of time, for who would compare tent pegs with the foundations of the eternal city? The other showed how truly he owned the claims of God, and prized the divinely given way of approach to Him. Altar and tent together proclaimed a life turned from the seen to the unseen and from the transient to the everlasting, and this because Abram had found everything in God.
    The Successive Unfoldings of God
    to Abraham presented a complete panorama of the meeting of life's basic needs.
    As life's emptiness and its vanity was met by the revelation of the God of glory, so its poverty was satisfied by the knowledge of El Elyon, the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth: "And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:19).
    As life's helplessness and its dependence found all it could crave in El Shaddai, the Almighty God: "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Genesis 17:1), so its mortality was answered by El Olam, the everlasting God: "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God" (Genesis 21:33).
    In the first case the heart found its attraction in God, in the second, its wealth in God, in the third, its strength in God, and in the last, its home in God.
    Tent and altar must ever be associated in life's journey. Pilgrim steps will soon become weary when there is no lifting of the heart Godward and no constant invigoration through fellowship with Him. When there was strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle, and Abram gave the choice of territory to Lot, the latter "pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Genessi 13:12), but he erected no altar there. Having no altar to sustain him in his apartness from this evil world, and certainly finding none to the Lord in Sodom, he exchanged the tent for a house there and barely escaped the fearful doom of that city. But Abram the pilgrim "removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD" (Genesis 13:18). While Lot was slowly draining the bitter cup of disillusionment in Sodom, Abram was increasing in spiritual prosperity. He dwelt in Hebron, meaning "fellowship," and Mamre, meaning "fatness." In his association with God he went from strength to strength. He was victorious over the military prowess of the king of Elam and over the subtle temptation of the king of Sodom. He was given the promise that his seed should be as the stars of heaven in number, and "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).
    When Abram was ninety years of age, God revealed Himself to him as the Almighty God and rewarded his faithfulness by conferring upon him and upon his wife names of honor in keeping with the new promise to be made to them. His name was changed from Abram to Abraham (father of a multitude), and Sarai his wife received the name of Sarah (princess). When the bewilderment of holy joy flooded his heart with laughter, he received the assurance that Sarah should bear a son, whose name Isaac (laughter) should ever echo his father's joy. With this son God would establish His covenant, and with his descendants after him.
    In obedience to the divine will, Abraham submitted to the rite of the covenant, and surely -- from a human viewpoint -- all seemed ready for the fulfillment of the promise. But God had further desire for Abraham, and purposed for him
    a greater dignity,
    and a title that should shine with threefold luster in the written Word. Through the years of His gracious dealings with His servant, God had been fashioning him to be far more than a servant. God designed that Abraham should be His friend. To this lonely old man there was granted the experience of being on such terms with God that in the centuries to come he would be recognized as God's friend. Even the descendants of Ishmael, though blighted with the curse of Islam, to this day know Abraham as El Khalil (a friend of God) and called Hebron by this same name (El Khalil).
    II. THE REVELATION -- THE SACRED INTIMACY
    "And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant" (Genesis 18:1-3).
    How different were the circumstances of Abraham on that day from those of Adam and Eve as described in Genesis 3:8! "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."
    1. By the oaks of Mamre Abraham sat in peace such as is known only by those between whose heart and God no cloud remains. Among the trees of Eden Adam and his wife sought to hide their confusion and distress.
    2. The divine presence was welcomed by the patriarch with eager joy. From it the guilty pair shrank in shame.
    3. They could not walk with God in the freshness of "the cool of the day." Abraham was privileged to refresh Him in the heat of the day.

