UNITY AND EXPOSTION OF GRACE AND TRUTH

UNITY AND EXPOSITION OF GRACE AND TRUTH

"Full of grace and truth" John 1:14

In that phrase John recorded the full and final impression made upon him and his fellow-disciples by their time of comradeship with Jesus Christ. They were written, in all probability long years after that time of comradeship, so far as His bodily presence was concerned, was over. They lived with Him, traveled with Him, listened to His teaching, watched His works, and above all observed Him in all the circumstances of the varied days; and when the whole result needed to be written, John did it by saying, "Full of grace and truth." The description moreover, is given in a yet briefer way by the use of one word in the preceding parenthetical statement, they beheld His glory; and in the whole of that statement the most inspiring truth is declared—it was "glory as of the Only begotten from the Father." Here then we find the content of the glory of God. It is the UNITY OF GRACE AND TRUTH. Here then we have the EXPOSITION OF GRACE AND TRUTH. It is found in Jesus Christ. These two ideas should hold our minds and direct our lives. GOD IS GRACE, AND TRUTH. Not the one without the other; not the other apart from the one. In His government there can be no lowering of the simple and severe standard of Truth; and there is no departure from the purpose and passion of Grace. To say that, is to realize that the CROSS WAS NECESSITATED BY THE NATURE OF GOD. Then, when we would know Truth we must know Jesus Christ; and when we would apprehend Grace we must come to Him.

RESTORATION AND PROSPERITY TO JERUSALEM

RESTORATION AND PROSPERITY TO JERUSALEM  

"For I, saith Jehovah, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her" Zech. 2:5

At the 7th verse of ch. 1 begins the series of eight visions in which the history of Israel from then to the consummation of the Divine purpose was foretold. The 1st that of the myrtle trees (1:7-17), which shows the long period during which the chosen people of God must dwell among the shadows. The 2nd, that of horns and smiths (1:18-21), recognizes the forces which will be against these people; and the forces which God raises up to destroy those who scatter them. These words occur in the 3rd vision, which occupies the whole of this chapter. It is a radiant setting forth of the restoration and prosperity which will eventually come to Israel as the result of the Divine care. IT IS A GLORIOUS VISION OF JERUSALEM AS IT WILL BE. A young man was seen going forth to measure the city. He was stopped and told in effect that no measurement of his could encompass the spacious glory of that city of God which would stretch out into the garden lands like villages. Then came this fine and final figure of speech. When that city is established at last, she will need no material walls to render her safe, Jehovah will encompass her as a wall of fire and be in the midst of her as her supreme glory. The city of God has always been the goal of the men and women of faith in their pilgrimage, their witness, and their warfare, and no suggestion as to its glory and beauty and safety, in all the Biblical literature, is more perfect and wonderful than this.

HOW WE HINDER GOD

HOW WE HINDER GOD 

"Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you" 1 Sam. 12:23

Let us be very careful not to misread these words of Samuel, for rightly apprehended they are most arresting and revealing. Samuel did not say: “Far be it in me that I should sin against you in ceasing to pray for you." There is a secondary sense in which he might have said that, for we do certainly sin against men when we cease to pray for them. But that is so for the very reason which is revealed in what Samuel did actually say, namely: "Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you." His thought was that if he ceased to pray for Israel he would be SINNING AGAINST GOD. What a remarkable truth is involved in that conception concerning prayer. Quite simply stated, it is that IN PRAYER WE CREATE CONDITIONS which make it possible for God to act in ways otherwise impossible to Him. WHEN WE CEASE TO PRAY WE LIMIT GOD. WHEN WE PRAY WE OPEN HIS WAY TO ACT. We may not be able to account for this philosophically. It may seem to us as though our praying could not possibly make any difference to the putting forth of the Divine power, even though it might possibly affect His will. As a matter of fact, the reverse is true. No prayer of mine can change the will of God, which is ever "good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom. 12:2) But my prayer can and does make it possible for His power to operate in ways impossible apart from it. When I cease to pray for men, I sin against God first, because I hinder Him in that I do not help Him. Therefore I GRIEVOUSLY SIN against men when I CEASE TO PRAY FOR THEM. (See 1 Cor. 1:11)

OUR PRAYERS HELP BRING DELIVERANCE'S

OUR PRAYERS HELP BRING DELIVERANCE'S 

"Ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication" 2 Cor. 1:11

This is pre-eminently the comfort chapter of the New Testament. Writing to his children in Corinth and Achaia, Paul was recalling a dark experience through which he had passed in Asia, when he had in affliction come so near to death, that he had actually died but for the deliverance of God. In all that time of suffering he had known the comfort of God, and now knew that through such experiences of trial and of comfort, he had been prepared to COMFORT OTHERS. The deliverance of the past filled him with confidence about whatever the future might bring. He was confident that He would still deliver him. It is at this point that the words we have selected flash out upon us. Notice the surprising connection: "He will also still deliver us; ye also helping together . . . by your supplication." Our PRAYERS for our loved ones help God to work DELIVERANCE FOR THEM. That is a deep MYSTERY, but it is a fact of which it is important for us to take heed. There are things which God can do only when we pray. It was surely that conviction in the olden days which made Samuel said as he retired from his judgeship to make way for Said, "Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you." (1 Sam. 12:23) Observe carefully that he did not say that by ceasing to pray he would sin against them, but that HE WOULD SIN AGAINST JEHOVAH. When we cease to pray, WE LIMIT GOD, and wrong our friends. We may not understand this, but we ought to act upon it. By our SUPPLICATIONS, we are helping together in the DELIVERANCE'S God works for our loved ones.

