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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29557-h.zip b/29557-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..989408b --- /dev/null +++ b/29557-h.zip diff --git a/29557-h/29557-h.htm b/29557-h/29557-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d809377 --- /dev/null +++ b/29557-h/29557-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4718 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=utf-8"> +<title>The Lord of Glory</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + body {font-family:'Bookman Old Style', 'Book Antiqua', 'Garamond'; text-align:justify; margin-left:3em; margin-right:3em} + p.pnn {margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.ps {margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.pn {text-indent:1.5em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.pns {text-indent:1.5em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.pds {text-indent:1.5em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1.7em} + p.p0 {padding-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p0s {padding-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p1 {padding-left:4em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p1s {padding-left:4em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p2 {padding-left:5em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p2s {padding-left:5em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p3 {padding-left:6em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p3s {padding-left:6em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p4 {padding-left:7em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p4s {padding-left:7em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.rt {text-align:right;margin-top:1.5em; margin-bottom:1em} + + .sc {font-variant:small-caps} + h1 {text-align:center;margin-top:1.8em;margin-bottom:0.5em;font-size:146%;font-weight:bold} + h2 {text-align:center;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.7em;font-size:108%;font-weight:normal} +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lord of Glory, by Arno Gaebelein + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Lord of Glory + Meditations on the person, the work and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ + +Author: Arno Gaebelein + +Release Date: July 31, 2009 [EBook #29557] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LORD OF GLORY *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + + +</pre> + +<p class="ps"><a href="#Contents">Table of Contents</a></p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:250%;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:0.8em"> +The Lord of Glory</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:10em"> +MEDITATIONS ON THE PERSON, THE WORK<br> +AND GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:71%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1em"> +BY</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:113%;letter-spacing:0.1em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:8em"> +A. C. GAEBELEIN</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:100%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.2em"> +PUBLICATION OFFICE OF “OUR HOPE,”</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:83%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.2em"> +456 F<span class="sc">ourth Avenue, New York, N. Y.</span></p> +<table summary="2 columns" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding= +"10"> +<tr> +<td width="50%" valign="top"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +PICKERING & INGLIS,</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:75%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +GLASGOW,</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:83%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +SCOTLAND</p> +</td> +<td width="50%" valign="top"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0">L. +S. HAYNES,</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:75%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +502 Yonge Street,</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:83%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +TORONTO, CANADA</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr style="margin-top:8.5em;margin-bottom:23em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:67%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:22em"> +Copyright 1910 by A. C. G<span class="sc">aebelein</span>.</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:67%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +Printing by<br> +Francis Emory Fitch<br> +of New York</p> +<hr style="margin-top:9.5em;margin-bottom:5em"> +<h1><a name="Contents" id="Contents">Contents</a></h1> +<div style="font-size:88%;line-height:1.2em"> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Preface">Preface</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Dedication">Dedication</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Glory">The Lord of Glory</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Jehovah">Jehovah. The “I am”</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Name">That Worthy Name</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Doctrine">The Doctrine of Christ</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#PreEminence">The Pre-eminence of the Lord +Jesus Christ</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Gods">Ye are Christ’s—Christ is +God’s</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Wonderful">The Wonderful</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Honour">Honor and Glory unto Him</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Song1">Christ’s Resurrection Song</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Song2">The