    4. Theirs was the sorrow and the judgment that came from eating what God in His wisdom had forbidden. Abraham experienced the gladness of giving God that of which He would eat.
    5. They had dishonored the Word of God. Abraham had believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
    6. They passed on to a fallen race an inheritance of sin and corruption. Abraham became the father of the faithful, the father of all the heirs of promise.
    Abraham saw three men standing over against him. That two were angels is evident from the subsequent record, but with them was the Lord of angels and of men. No blinding radiance attached to this appearing; no overpowering majesty laid the patriarch low. No quaking shook the scene, as when the fire flamed on Sinai, or as when in Isaiah's vision the foundations of the thresholds of the temple were moved. It pleased the Lord to be present, with two of His attendants, in the guise of manhood, that nought might hinder His meeting with Abraham as friend with friend. Such nearness was a foretaste of a greater nearness and was indeed an anticipation of the Incarnation, when the same blessed One would become man, taking flesh and blood in order to be made like unto His brethren, and taking upon Him the seed of Abraham, that He might share with His brethren their daily life in its mingled experiences of joy and of sorrow, yet all without sin. In no other circumstances than those of Genesis 18 could Abraham have drawn near to God, or talked with Him as he did, or extended to Him the courtesies of hospitality. But these things were all in the desire of God, who held His friend so dear.
    In the mind of Abraham there was no doubt as to
    the Person of his Visitor.
    His spiritual senses having been quickened by years of seeking the will of God and of appreciation of the revelations given to him, he at once recognized who was to honor him with His company that day. Running to meet the men, and bowing himself to the earth, Abraham addressed first, not three, but only one: "My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight" (Genesis 18:3). The form of the word "Lord" being one used for God alone.
    We remember the same words concerning Noah, that he "found grace (i.e. favor) in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:8), and on the lips of Moses, "if I have found grace in thy sight" (Exodus 33:13). All was of God's grace, nor have we today any other title of blessings who have been "chosen . . . in him before the foundation of the world" and "predestinated . . . unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself . . . to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:4-6).
    His lively sense of the divine grace shown to him through the many years, and particularly in this coming to him of his Lord, moved Abraham to entreat that the Lord would remain with him awhile. No moments would be do desirable or so fraught with gladness as those in which the Almighty One
    Deigned to tarry
    with His servant. Such moments partake of eternity, and are not to be measured by earthly hours. "A day in thy courts is better than a thousand," said the psalmist in his homesick longing for the dwelling places of God. "Pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant."
    Even so in His resurrection ministry was the Lord Jesus besought by two whose heart burned within them. "Abide with us... And he went in to tarry with them" (Luke 24:29). Though at that moment their eyes were still holden that they could not know Him, they could not but seek more of the presence of Him who had so stirred them by setting forth from the Scriptures the One whom they loved. How precious to His heart must their words of invitation have been and their eagerness to hear more of their Lord! How greatly they would rejoice through life that they had been privileged to entertain Him!
    In the days of toil and rejection that led to the Cross, the Lord was the welcome guest in the home at Bethany. Inscribed forever in the Scriptures of truth are words which could be said of no palace of earth's great ones, whether of Pilate, or of Caiaphas, or of Herod. "A certain woman named Martha received him into her house" (Luke 10:38). No home was so linked with the days of His ministry as was that of Bethany. There three dwelt whom He loved, there He rested, and there He showed Himself to be the Resurrection and the Life. When the day came that He should return to the throne of Heaven, He led His disciples out as far as to Bethany, and was parted from them and carried up. As Bethany had been the place of sweetest earthly fellowship for the lonely Saviour, so did He take leave of His followers just there, that their lives might ever be characterized by that same fellowship.
    Addressing the Lord and the two who were with Him, Abraham continued: "Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant" (Genesis 18:4-5). Every courtesy of hospitality was gladly given. The rest, the washing of the feet, the cakes prepared by Sarah, the meal spread under the tree, and the personal attention of the host as he stood by his visitors were surely recorded in the heart of the chief Guest, even as they are recorded for us in His Word.
    How different from the joy with which Abraham entertained his visitors was the experience of Lot when he brought the two angels into his house in Sodom! He bade them tarry all night, but they were reluctant to enter, and when they did, the night was made hideous with the violence of the men of the city, and poor Lot was compelled at last to go out to fruitless pleadings with his sons-in-law. For the one who had abandoned first the altar and then the tent, there was no blessedness of welcoming the Lord, but only shame before the messengers of judgment.
    It is evident from the expression of Abraham, "therefore are ye come," that he realized that it was for such
    Free and Happy Intercourse
    and for the gracious words which his Lord would speak unto him that the visit was made. Too often His presence is treated lightly and its wonder unrecognized. It may be that in this respect our hearts are like that of Simon in Luke 7, and that to us also the words are spoken: "Thou gavest me no water for my feet: . . . Thou gavest me no kiss: . . . My head with oil thou didst not anoint." A broken-hearted sinner gave to the Lord Jesus what Simon refused Him, and far more than that, for her attentions to those holy feet were wrought in love, and brought His words of approval, that "she loved much." Will such words be spoken of us by those lips?
    It is the fellowship of His people that our God so greatly desires. He created man in His own image in order that He might receive from him intelligent and free response to all His ways and thoughts concerning him. Adam chose to act contrary to all the goodness which God had shown him and denied Him that which He sought. Then God preserved one family from the destruction of the flood and made a fresh start, as it were, with Noah. From the sacrifice upon the altar erected by him "the LORD smelled a sweet savour" (Genesis 8:21), but soon Noah lay in drunkenness, and the fellowship was marred. Erelong the race lapsed for the most part into idolatry, and so in Abraham God called a family apart to make a nation which should be "a peculiar treasure" unto Him "above all people" (Exodus 19:5). But the inception of its national history was disgraced by the worship of the golden calf, and again God was denied what He craved.
    At last, in the grace of the Incarnation, the beloved Son "came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11). Despising the unparalleled privilege of having their Messiah in their midst in such lowliness and in such compassion that He was veritably "a man of sorrows," they led Him to the Cross. Yet His heart sought still for the communion of His erring creatures, and in His ministry to His apostles on the eve of His death, He gave the promise, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). In the letters to the seven churches of Asia, however, there is opened up something of the poverty of the response to His desire, but the desire has not waned, and His invitation still holds good: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). The heart may still spread its feast for this Guest, and find His company to be heaven already begun.
    Thus Abraham became
    The Friend of God
    The expression occurs first in the prayer of Jehoshaphat, when this king besought the protection of God against the multitude of his foes: "Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?" (2 Chronicles 20:7). Three grounds were advanced in this petition -- the greatness of the divine power and dominion, the gift of the land to the seed of Abraham, and the placing of God's name in the house before which they stood in humble entreaty. What a tribute it was to Abraham that one thousand years after the scene by the oaks of Mamre his royal descendant should speak so confidently to God concerning His friend and plead his name in the heart of his prayer!
