CARRYING ON THE WORK OF THOSE BEFORE

CARRYING ON THE WORK OF THOSE BEFORE

"Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan" Josh. 1:2

 As these words are read, we are reminded of John Wesley's saying: "God buries His workmen, but carries on His work." Joshua was CALLED, EQUIPPED, APPOINTED TO CARRY THE PURPOSE OF GOD A STEP FURTHER; but all he was about to do was made possible by what Moses had already done. The first great leader of the people had COMPLETED his task; he had done what God had APPOINTED him to do, but there were things he could not do. He came to the end of his service knowing the greater things yet to be done. The second leader was now to take up his task; he also must do what God had appointed, knowing that there were things which he could not have done. He came to the beginning of his service knowing his dependence upon the things already done. Thus it always is with regard to God's enterprises in this world. He is SUPREME in PLAN, in PURPOSE, in POWER. He alone is the One Who works CONTINUOUSLY, and without CESSATION, UNTIL THE WORK IS COMPLETED. His instruments are MEN, and high indeed is the honor of being such. EACH WILL TAKE UP A WORK ALREADY BEGUN, AND WILL LEAVE IT UNFINISHED. Each is DEBTOR to those who have gone before, and CREDITOR to those who are to follow. Therefore it behooves us to be filled with HUMILITY AND RESTFULNESS. We must be humble as we remember that no service we render is wholly ours. The conditions which make it possible have been created by others; and indeed in itself it is part of their work. But we must be RESTFUL also. None of us can finish anything. The work we do is part of a larger whole, and when our "twelve hours" have run their course, it will not be completed. God will still continue it, and find other instruments. That is the joy of “working together with Him”. (2 Cor. 6:1)

RADICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAN AND CHILD OF GOD

RADICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAN AND CHILD OF GOD AND THEIR LOVES

"If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" 1 John 2:15

Frederick Maurice said of this text: “John is never afraid of an apparent contradiction, when it saves his readers from a real contradiction." The importance of remembering this is recognized when we place these words, by the side of those with which we so constantly comfort and assure our hearts, that “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." (John 3:16) It is always necessary to distinguish clearly what the term the world connotes in the particular sentence in which it is used. The world which God so loved as to give His only-begotten Son, is the whole order of His creation, at the summit of which, under Himself, is man. He gave His Son to redeem and reinstate man; and through him, thus redeemed and reinstated, to redeem and reinstate the whole creation (Rom. 8:19, 21-22). The world which we are not to love, is that same totality which to use a later statement of John, "lieth in the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). When that is recognized, this statement is seen to be, not a contradiction to the one we have quoted, but in strict harmony with it. To love this world as it is, alienated from God, and in rebellion against His government, is impossible to the man who loves it with the love of the Father, which is a love that seeks its highest good, and therefore can make no terms with evil, but is willing to die in order that it may live. HEREIN IS THE RADICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAN OF THE WORLD AND THE CHILD OF GOD. The man of the world loves a fallen creation with its god and the Child of God awaits a redeemed creation being a new heaven and a new earth and its Ruler. See Romans 8 passages mentioned above.

PASSION AND POWER IN THE CALLING TO SALVATION

PASSION AND POWER IN THE CALLING TO SALVATION 

"As though God were entreating by us; we beseech" 2 Cor. 5:20

What URGENCY breathes through these words! The subject is that of the reconciliation made possible between man and God, because "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." That word of reconciliation is committed to those called to serve Christ. They are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, therefore the URGENCY. They must deliver their message in a way worthy of the One Who sends them: "As though God were pleading by us; we beseech." That was Paul's conception of the way to preach Christ; and it is manifest in all the records we have of his journeying’s, his spoken messages, as well as in his letters. The marvel and the glory of the Divine provision, and the terror and peril of human need, were such as to make anything in the nature of indifference to, results, or coolness in presentation, impossible. Every call was a PLEADING. Moreover he dared to say that in this attitude he was representing God; and every soul who knows anything of the real meaning of the Cross, knows that this is a true word. God does not treat human salvation as a matter about which He can be indifferent or careless. The Cross is His PASSION, His EARNESTNESS; may we not dare to say, that by which He entreats men to be reconciled. In face of that, what can be worse than to declare His message as though it were not a message vital, tremendous, DEMANDING ALL PASSION AND POWER IN ITS DELIVERY? All this makes us think! And perhaps the thinking is better done alone!

ISRAELS STRENGTH COMES FROM ANTAGONISTIC FORCES

ISRAELS STRENGTH COMES FROM ANTAGONISTIC FORCES 

"The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied, and the more they spread abroad" Exod. 1:12

This book of Exodus takes tip the history of the children of Israel, and carries it on from the, point where Genesis left it. Its opening word "Now" is exactly equivalent to "And," thus marking the continuity. It has a character all its own. It is the story of how God rooted the national life of this people in His own REDEEMING LOVE AND POWER. In their days of quiet and prosperity in the land of Goshen, they had never come to NATIONAL CONSTITUTION. They were a SUBJECT RACE. The first pages of this book introduce us to them in circumstances of darkness and difficulty. They were now not SUBJECTS, merely; they were SLAVES; and most unjustly and cruelly oppressed and afflicted. The hopes of Jacob and Joseph concerning a going back into their own land seemed to have no chance of realization. They were absolutely powerless, and if simply left to themselves they were positively threatened with EXTERMINATION. It was to that end that the power of Egypt was working. If there were still any HOPE in their hearts, it was set on GOD. This was HIS HOUR. In the words we emphasize, we have the first evidence of HIS PRESENCE AND HIS BLESSING. On the level of the physical, they could not be destroyed, because God had chosen them for the fulfillment of His purposes. The principle is of perpetual application. Every successive age in the history of men has seen it working. THE MORE THE FORCES ANTAGONISTIC TO THE WILL OF GOD OPERATE AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF GOD THE MORE DO THESE PEOPLE RISE AND GAIN STRENGTH. It is not persecution, but patronage, that they have most to fear.