Glory Song</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Firstborn">The Firstborn</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Waiting">The Waiting Christ</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Vision">A Vision of the King</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Fellowship">The Fellowship of His Son +Jesus Christ our Lord</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Fulness">Out of His Fulness,</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Ps22">The Twenty-second Psalm</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Exalted">The Exalted One</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Glorious">A Glorious Vision</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Brethren">My Brethren</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Patience">The Patience of Christ</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Silent">He Shall Not Keep Silent</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Love">The Love of Christ</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Joy">The Joy of the Lord</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Same">This same Jesus</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Cross">The Wondrous Cross</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Legacy">His Legacy</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Idols">What Have I to do with +Idols</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Changing">The Never Changing One</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Cheer">Be of Good Cheer</a></p> +<p class="pn"><a href="#Haste">Make Haste</a></p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:9.5em;margin-bottom:4em"> +<h1><a name="Preface" id="Preface">Preface.</a></h1> +<div style="font-size:92%;line-height:1.5em"> +<p class="pn">For a number of years the first pages of each issue +of “Our Hope” have been devoted to brief meditations on the +Person and Glory of our adorable Lord Jesus Christ. Three reasons +led the Editor to do this: 1. He is worthy of all honor and +glory, worthy to have the first place in all things. 2. The +great need of His people to have His blessed Person, His past and +present work, His power and glory, His future manifestation +constantly brought before their hearts. 3. There is an ever +increasing denial of the Person of our Lord. In the most subtle +way His Glory has been denied. It is therefore eminently +necessary for those who know Him to tell out His worth. Long and +learned discussions on the Person of the Lord have been written +in the past, but are not much read in these days. We felt that +short and simple meditations on Himself would be welcomed by all +believers.</p> +<p class="pn">All these brief articles were written with much +prayer and often under deep soul exercise. It has pleased the +Holy Spirit to own them in a most blessed way. Hundreds of +letters were received telling of the great blessing these +meditations have been and what refreshing they brought to the +hearts of His people. Weary and tired ones were cheered, +wandering ones restored and erring ones set right. Many wrote us +or told us personally that the Lord Jesus Christ has become a +greater reality and power in their lives after following this +monthly testimony.</p> +<p class="pn">Suggestions were made to issue some of these notes +in book form so that these blessed truths may be preserved in a +more permanent form. We have done so and send this volume forth +with the prayer that the Holy Spirit, who is here to glorify +Christ, may use it to the praise and glory of His worthy Name. We +are confident that such will be the case.</p> +<p class="rt">A. C. G. </p> +<p class="pn">New York City, October 1, 1910.</p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:10em;margin-bottom:5.5em"> +<h1><a name="Dedication" id="Dedication">Dedication.</a></h1> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="pds">“Unto Him who loveth us and washed us from our +sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto +God His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever.”—Rev. i: +5-6.</p> +<p class="pds">“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive +power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and +glory, and blessing.”—Rev. v: 12.</p> +<p class="pds">“Then they that feared the Lord spake one to +another: and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of +remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord +and that <i>thought upon His Name</i>.”—Mal. iii: 16.</p> +<p class="pds">“Let us go forth, therefore, unto Him without the +camp bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, +but we seek one to come. By Him, therefore, let us offer the +sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our +lips, <i>confessing His Name</i>.”—Hebrews xiii: 13-15.</p> +<p class="pds">“Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so. Come Lord +Jesus.”—Rev. xxii: 20.</p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:15em;margin-bottom:6.5em"> +<h1><a name="Glory" id="Glory">The Lord of Glory.</a></h1> +<h2>1 Cor. ii:8.</h2> +<p class="pnn">OUR ever blessed Lord, who died for us, to whom we +belong, with whom we shall be forever, is the Lord of Glory. Thus +He is called in 1 Cor. ii:8, “for had they known they would not +have crucified the <i>Lord of Glory</i>.” Eternally He is this +because He is “the express image of God, the brightness of His +Glory” (Heb. i:3). He possessed Glory with the Father before the +world was (John xvii:5). This Glory was beheld by the prophets, +for we read that Isaiah “saw His Glory and spake of Him” (John +xii:41). All the glorious manifestations of Jehovah recorded in +the Word of God are the manifestations of “the Lord of Glory,” +who created all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth, +visible and invisible, who is before all things and by whom all +things consist. He appeared as the God of Glory to Abraham (Acts +vii:1); Isaac and Jacob were face to face with Him. Moses beheld +His Glory. He saw His Glory on the mountain. The Lord of Glory +descended in the cloud and stood with him there (Exod. xxxiv:5). +How often the Glory of the Lord appeared in the midst of Israel. +And what more could we say of Joshua, David, Daniel, Ezekiel, who +all beheld His Glory and stood in the presence of that Lord of +Glory.