    The second use of the title is remarkable in that it was used by God Himself through the prophet Isaiah: "But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend . . . I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away" (Isaiah 41:8-9). In spite of all the waywardness of God's earthly people, Paul could say that God had not "cast away his people" and that they were "beloved for the fathers' sake" (Romans 11:2,28). Never would God forget that relationship with Abraham. He was not ashamed to own him as His friend, even as He was not ashamed to be called his God: "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (Hebrews 11:16).
    Finally, James shows that Abraham's works not only declared the reality of his faith but were such as to vindicate the giving to him of so honorable a title as the Friend of God: "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God" (James 2:23).
    We must not miss the touch of intimacy in this word "friend." In the language of the Old Testament, it is a part of the verb "to love" and signifies a lover, and is so rendered in our Bible in such passages as: "My lovers and my friends" (Psalms 38:11) and "lover and friend" (Psalms 88:18). (Italics mine). Abraham was distinctively the lover of God, and the intimacy was displayed in God's sharing with him His counsel: "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" (Genesis 18:17). "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him" (Psalm 25:14). This sharing of His thoughts is for us, too, through His sovereign grace, for He has said, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15). The experience of these things is conditioned on our obedience. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" (John 15:14). "By faith Abraham . . . obeyed" (Hebrews 11:8).
    At that meal by the tent door, in the shade of the oak, God was pleased to cheer His friend by the renewal of the promise that Sarah should bare him a son. Hearing the words of the Lord, Sarah laughed incredulously and was rebuked by Him, and, being afraid, she denied that she had laughed. Nevertheless, the Lord made her laughter the occasion of a further revelation of Himself, and said, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14). Long years after, the words were taken up by Jeremiah in his distress, when bidden to do that which seemed utterly hopeless. Jeremiah said, "There is nothing too hard for thee," and the answer came from God in a fresh affirmation of His power: "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:17,27).
    But hidden in this question is profound truth. The expression "too hard" in Genesis 18:14 is noteworthy as being the first use in Scripture of a word often rendered "wonderful." From this word comes one of the great titles of our Lord Jesus Christ. "His name shall be called Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6). "Is any thing too [wonderful] for the LORD?" Not when He is Wonderful in His name, His Person, and all His ways! The whole line by which the Messiah came was beset with wonder, and there will be exceeding wonder in the final deliverance of Israel in their darkest hour. Then may they indeed cry, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" and then will their joyous song be "Wonderful" as they name their Deliverer.
    We, too, must sound His praises, for
    He is Wonderful in His Incarnation
    In Him is fullness of Godhead; in Him is completeness of manhood. In Him the two natures dwell in a bond which can never be sundered, so that He is one person forevermore, and so that all His acts are the acts of His one person.
    He is Wonderful in His Humiliation
    We see abasement in the manger, abasement that deepens through His path of rejection. But deepest of all is that to which nothing is comparable before or after in the eternity of God, the forsakenness of the Blessed One, when He was "made... to be sin for us, who knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
    He is Wonderful in His Exaltation
    We look to that high place which is His "far above all heavens" and there behold the man, Christ Jesus. He is radiant in the majesty of Deity, but it is a human hand, and a nail-printed one, which wields the scepter of all dominion. His brow, once wrung with bitterest anguish, now bears the crown of glory and honor. His face, which was oft wet with tears and once "marred more than any man," is forever the center of all attraction in the heaven of heavens.
    He is Wonderful in His Dealings
    with His people. In taking up the captives of sin and setting them free, He makes them vessels of mercy, but He does more than this. He takes them up in all their frailty, in all their imperfection, and in all their proneness to failure, and takes them up as vessels in which to manifest Himself. Let the life be given over to Him in sincerity of purpose and in continuing obedience, and He will display Himself in it, accomplishing those things which are impossible to any save Himself, and drawing men's gaze, not to the yielded servant, but to the almighty Lord.
    The great mysteries of the Incarnation, the Cross, and the enthronement were still future when Abraham listened to the voice of his guest, but the same timeless One who spoke with him is He whom we adore in this our day. No promise which He might make to His friend could be a wonder greater than might be expected from such as He. There could be no limit to His capacity to give to His people, but only to theirs to receive.
    III. THE BLESSING -- THE FRIEND'S INTERCESSION
    The visit drew to its close, and "the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way" (Genesis 18:16). Though they needed neither guide nor escort, the Lord was pleased to accept the courtesy with which Abraham went with them. "And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him" (Genesis 18:17-19). True friendship is marked by mutual trust. Not only had Abraham confidence in God, but
    God Had Confidence
    in him. God's trust looked to his ordering of his children and his household, and this was soon to be vindicated. So truly did the patriarch order his children that at Moriah Isaac displayed such acquiescence to the divine will that even in the vigor of his young manhood he permitted himself to be bound and laid on the altar for death. So truly did Abraham command his household that his servant performed the task of seeking a bride for Isaac with the utmost fidelity and left for all time an example of true stewardship.
    The Lord spoke then of His intention to investigate the condition of Sodom, "and the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD" (Genesis 18:22). The two who went on were angels, even as it is recorded later that "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground" (Genesis 19:1). The Lord Himself paused, for His purpose of fellowship with Abraham was not yet complete. That sacred pause, that lingering of Friend with friend, moved Abraham to draw near, and pour out his heart with boldness and yet with reverence. They stood alone, this man and his God, in
    The Climax of Their Companionship
    at that season, and the sixfold intercession began. Boldness of petition increased till the request that the city be spared for the safety of fifty righteous became that for only ten, but the increase of boldness was with fitting humility. The plea was made to the Judge of all the earth; the suppliant owned himself but dust and ashes. Intimacy and reverence went hand in hand, as indeed they must ever do in the spiritual life. They who would know more of leaning on Jesus' bosom must know more of lying at His feet.
    Abraham progressed from prayer to prayer; God went with him from answer to answer. No rebuke came from His lips and no refusal of the earnestness of His friend. He knew the unselfish burden for Lot that rested on Abraham's heart and granted all its desire, so that though the guilty city met its just doom, "God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow" (Genesis 19:29). Abraham had requested that the city be spared for the sake of ten righteous; God delivered Lot for the sake of one man -- the man who walked with Him and sought nothing for himself.
    Then "the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place" (Genesis 18:33). The visit was over, but not the blessing. At the time appointed the son of promise was born, and when that son had become a young man, God trusted the father with the extremest test and bade him offer Isaac for a burnt offering. Confident that God was able to raise Isaac, even from the dead, and fulfill all the promises through him, Abraham hesitated not. By his obedience he vindicated all God's trust and manifested the redeeming, ennobling and empowering impact of the divine grace upon the human heart.
    Thus did God appear to this man of old and fill his heart with awe and gladness. Thus does He seek to bless us now. Our appreciation of the wonder of our Lord's presence is but fragmentary, and we often fail to respond to His love, but we recount His goodness, and say, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way?" We yearn for the more constant experience of His presence, and pray, "Abide with us!!"
    Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
    But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, Lord.
    Familiar, condescending, patient, free,
    Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
  22. Jerry
    I guess I still got a sermon section here. ?