GRACE AND GLORY IN GOD ARE ONE

GRACE AND GLORY IN GOD ARE ONE 

"According to the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God" 1 Tim. 1:11

This is another instance where the Revision has added greatly to the understanding and beauty of a phrase. In a previous article we observed the difference between "the might of His glory" and "His glorious might" (Col. 1:11). See article GLORIOUS STRENGTH FROM GOD. Here we have the same kind of change. Instead of reading "the glorious Gospel," we have "the Gospel of the Glory." That the Gospel is glorious we know, but the apostolic phrase draws our attention to the fact that the good news is that of "the Glory of the blessed God." Knowing that it is the GOSPEL OF HIS GRACE, we are thus reminded that GRACE AND GLORY IN GOD ARE ONE. That which is the very essence of His splendor and beauty is the infinite love of His heart. Also we may, with perfect accuracy, render the description of God as "the happy God." What unfathomable depths of suggestiveness there are in the words: “The Gospel of the Glory of the happy God"! But now observe how the words are introduced. Immediately before them are the words "according to." When we go back to see what this Gospel is the standard of, we find a remarkable denunciation of evil things, some of the most fearful being named, and all others being included in the words, "and if there be any other thing." All these things are contrary to the sound doctrine, “according to the Gospel of the glory of the happy God”. Thus again, as so constantly in the New Testament, we are reminded that the Gospel makes no excuse for sin, makes no terms with it.

DAY OF JEHOVAH HERE NOW

DAY OF JEHOVAH HERE NOW 

"Alas for the day! For the day of Jehovah is at hand" Joel 1:15

Joel was a prophet to Judah. His message, as found in this book, seems to be one; rather than the notes of a long period of ministry as in the case of Hosea to Israel. The occasion of its delivery was that of the desolation of the land by a locust plague. In the beginning of this chapter, we have his description of that desolation, and from it we learn how terrible it was. It was an hour in which men would be likely to brood upon the calamity, moved very largely by pity for themselves. Then the prophet spoke, and his word interpreted the situation, and called men to recognize the real meaning of the calamities in the midst of which they were living. This was the DAY OF JEHOVAH, which meant that it was the DAY OF DIVINE GOVERNMENT AND ACTIVITY. The coming of the locusts was no accident. They came in ranks, in order; and they wrought the will of God. Therefore the prophet called the PRIESTS and the PEOPLE to HUMILIATION. Here then is the first note of this prophecy. The burden of Joel from first to last was that of the Day of Jehovah, that is, the fact of the Divine government of human affairs; and his first application of that burden was that of calling the people to a recognition of the fact that the DAY OF JEHOVAH was then PRESENT, it was at hand: that is, it was near, not in the sense of approaching, but rather in the sense of actual and immediate activity. There is more to say —as we shall see—but let this first fact be carefully noted. THE DAY OF JEHOVAH IS HERE AND NOW. HE IS REIGNING TODAY. THE CALAMITIES, THROUGH WHICH MEN PASS, ARE ALL UNDER HIS CONTROL. Instead of mourning over sorrow, men should mourn over sin, and cry unto Jehovah.

THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEAVENS

THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEAVENS 

"A great High Priest, Who has passed through the heavens" Heb. 4:11

With these words the writer began his more careful consideration of Jesus as the High Priest of our confession; and as he did so, he employed the word “great." To the Hebrew mind the phrase "High Priest" in itself expressed the highest form of priestly service; it was the ultimate word. This phrase is still further strengthened by the word "great." Jesus is not merely a priest; He is the High Priest, and in that He is GREAT. His priestly work and position are characterized by the UTMOST FINALITY. This GREATNESS is here described in one way. He has "passed through the heavens." The statement is far stronger than it would be if it read "passed into the heavens." The smallest of words changes the meaning of a verse in the scriptures. It helps us to think of Him as entering into the place of CLOSEST NEARNESS TO GOD IN HIS PRIESTLY POSITION. No lower heaven, however exalted, is the place of His work. Through all heavens He passed to that which in some sense is beyond the heavens, to the very place and being of God Himself. Moreover, the phrase is inclusive of His coming to us as well as to His going to God. He passed THROUGH THE HEAVENS TO COME TO MAN, into closest identification; and having accomplished His purposes there, He passed THROUGH THE HEAVENS TO GO TO GOD, into CLOSEST IDENTIFICATION. The same thought is found in Paul's letter to the Ephesians "Now this, He ascended what it is but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far . . . that He might FILL ALL THINGS." (Eph. 4:9-10)