</p> +<p class="pn">In the fulness of time He appeared on earth “God +manifested in the flesh.” Though He made of Himself no reputation +and left His unspeakable Glory behind, yet He was the Lord of +Glory, and as such He manifested His Glory. In incarnation in His +holy, spotless life He revealed His moral Glory; what perfection +and loveliness we find here! We have the testimony of His own “We +beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the +Father” (John i:14). “They saw His Glory” (Luke ix:32) when they +were with Him in the holy mountain. They heard, they saw with +their eyes, they looked upon, their hands handled the Word of +life, the life that was manifested (1 John i:1-2). In His mighty +miracles the Lord of Glory manifested His Glory, for it is +written “this beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee +and manifested forth His Glory” (John i:11).</p> +<p class="pn">And this Lord of Glory died. The focus of His Glory +is the cross. He was obedient unto death, the death of the cross. +He gave Himself for us. Without following here all the precious +truths connected with that which is the foundation of our +salvation and our hope, that the Lord of Glory, Christ died for +our sins, we remember that God “raised Him up from the dead and +<i>gave Him Glory</i>” (1 Pet. i:21). He was “received up into +Glory” (1 Tim. iii:16). “Ought not Christ to have suffered these +things and to enter into <i>His Glory</i>” (Luke xxiv:26). The +risen Lord of Glory said: “I ascend unto my Father and your +Father; to my God and your God.” He is now in the presence of +God, the Man in Glory, seated in the highest place of the heaven +of heavens “at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” He is +there “far above all principality, and power, and might, and +dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, +but also in that which is to come” (Eph. i:21). He is highly +exalted, the heir of all things. In that Glory He was beheld by +human, mortal eyes. Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit “looked +up steadfastly into heaven and saw the <i>Glory of God</i>, and +Jesus standing on the right hand of God” (Acts vii:55). This was +the dying testimony of the first Christian martyr. Saul of Tarsus +saw this Glory; he “could not see for the Glory of that light” +(Acts xxii:11). John beheld Him and fell at His feet as dead. And +we see Him with the eye of faith. “But we see Jesus, who was made +a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death +<i>crowned with Glory and Honor</i>” (Heb. ii:9).</p> +<p class="pn">But this is not all. The unseen Glory of the Lord +and the unseen Lord of Glory will some day be visible, not to a +few, but to the whole universe. He will come in the Glory of His +Father and the holy angels with Him (Matt. xvi:27). The Lord of +Glory will be “revealed from heaven with His mighty angels” (2 +Thess. i:7). He will come in power and Glory, come in His own +Glory (Luke ix:26) and sit on the throne of His Glory (Matt. +xxv:31). His Glory then will cover the heavens (Hab. iii:3) and +“the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the +Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. ii:14). The heavens +cannot be silent forever and He who now is the object of the +faith of believers, and the One whom the world has rejected, will +come forth in all His Majesty and Glory and every eye shall see +Him. Then every knee must bow at the name of Jesus and every +tongue confess Him as Lord. In that manifestation of the Lord of +Glory and the Glory of the Lord we His redeemed will be +manifested in Glory. He will then be glorified in His saints and +admired in all them that believed (2 Thess. i:10). He will bring +His many sons to Glory (Heb. ii:10). We are “partakers of the +Glory that shall be revealed” (1 Pet. v:1). The God of all Grace +hath indeed called us unto His eternal Glory by Jesus Christ. +“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a +crown of Glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet. v:4). “But rejoice +inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that when +His Glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding +joy” (1 Pet. iv:13).</p> +<p class="pn">But ere this visible Glory is manifested over the +earth and on the earth and He comes forth as the King of kings +and Lord of lords His own will be gathered unto Him and be caught +up in clouds to meet Him in the air. Then we shall see Him as He +is and be like Him. The Glory which the Father has given Him as +the head of the body will be bestowed upon the whole body; for +thus He prayed “the Glory, which thou hast given me I have given +to them” (John xvii:22). And in the Father’s house where He is, +in the Holy of Holies we shall behold His Glory. We shall be +changed into the same image “that He might be the first born +among many brethren” (Rom. viii:29).</p> +<p class="pn">And now, dear reader, joint heir with the Lord of +Glory, called by God unto the fellowship of His Son, in +meditating on these wonderful facts given to us by revelation, +does not your heart burn within you? What a blessing, what a +place, what a future is ours linked with the Lord of Glory, one +with Him! What a stupendous thought that He came from Glory to +die for us so that He might have us with Him in Glory!