    Thankful For The Love Of God

    Love is not an emotion (though it may effect them) - love is a choice. Love is an action verb. Always seeking the best for others.

    John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

    John 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

    Romans 5:6-10  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

    When we were at our worst, God gave His best! He proved/showed/demonstrated His love to us by sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins.

    1 John 4:8-10  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

    1 John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.

    We learn love through the Lord Jesus Christ's example for us - He loved us first!

    Consider each point of the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, thinking about Christ’s/God’s love as an example for us, and how our love is to be towards others and towards the Lord in return.

    The word translated as charity here is the Greek word agape. It means "love," and is often referred as the deep love of God, a self-sacrificial love that desires the best for others. Matthew Henry points out that the word charity was used by the translators to indicate when they believed love towards BOTH God and man was in view in that particular verse or passage.

    1 Corinthians 13:4  Charity suffereth long, - Longsuffering, forbearing. Webster's 1828 Dictionary gives this as one of his definitions for forbearance: "The exercise of patience; long suffering; indulgence towards those who injure us; lenity; delay of resentment or punishment."
     
    In the Gospel Mission, we often see people at the lowest point in their lives, and there are some that are extremely difficult to handle at times - but love forbears and still reaches out to them, helping them and caring for them.

    The Bible speaks in various places of God's forbearance towards us. Several references are:

    Colossians 3:13-14 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

    Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

    and is kind; - Webster’s: Kind: "1. Disposed to do good to others, and to make them happy by granting their requests, supplying their wants or assisting them in distress; having tenderness or goodness of nature; benevolent; benignant.
    2. Proceeding from tenderness or goodness of heart; benevolent; as a kind act; a kind return of favors."

    Real love is not just wishing others well, but putting shoe leather on our intentions and doing good to others.

    Psalm 92:1-2 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

    Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

    charity envieth not; - Webster's: Envy:  "v.t. [L. invideo, in and video, to see against, that is, to look with enmity.]
    1. To feel uneasiness, mortification or discontent, at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another; to repine at another's prosperity; to fret or grieve one's self at the real or supposed superiority of another, and to hate him on that account.
    2. To grudge; to withhold maliciously.
    EN'VY, n. Pain, uneasiness, mortification or discontent excited by the sight of another's superiority or success, accompanied with some degree of hatred or malignity, and often or usually with a desire or an effort to depreciate the person, and with pleasure in seeing him depressed. Envy springs from pride, ambition or love, mortified that another has obtained what one has a strong desire to possess."

    Love does not hate/despise someone else because of what they have or because they are better off in some way than you. The love of God in believers - produced through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit in us - enables us to desire and work towards the best for others, just as the Lord is working out all things for good in our own lives. 

    Romans 5:5b ...because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

    Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

    1 John 3:17-18 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

    charity vaunteth not itself, - Is not boastful; doesn’t brag about themself.

    is not puffed up, - Is not inflated with pride. 

    I have seen many in our community and even some that come through our doors that look down on others - whether these others are clients or staff at the Mission - because the image of homelessness or low income families disgusts them. That is pride - agape love cares for others and does not elevate themselves above those in need. Neither does it look down on those who are struggling with sin in their lives, knowing we are just as prone to wander, and just as much in need of the Lord's forgiveness and cleansing in our own lives. There is no place for pride in the heart of a saved individual - the ground is level at the foot of the cross.

    1 Corinthians 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, - Does not act in an inappropriate manner towards others. 

    True love will do what is right around others, will not treat them wrong or act towards them in an ungodly way.

    One passage that comes to mind about our Saviour shows that He did not flip out or act inappropriately, even when dealing with lost sinners. I cringe whenever I hear shouting in the hallways where I live, where a husband and wife (or parents and children) are yelling at each other, cursing each other out, but Jesus never did that when He ministered here on earth. He showed His love towards those around Him (and still shows it towards us), even when He needed to correct their sin.

    Matthew 12:18-21 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

    seeketh not her own, - Is not selfish, self-centered, is looking out for the best for others, not simply for themself.

    is not easily provoked, - Not easily exasperated with others. 

    Following up on the book of James (which we covered at the Mission last month), love is slow to wrath, slow to be angry or frustrated with others, slow to retaliate or respond in the same manner (leaving vengeance in the Lord's hands). Sometimes it is hard not to react badly when someone is cursing you out or dumping on you (as we sometimes say), but true love tries to react in a Christ-like manner. And, no, that does not mean we never get upset at sin or someone's bad behavior - but we learn more how to bear it and deal with it it a right way that honors the Lord and responds appropriately.

    thinketh no evil; - Strong's Concordance: Thinketh: "to take an inventory, i.e. estimate...:--conclude...."
    - Strong's: Evil: "worthless (intrinsically such...), that is (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious:--bad, ...harm[ful], ...wicked."

    Of course, love means we should not be thinking wicked or harmful thoughts about/towards others - but I find the definition here interesting. We are not to think of others as "worthless." In this ministry, we have many coming through our doors that no longer feel they are of value to others - YET God considers them of worth, and we should too - if we claim to have love for them.

    1 Corinthians 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, - Strong's: Rejoiceth:"to be full of 'cheer',... be glad."
    - Strong's: Iniquity: "(legal) injustice (properly, the quality, by implication, the act); morally, wrongfulness (of character, life or act):--iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong."

    Not glad for injustice done to others. There are many in our society, even on the street, that take pleasure when wrong is done to others, when someone is ripped off, when others are treated unfairly (kind of like bullies in school). Part of the definition refers to legal injustice done - we see a lot of that in our world, when a judge lets the wicked off and the righteous or innocent get charged falsely and lose what they have. Love does not rejoice in this!

    but rejoiceth in the truth; - Strong's: Rejoiceth: "to sympathize in gladness, congratulate:--rejoice in (with)."
    - Strong's: Truth: "true (as not concealing)."

    Real love rejoiceth when the truth comes out, when the righteous and the innocent are vindicated. The Lord will right the injustices we face in life - whether now or in eternity.

    Psalm 37:5-6 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

    1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

    Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

    1 Corinthians 13:7  Beareth all things, - Strong's: Beareth: "to roof over, i.e. (figuratively) to cover with silence (endure patiently)."

    Love covers the sins of others, overlooks them, does not hold them against someone.

    1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

    One of the main themes of the Bible is Christ's atonement for our sins. Atonement means "to cover." Jesus' blood covers the repentant believer's sins and washes them away; therefore, they are no longer held against that believer. Only God's love can do that!

    1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

    Psalm 103:10-14 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

    believeth all things, - Strong's: Believeth: "to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ)."