HIS PATIENCE HAS LIMITS

HIS PATIENCE HAS LIMITS 

"She is empty and void and waste, and the heart melts, and the knees smite together, and anguish is in all loins, and the faces of them all are waxed pale" Nahum 2:10

These words describe the effect of the Divine vengeance, as manifested in the city and the people. The condition of the former is set forth with graphic force in three words, "empty, void, waste." There is the utmost of finality in this collocation of words. Nothing remains to be said. The proud city, of splendid architecture, of accumulated treasure, of the utmost luxury, is seen as a dreary, degraded desolation. The literal fulfillment of this Divine sentence is a matter of history. The condition of the people as the result of the vengeance is described with equal force. When the Divinely appointed scourge fell in hammer blows upon the vile nation, the heart melted, that is inward courage failed; therefore, the knees smote together, that is outward courage failed; anguish was in all loins, that is the vital forces were filled with agony; and the faces of all waxed pale, that is they paled in death. What a commentary this prediction and its historic fulfillment are on the exclamation of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31) These aspects of the Divine government abide. He is still "slow to anger," (Neh. 9:17; Psa. 103:8; 145:8; Nahum 1:3) but when men or nations persist in wickedness in spite of His patience, then still "with an overrunning flood, He will make a full end." And again we say, this certainly gives the trusting heart comfort and courage. However proudly evil rear its head and vaunt itself, it is doomed.

COMMUNION THROUGH A BAD MARRIAGE

COMMUNION THROUGH A BAD MARRIAGE 

"The valley of Achor for a door of hope" Hosea 2:1

What a wonderful phrase that is, and perhaps more so when we translate Achor, and read: "The valley of troubling for a door of hope." We are now introduced to the tragedy in the life of the prophet. Gomer had proved UNFAITHFUL, and that in the worst way, being guilty not of ADULTERY only, but of HARLOTRY. But while his own heart was thus stricken, Hosea was still in COMMUNION WITH GOD ABOUT ISRAEL, and preparing for his ministry to the people, perhaps already exercising it. Into that COMMUNION his personal sorrow entered, and Jehovah made it the means of making the prophet UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INFIDELITY OF ISRAEL MEANT TO HIM. Thus the prophet's words pass almost at once into the language of Jehovah. The anger of Jehovah is that of WOUNDED LOVE, and His dealings with His people are to be characterized by the severity which grows out of such anger. Through stern discipline, Israel will be RESTORED; that restoration being the purpose of the discipline: "The valley of troubling for a door of hope." It is easy to understand the wonder created in the soul of Hosea by all this. SUFFERING THROUGH THE SIN OF GOMER, HE WAS TAUGHT HOW GREAT THE SIN OF ISRAEL WAS, as Jehovah interpreted His own suffering by the suffering of His servant. Having dealt with Gomer by cutting her off from himself he agreed with the rightness of the Divine judgment of Israel. Having cut her off he was to buy her back as God will do with Israel. But was not this a new revelation to him? Jehovah spoke of such discipline as a "valley of troubling for a door of hope"! How about Gomer? Is that how he had thought of the action which he had rightly taken in regard to her?

HOW TO CONTEMPLATE CAREFULLY

 CAREFULLY CONTEMPLATING 

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus" Heb. 3:1

Again we have an appeal based upon what has already been written. Having dealt with the humiliation of the Son, and shown that it had not detracted from His superiority to the angels, but rather enhanced it, in that such 'humiliation' was in order to the doing of His saving, priestly work the writer urged his readers to consider Him: We may link this appeal with the previous. one. The sure way in which to "give earnest heed" to the message of the Son, and to be saved from "drifting,” is to CONSIDER HIM. That consideration is to be of Him in two ways, as Apostle and High Priest. Along these lines we are led in what follows. Jesus is "the Apostle ... of our confession." That marks the DIVINE AUTHORITY OF HIS MESSAGE. He is the Sent One of God. His preeminence in this matter is shown by comparing Hun with Moses and Joshua. Moses was faithful as a servant in the house, but Jesus as a Son over the house. Moses led the people out, but could not lead them in. Jesus leads out of bondage and into the promised possessions. Joshua led the people in, but could not give them rest. Jesus gives rest. Jesus is also "the High Priest of our confession," and that is very fully developed. The whole emphasis of this verse is upon the necessity for considering Him. The idea is that of CAREFUL CONTEMPLATION, ATTENTIVE THINKING. How sadly we often fail here. The holy exercise demands time, method, diligence, and wherever it is practiced we are saved from drifting.