</p> +<p class="pn">And these blessed truths concerning the Lord of +Glory and the Glory of the Lord we need to hold ever before our +hearts in these dreary days when darkest night is fast +approaching. To walk worthy of the Lord, to be faithful to the +Lord, to render true service, to be more like Him and show forth +His excellencies, we but need one thing, to know Him better and +to behold the Glory of the Lord. It is written “But we all, with +open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are +changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the +Spirit of the Lord.” Guided by the Spirit we can look on the Lord +of Glory and His Glory, mirrored in all parts of the Word of God. +And then as we look on this wonderful person and His relation to +us and ours to Him, as we behold His glory both moral and +literal, in humiliation and exaltation, past, present and future, +we are changed into the same image. Our path will be from Glory +to Glory! And some day there will come that supreme moment when +we shall be <i>suddenly</i> changed “in a moment, the twinkling +of an eye.” Oh child of God see your need! It is Christ, the Lord +of Glory set before your heart; all worldly mindedness, all +insincerity, all discouragement, all unbelief, all unfaithfulness +must flee when we follow on to know the Lord and daily behold “as +in a glass the Glory of the Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from +falling, and to present you faultless <i>before the presence of +His Glory</i> with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our +Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and +ever. Amen.”</p> +<h1><a name="Jehovah" id="Jehovah">Jehovah.</a></h1> +<h2>The “I Am.”</h2> +<p class="pnn">WHEN Moses in the desert beheld the burning bush +God answered his question by the revelation of His name as the “I +Am.” “And God said unto Moses, I am, that I am: and He said, Thus +shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me +unto you” (Exod. iii:14). He who spake thus out of the bush to +Moses was the same who in the fullness of time appeared upon the +earth in the form of man. Our Lord Jesus Christ is no less +person, than the I AM. If we turn to the fourth Gospel in which +the Holy Spirit pictures Him as the Son of God, one with the +Father, we find His glorious title there as the I AM. In the +eighth chapter of that blessed Gospel we read that He said to the +Jews, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” +(v:58). And the Jews took stones to cast them upon Him. In the +fifth chapter we read that they wanted to kill Him, not only +because He had violated the Sabbath, but also said that God was +His Father, making Himself equal with God (v:18). They wanted to +stone Him because in saying that word “Before Abraham was, I am” +He had claimed that holy name for Himself, which was revealed to +Moses. The Jews then, as the orthodox Jews do still, reverenced +that name to such a degree that they did not even pronounce it, +but substituted in its place the word “Adonai.” Little did they +realize that the same “I am” who spoke to Moses out of the bush, +saying, “I am;” who descended before Moses later in a cloud and +proclaimed the name of the Lord (Exod. xxxiv) was standing in +their midst in the form of man. And this is not the only time He +used this word. We find it in the xviii chapter of John. When the +band and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees came with +lanterns, torches and weapons, Jesus stepped majestically into +their presence with the calm question: “Whom seek ye?” When they +had stated that they were seeking Jesus the Nazarene He answered +them with one word “I AM.” What happened? They went backward and +fell to the ground. What a spectacle that must have been. The +dark night, a company of people, all on the same satanic errand, +with their lanterns, torches and different kinds of weapons. And +then the object of their hatred steps before them and utters one +word and they fall helpless to the ground. What warning it should +have been to them. Once more He asks the question; again He +answers with the “I am” and with the understanding that His own +should be free, He allows Himself to be bound.</p> +<p class="pn">He likewise called Himself “I am” in talking with +the Samaritan woman. In John iv:26 we read, “Jesus saith unto +her, I that speak unto thee am he.” This does, however, not +express the original. This reads as follows: “I AM that speaks to +thee.” After this mighty word had come from His lips the woman +had nothing more to say, but left her waterpot and went her way +back to the city. The I AM had spoken to her. In chapters vi:20 +and viii:28 we find Him using the same “I am” again. In the +former passage “It is I” should read “I am.”</p> +<p class="pn">Besides these passages in which He speaks of +Himself as the self-existing Jehovah, the great “I am,” He saith +seven times in this Gospel what He is to His own. I am the Bread +of life (chapter vi:35.) I am the Light of the world (chapter +ix:5). I am the Door (chapter x:7). I am the Good Shepherd +(chapter x:11). I am the Resurrection and the Life (chapter +xi:25). I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (chapter xvi:6); and +I am the true Vine (chapter xv:1). But this does not exhaust at +all what He is and will be now and forever to those who belong to +Him. In the Old Testament there are seven great names of the “I +AM” which are deep and significant. In them we can trace His rich +and wonderful Grace. <i>Jehovah.