    How is your walk with the Lord? Are you growing in your faith? Love towards God is believing all that He has said.

    hopeth all things, - Hope means "confident expectation."

    Loving God is believing and receiving His promises - confidently expecting Him to fulfill them as He is working in your life.

    endureth all things. - Strong's: Endureth: "to stay under (behind), i.e. remain; figuratively, to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere."

    Loving the Lord is enduring the trials He allows in your life - knowing every single one of them has a purpose, and one of those purposes is to make you more like your Saviour. Are you trusting in your Heavenly Father - believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things He has planned for you?

    1 Corinthians 13:8a  Charity never faileth: - Never: "Not even at any time, i.e. never at all."
    - Strong's: Faileth: "to drop away; specially, be driven out of one's course; figuratively, to lose, become inefficient:--...take none effect."

    God's love will NEVER, EVER fail! He will ALWAYS fulfill His work in your life. He will NEVER be driven out of course in His plan for you. His love will NEVER lose its power, NEVER become inefficient, NEVER be of no effect in your life.

    When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, when His love is shed abroad in our hearts and we are actively showing that love to those around us in a Christlike and Biblical manner (emphasis on loving others in a Biblical manner, because there is much fluff in our modern thinking of love), it WILL have a lasting, powerful, transforming effect on others - just as the Lord's love has had a life changing effect on you (if you are His child).

    Loving others is in accordance with obeying the Lord and following His Word - ie. loving others is doing right towards them.

    1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

    2 Peter 1:3-11 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    1 Corinthians 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

    Right now, faith, hope, and charity (love towards God and man) abide - they remain, are lasting, endure. In eternity, faith and hope will be done away with, they will have fulfilled their purpose. There will be no more need for faith, as we will be walking by sight, we will see our Saviour and our saved loved ones face to face. There will be no more need for hope, for confidently expecting the Lord to keep His promises, as we will see the fulfillment of all He has promised and all Bible prophecies come to pass.

    However, charity - love towards God and man - will last forever. We will be dwelling in God's presence, worshipping and loving Him, and living in love with our brethren in Christ. Charity will endure forever - no wonder the greatest of these is charity (love)!

    1 John 4:16-17 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect (complete), that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

    Most of us are quite familiar with John 3:16, but how many of us know 1 John 3:16?

    1 John 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

    Are you thankful for God's love? Have you responded to it by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Are you showing that love to others?

    Ah, the love of God - one of my favourite themes, and one of my favorite hymns:  
    The Love Of God
    (Lyrics: Frederick Lehman)

    The love of God is greater far
    Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
    It goes beyond the highest star,
    And reaches to the lowest hell;
    The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
    God gave His Son to win;
    His erring child He reconciled,
    And pardoned from his sin.

    Chorus:
    O love of God, how rich and pure!
    How measureless and strong!
    It shall forevermore endure
    The saints’ and angels’ song.

    When years of time shall pass away,
    And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
    When men, who here refuse to pray,
    On rocks and hills and mountains call,
    God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
    All measureless and strong;
    Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
    The saints’ and angels’ song.

    Could we with ink the ocean fill,
    And were the skies of parchment made,
    Were every stalk on earth a quill,
    And every man a scribe by trade,
    To write the love of God above,
    Would drain the ocean dry.
    Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
    Though stretched from sky to sky.

    Preached October 10th/2010
    Written October 11th/2010
    Jerry Bouey
  23. Jerry
    The Ark Of Salvation As Related By Spurgeon

    The following is Charles Spurgeon's telling of what his search for salvation was like, using a very neat and encouraging illustration to get his point across. Have you found your rest in the Ark of Salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ?

    "I could not believe that it was possible that my sins could be forgiven. I do not know why, but I seemed to be the odd person in the world. When the catalogue was made out, it appeared to me that, for some reason, I must have been left out. If God had saved me, and not the world, I should have wondered indeed; but if He had saved all the world except me, that would have seemed to me to be but right. And now, being saved by grace, I cannot help saying, 'I am indeed a brand plucked out of the fire!' I believe that some of us who were kept by God a long while before we found Him, love Him better perhaps than we should have done if we had received Him directly; and we can preach better to others, we can speak more of His lovingkindness and tender mercy. John Bunyan could not have written as he did if he had not been dragged about by the devil for many years. I love that picture of dear old Christian. I know, when I first read The Pilgrim's Progress, and saw in it the woodcut of Christian carrying the burden on his back, I felt so interested in the poor fellow, that I thought I should jump with joy when, after he had carried his heavy load so long, he at last got rid of it; and that was how I felt when the burden of guilt, which I had borne so long, was for ever rolled away from my shoulders and my heart."

    "I can recollect when, like the poor dove sent out by Noah from his hand, I flew over the wide expanse of waters, and hoped to find some place where I might rest my wearied wing. Up towards the North I flew; and my eye looked keenly through the mist and darkness, if perhaps it might find some floating substance on which my soul might rest its foot, but it found nothing. Again it turned its wing, and flapped it, but not so rapidly as before, across that deep water that knew no shore; but still there was no rest. The raven had found its resting-place upon a floating body, and was feeding itself upon the carrion of some drowned man's carcass; but my poor soul found no rest. I flew on; I fancied I saw a ship sailing out at sea; it was the ship of the law; and I thought I would put my feet on its canvas, or rest myself on its cordage for a time, and find some refuge. But, ah! it was an airy phantom, on which I could not rest; for my foot had no right to rest on the law; I had not kept it, and the soul that keepeth it not, must die. At last I saw the barque Christ Jesus, - that happy ark; and I thought I would fly thither; but my poor wing was weary, I could fly no further, and down I sank; but, as providence would have it, when my wings were flagging, and I was falling into the flood to be drowned, just below me was the roof of the ark, and I saw a hand put out from it, and One took hold of me, and said, 'I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore I have not delivered the soul of My turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked; come in, come in!' Then I found that I had in my mouth an olive leaf of peace with God, and peace with man, plucked off by Jesus' mighty power."

    From C.H. Spurgeon's AutOBiography, Volume One, pages 103-104.
  24. Jerry

    True Friendships

    By Jerry,

    True Friendships

    This is the message I preached on February 15th at the Gospel Mission.

    Webster's 1828 Dictionary gives this as his first definition for friend: "One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity; opposed to foe or enemy."

    He also defines friendly as: "Having the temper and disposition of a friend; kind; favorable; disposed to promote the good of another." While we cannot be friends with everyone we meet, we can always choose to be friendly.

    Last week, I preached again on The Work Of Thy Hands, and in it I also covered the verses about God being the Father of the fatherless and setting the solitary in families. Afterwards, I had someone come up to me and make this statement: "I would rather be surrounded by friends than family because you can choose your friends; you can't choose your family." How true that is, when it comes to our physical families.

    Yesterday, I asked several friends to come up with some statements about friendships, such as "a friend loves you" and "a friend encourages you." Here are some of the statements or descriptions they gave me: Cares for you, will earnestly pray for you, will want to be around you, will tell you when you are wrong, will encourage you, will teach you God’s Word; patient, forgiving, forbearing, sacrificing/self-denying, honest (truthful), edifying/nurturing, encouraging; reaching out, watching your back/looking out for you, rescue/help you when needed.

    Clarence Sexton gave the following three main points in his sermon on Friendship: Compassion, Confidence (ie. someone you can confide in), Companionship.

    All of these are essential elements of true friendships. It is interesting to note that all of these qualities can be found in our Lord Jesus Christ's friendship towards us.

    The best Biblical examples of friendship are Jonathan and David in the Old Testament, and Christ toward fallen man (especially those who trust Him for salvation). If you want to learn how to be a true friend to those the Lord places in your life, study out how Jonathan befriended and watched out for David when his father Saul was seeking to kill him, and how David took care of Jonathan's son after Jonathan was killed; then see Jesus' compassion and love to those He encountered day by day during His years of public ministry. There is much we can glean from these examples.

    Three times in the Bible Abraham is called the friend of God (see 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; and James 2:23). We can study out Abraham's relationship and fellowship with the Lord to learn more about this theme.

    James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

    One of the saddest notes in all of Scripture is related in the following passages:

    Zechariah 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

    Jesus came to the house of Israel, became a man, a descendant of the Jewish nation, to one day die on the cross for our sins. While we knew this had to happen to pay the price for our redemption, it is so sad to note that it was the nation of His friends that were directly involved in His death (though ALL of mankind is guilty in this regard - it is the sins of all mankind that sent Him to the cross). He was even betrayed by someone He called His friend - Judas Iscariot.

    Psalms 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

    Matthew 26:47-50 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

    For the rest of this study, I mostly want to focus on some positive statements about friends from the book of Proverbs and the Gospels. As you read the following passages, consider where you can apply these principles in your own life.

    Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

    Troublesome times in our lives will prove whether our friends are true friends, or just "friends" when it is convenient for them, friends only while the money and gifts are flowing. (See Proverbs 19:4, 6-7.) A true friend will stick by you no matter what, and will be there for you when the trials come.

    Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

    I have always been a loner for as long as I can remember. It is often hard for me to reach out to others whom I do not know. Because of this drawback in my character, I am grateful to be working at a Gospel Mission where I am forced out of my comfort zone and continually interacting with new people, where I am in a position to touch lives I might otherwise have not. If we want friends, WE need to be friendly! I remember speaking to a young man once shortly after I got saved. He was grumbling about how no one in church would reach out to him - yet he stayed by himself and didn't reach out to anyone else either! Yes, more mature believers should be doing what they can to make visitors feel welcome into their fellowship, BUT God's Word says if we want friends, we need to be friendly. God's Word is true, even when it contradicts us.

    I love the second half of this verse: there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. That True Friend is Jesus! Even the best of our earthly friends cannot always be there. Perhaps they may move away or pass on, perhaps something may happen to strain our relationship, but the Lord Jesus Christ is the Friend that will always stick with those that place their faith in Him. He will never leave us or forsake us!

    Proverbs 27:5-6 Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

    An enemy or false friend will flatter you, but a true friend will always speak the truth. Rebuke not only refers to correction, but carries the idea of reproving with the intent of stopping the errant behaviour. That honest confrontation from a friend may hurt at first, but it shows that they really care. Consider the following verses about rebuking in the context of loving someone else:

    Leviticus 19:17-18 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

    In a time where tolerance is preached, we need to listen to God's Word again, and love our neighbours and friends God's way, in a way that shows we care by taking a stand against the sins that are destroying them and harming their families. Rescue the perishing; have compassion, making a difference.

    Jude 1:22-23 And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

    Proverbs 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

    When we seek to encourage and edify our friends, the words spoken are sweet to their soul. I could prOBably do a whole message on this theme. Lord willing, I will save it for another time.

    Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

    True friendships will sharpen one another. Sometimes this may result in sparks flying, but the end result is that their friend’s personality, efforts, thoughts, etc. are challenged and transformed for the better.

    Countenance means "face." How often have you seen someone's face or eyes light up when their friends were near or when they talked about them? One man at the Mission told me and another coworker last month that he saw the way our faces brightened up whenever we spoke about Jesus, and that caused him to desire what we have! The excitement and changes in this man have been amazing. His face is always lighting up when he sees me and several of the other workers at the Mission, and when he hears our devotions or testimonies we share at the Mission.

    Song of Solomon 5:9, 16 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?... yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

    Jesus is altogether lovely! He doesn't just desire to be your Saviour, but He longs to be your Friend. That is a more tender relationship, a closeness, an intimacy that this world can never give us.

    Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

    Jesus' enemies slandered Him during His ministry, yet I find their charge against Him a reason for tremendous comfort. Jesus is a friend of publicans and sinners. He is the Friend of the outcast in society, a Friend to the one who is down and out and in need of help. He is a Friend to the sinner. In fact, He came to die on the cross and shed His blood so that sinners could be reconciled to Him - because He loves us! Truly, He is the Greatest Friend any of us could ever ask for!

    John 15:9-17 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

    Some points from this passage:

    A. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

    The Old Testament teaches us to love one another, but it is in the New Testament that we are shown love by Jesus' example. Now we can know what it means to love one another as He loved us.

    B. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

    True friendship will involve sacrificial love, self-denying for the good of others. Jesus provided the best example of sacrificial love by dying on the cross for us. He laid down His life for His friends.

    1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

    1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

    C. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

    The Bible is filled with commands from cover to cover - not just the 10 Commandments. Many find the thought of OBedience to these commands burdensome; but the true believer who desires to do the Father's will seeks to OBey the Lord out of love - because he cares about his Saviour and desires to please Him in all things. This is what true friendship involves: learning what pleases our friends, and seeking to do those things out of love. It is interesting to note that Jesus told us these things so that our joy might be full.

    I came across this quote shortly after preaching this devotion today, yet it fit so well, I wanted to include it in this study:

    "Paul is saying that you can keep every commandment and still not live the Christian life. You can not only keep all Ten Commandments, you can follow every commandment others put down for you to live by, and you still would not be living the Christian life. Also there are the antinomians who think they can do as they please and be living the Christian life. These folk are as extreme as the legalists. The Christian life is not either one; it is liberty in Christ. 'Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.' What does the gospel of grace do for the believer? It is grace, not law, that frees us from doing wrong and allows us to do right. Grace does not set us free to sin, but it sets us free from sin. You see, the believer should desire to please God, not because he must please Him like a slave, but because he is a son and he wills to please his Father. He does what God wants, not because he fears to do otherwise like an enemy, but because he wants to do it, for God is his friend." (J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible Commentary, Volume 5, page 187.)

    D. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

    While we are to serve the Lord, Jesus considers us more than mere servants - He considers us friends. Part of true friendship involves telling each other what is important to us, what pleases us, what we want them to know - and Jesus does that in His Word. He teaches us how to live for Him, reveals what the future holds, and exhorts us to be faithful until His return.

    What a Friend we have in Jesus! He surely is a True Friend to us! Let's take His example and be a true friend to those around us.

    February 15th/2010
    Jerry Bouey
  25. Jerry
    A Psalm Of Guidance (Psalm 25) - Part One

    This is the first of seven Acrostic Psalms (see also Psalms 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145), where each verse (or each section of eight verses in the case of Psalm 119) begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

    Psalms 25:1 A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.

    The Bible, especially the Old Testament, refers to various people lifting up their hands, their eyes, their voices, but here we have the Psalmist lifting up his soul to the Lord. Instead of choosing to focus on the vain things of this world (see Psalm 24:4), David resolved to focus only on the Lord. Truly, that is the secret of finding out God's will for your life - having a heart and soul focused steadfastly on the Lord.

    "With poetic passion, David cried out to God how that he laid his very soul before the Lord. Truly, this is fervent prayer. His heart was bared. His soul was offered up in prayer to God. God pays heed to such prayer." (David Sorenson, Understanding The Bible, JOB Through Psalms, page 265.)

    "...In worshipping God we must lift up our souls to him. Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God... With a holy contempt of the world and the things of it, by a fixed thought and active faith, we must set God before us, and let out our desires towards him as the fountain of our happiness." (Matthew Henry.)

    Psalms 86:4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

    Psalms 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

    Lamentations 3:41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

    Let us lift up our hearts and voices to the Lord in praise, our hands in service and in holy prayer, and our souls in worship - looking unto Jesus.

    Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

    Psalms 25:2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

    This is the first of three verses in this Psalm that speak about being ashamed or not ashamed. Notice that it is our trust in the Lord God that will ensure that we are not ashamed. The Apostle Paul had that same idea when he penned these words:

    2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

    God's enemies will be ashamed, but those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and commit themselves unto Him will have nothing to be ashamed about on the day of judgment when the Lord returns for His own.

    Psalms 25:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

    To trangress, according to Webster's 1828 Dictionary, means: "1. To pass over or beyond any limit; to surpass. 2. In a moral sense, to overpass any rule prescribed as the limit of duty; to break or violate a law, civil or moral. To transgress a divine law is sin."

    Those who rebel against the Lord will have cause to be ashamed, but those that wait on Him in faith will be blessed and rewarded. When studying the Bible, it is always good to pay attention to any repetition of words, phrases, or ideas. There are three references to waiting upon the Lord in this Psalm. When God repeats Himself in His Word, we need to listen and hearken. In the context of God's guidance, this verse may very well be indicating that God will bless those who wait upon His leading, but woe to those who rush ahead of the Lord and run headlong into sin. (See Isaiah 50:10-11) Wait upon the Lord!

    Psalms 25:4-5 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

    "When the believer has begun with trembling feet to walk in the way of the Lord, he asks to be still led onward like a little child upheld by its parent's helping hand, and he craves to be further instructed in the alphabet of truth... Patience is the fair handmaid and daughter of faith; we cheerfully wait when we are certain that we shall not wait in vain. It is our duty and our privilege to wait upon the Lord in service, in worship, in expectancy, in trust all the days of our life. Our faith will be tried faith, and if it be of the true kind, it will bear continued trial without yielding. We shall not grow weary of waiting upon God if we remember how long and how graciously He once waited for us." (Spurgeon, Morning And Evening.)

    "What he desired to learn: 'Teach me, not fine words or fine notions, but thy ways, thy paths, thy truth...' God's paths and his truth are the same; divine laws are all founded upon divine truths. The way of God's precepts is the way of truth, Ps. 119:30. Christ is both the way and the truth, and therefore we must learn Christ... What he pleads, (1.) His great expectation from God: Thou art the God of my salvation. Note, Those that choose salvation of God as their end, and make him the God of their salvation, may come boldly to him for direction in the way that leads to that end. If God save us, he will teach us and lead us. He that gives salvation will give instruction. (2.) His constant attendance on God: On thee do I wait all the day. Whence should a servant expect direction what to do but from his own master, on whom he waits all the day? If we sincerely desire to know our duty, with a resolution to do it, we need not question but that God will direct us in it." (Matthew Henry.)

    It is God's ways, God's paths, and God's truth that David longs to know. Is this what you long for? There are seven direct references in this Psalm to God's guidance: teach (5 times), lead, guide. According to Psalm 23:4, if the Lord is your Shepherd, it is up to Him to lead you in the paths of righteousness, and up to you to submit to that leading and follow the Good Shepherd. We don't need to run ourselves ragged trying to "figure out" what the Lord would have us to do; we just need to OBey what He has already revealed to us, and He will show us the next step we are to take when it is truly needed - in His time.

    "Do what you know, and God will teach you what to do. Do what you know to be your present duty, and God will acquaint you with your future duty as it comes to be present." (Samuel Annesley, Treasury Of David.)

    Psalms 25:6-7 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

    A.) Remember.

    Three times in these verses we see the word remember (once it is remember not). To remember something in a Biblical sense means to act on it. For example, when the Bible states that God remembered Noah, it means that God acted on Noah's behalf, that God did something for Noah or about his situation. (See the linked study for more on this theme.) Here the Psalmist is pleading with the Lord to actively show mercy, lovingkindness, and goodness to him.

    On a side note: Psalm 13:1 (and similar passages such as Psalm 42:9; 77:9; Isaiah 49:14; Hosea 4:6) had puzzled me until recently when I recalled the Biblical usage of remember, in contrast with God forgetting something (ie. not actively working on behalf of that person or situation - or even actively working against someone; see Jeremiah 23:39 and Lamentations 2:1). How could true, faithful believers think that the Lord God had completely forgotten about them? Surely their faith could not be that small or falter that much when they are striving to focus on the Lord!

    Psalm 13:1 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

    The Lord God cannot forget about His people (in the sense we use the term today); however, sometimes we can get discouraged when it seems He is not actively working on our behalf in a given situation. In Psalm 13, David was lamenting that he could not see the Lord at work, and in Psalm 25, he is crying out to this effect: Lord, let me see Your lovingkindness and mercy at work in my life, let me see You at work in this situation that has me distraught.

    B.) For Thy Sake.

    ...according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake...

    It is a blessing to note that in the Psalms, there are five different aspects of God's character and nature that the various Psalmists plead as reasons for God to help them: because of His mercies' sake, His goodness' sake, His truth's sake, His righteousness' sake, and His name's sake (five is typical of God's grace). God is merciful, good, righteous, and truthful. He is the only source of truth - He is Truth. He is also the only source of righteousness for man.

    There are seven times the book of Psalms refers to the Lord doing something for His name's sake (seven is typical of the Lord's perfection/completion). His name - Jesus, which means "the Lord is salvation/Saviour" - represents who He is and why He came. When He does something for His name's sake, it is a reflection of His character as Saviour.

    It is wonderful to see the grace offered to God's children, and how He will perfect the work He has begun on the behalf of those who trust in Him.

    Psalms 6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

    Psalms 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

    Psalms 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

    Psalms 25:11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

    Psalms 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

    Psalms 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.

    Psalms 44:26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

    Psalms 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

    Psalms 106:8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

    Psalms 109:21 But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

    Psalms 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

    Psalms 143:11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

    The references in the Psalms to His name's sake (and their surrounding context) all have to do with deliverance from trouble (including deliverance from enemies) and forgiveness of (deliverance from) sins. Jesus' name means "Saviour," and deliverance (both physical and spiritual) is what being a Saviour is all about!

    C. Remember Not.

    Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions...

    Here is the first of three references to forgiveness of his sins in Psalm 25. Strong's Concordance gives this definition of sins: "from 2398; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness)." He also gives this for 2398: "properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin." In other words, to "miss the mark" of God's will for our lives in that area. The New Testament equivalent would be the Greek word, hamartia, from a root meaning: "properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin." Picture a game of darts, where each contestant is striving to throw their darts at the dartboard. The target is the bullseye. It does not matter how much each person misses the target, if they miss it by a millimeter or by a mile, they have still missed the mark and will not share in the prize. All of mankind has missed the mark of God's perfect will for their lives because of their sin and rebellion against Him, and has forfeited the prize of eternal life. But, praise the Lord, the story does not end there! What mankind could not do (ie. perfectly fulfill the will of God, perfectly OBey the Law of God), the Lord Jesus Christ did. He lived a perfect, sinless life, and by His death, burial and resurrection - by His completed work of redemption, by His payment for our sin on Calvary - salvation is freely offered to all!

    Transgression means "The act of passing over or beyond any law or rule of moral duty; the violation of a law or known principle of rectitude; breach of command." Basically, going beyond the bounds commanded by God and sinning; ie. the Lord commands us not to do something or go somewhere, and we do it or go there anyway.

    As stated already, to remember something Biblically means to act on it. To remember not something would be the exact opposite. In this context, to not remember our sins means that the Lord is not holding them against us; He is not acting against us because of our sins. When we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone to save us, when we place our faith in Jesus and His finished work of redemption, then God forgets our sins (not in the sense that He no longer has knowledge of them, but in the sense that He is no longer actively holding those sins against us). This is an example we can follow - we may not be able to stop a past sin from coming to mind, but we can choose not to hold those sins against someone.

    Psalms 79:8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

    Isaiah 64:9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

    Here are two passages that illustrate what it means to remember our sins:

    1 Kings 17:17-18 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

    Jeremiah 14:10-12 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an OBlation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

    Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His New Covenant provided by His shed blood and death upon the cross for our sins!! The following two passages show us God's promise to remember [our] sins no more:

    Jeremiah 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

    Hebrews 10:14-18 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

    Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

    "'Remember not the sins of my youth; that is, remember them not against me, lay them not to my charge, enter not into judgment with me for them.' When God pardons sin he is said to remember it no more, which denotes a plenary remission; he forgives and forgets." (Matthew Henry.)

    We know the Lord will never forget His children - but we can praise Him forever for forgetting our sins!

    Basic outline preached February 27th/2010
    Study written March 4th/2010
    Jerry Bouey

    Source: A Psalm Of Guidance (Psalm 25) - Part One
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