—Jireh</i>—The Lord provides. The +lamb provided (Genesis xxii). <i>Jehovah Rophecah</i>—I am the +Lord that healeth thee (Exodus xv). <i>Jehovah—Nissi</i>—The Lord +is my banner, He giveth the Victory (Exod. xvii). <i>Jehovah +shalom</i>, the Lord is Peace. He is our Peace (Judges vi). +<i>Jehovah Roi</i>—The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want +(Psalm xxiii). <i>Jehovah-Tsidkenu</i>, the Lord is our +righteousness (Jeremiah xxiii). <i>Jehovah shammah</i>, the Lord +is there (Ezek. xlviii).</p> +<p class="pns">But this does not exhaust what He is. I AM—what? +Anything and everything what we need in time and eternity.</p> +<p class="p1">“When God would teach mankind His name</p> +<p class="p1">He called Himself the great, I AM,</p> +<p class="p1">And leaves a blank—believers may</p> +<p class="p1s">Supply those things for which they pray.”</p> +<p class="pn">Happy indeed are we, beloved reader, if we know +Him, who died for us as the I AM, if we learn more and more to +trust Him as the all sufficient One and know that the I AM will +supply all our need. In these days in which the person of Christ +is so much belittled, attacked; He as the Holy One, the great +Jehovah rejected, not by the outside world alone, but by those +who call themselves after His own blessed name, let us have for +an answer to all these attacks of the enemy a closer walk with +Him, a more intimate fellowship with the I AM; a better +acquaintance with our Jehovah-Jesus, our gracious Lord. Oh what a +union is ours, One with Him the I AM, what a happy, glorious lot. + Hallelujah.</p> +<p class="pn">I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, +saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come +(Rev. ii:8). I am the bright and morning star (Rev. xxii: 16). +What, oh what will He be for His own in all eternity!</p> +<h1><a name="Name" id="Name">That Worthy Name.</a></h1> +<h2>James ii:7.</h2> +<p class="pnn">IN the second chapter of the Epistle of James the +Holy Spirit speaks of our ever blessed Lord as “that worthy +Name.” Precious Word! precious to every heart that knows Him and +delights to exalt His glorious and worthy Name. His Name is “far +above every Name that is named, not only in this world, but also +in that which is to come.” (Ephes. i:21.) It is “as ointment +poured forth” (Song of Sol. i:3); yea, His Name alone is +excellent (Psalm cxlviii:13). But according to His worth that +blessed Name is far from being fully known and uttered by the +Saints of God. “Thou art worthy” and “Worthy is the Lamb” shall +some day burst from the glorified lips of redeemed sinners, +brought home to be with Him. In that blessed day when at last we +see Him face to face, forever with the Lord, we shall begin to +learn the full worth and glory of that Name, the Name of the Lord +Jesus Christ. In a feeble way here below we get glimpses of His +precious, worthy Name, of His beauty and loveliness, and then +only through the power of the Holy Spirit. The aim of the Spirit +of God dwelling in our hearts will always be to tell us more of +Himself. Like Abraham’s servant who had so much to say to the +elect bride about Isaac, so the Holy Spirit ever delights to show +us more of Christ, the Christ of God. Oh! how He is eager to tell +us more of His worth, of His glory, of His grace and of all He is +and all He has. How it grieves Him when our hearts do not respond +to the great message He has for us and when instead we turn to +something else to give us joy and comfort. Only Christ can give +joy and comfort, peace and rest to the hearts of those who are +His. The days are evil and the time is short. Is your heart +increasingly attracted to that worthy Name? Do you have a greater +burning desire in your heart for Himself? Does He, that worthy +Name, become more and more day by day the absorbing object of +your heart and life? Do you often weep over your coldheartedness, +your lack of real devotion to Him and communion with your Lord? +Do you appreciate Him more than ever before? Is the Apostle’s +longing cry “that I might know Him” coming also from your heart? +Dear reader, these are searching questions. A better knowledge of +our blessed Lord, a deeper acquaintance with that worthy Name and +greater devotion to Him, is the only true spiritual progress +which counts. If you live but little in the reality of all this +you lack that joy and rest which is true Christian happiness and +the Spirit is grieved. Oh let Him unfold to your heart that +worthy name and show you from His Word, His wonderful person, +then His power will attract your heart more and more. This is +what all God’s people need. “That worthy Name,” the Lord in all +His blessed fulness and glorious reality is what we need.</p> +<p class="pn">And what the written Word has to tell us of “that +worthy Name”! Oh, the titles, the attributes, the names, the +glories, the beauties of Himself. And we have discovered but so +few of these blessed things. Perhaps a few hundred of the +descriptions of that worthy Name are known to God’s Saints; but +there are hundreds, still hidden, we have never touched. Yes, +God’s Spirit is ever willing to make them known to our +hearts.</p> +<p class="pn">Just for a few moments think of some of the +familiar titles and names of that Name which is above every other +name. How these titles of our blessed Lord, what He is and what +we have in Him should fill our hearts with praise and our lips +with outbursts of praise, lift us above present day conditions +and give us courage and boldness. “That worthy Name”; who is +He?</p> +<p class="pn">The Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father, +the living God, the eternal Life; Emmanuel, the God of Glory, the +Holy One; Jehovah, the everlasting God, the Lord strong and +mighty, the Lord of Peace, the Lord our righteousness, the +Upholder of all things, the Creator, the Alpha and Omega, the +express image of God. He is the Word, the Word of God, the Word +of Life, the Wisdom of God, the Angel of the Lord, the Mediator +of the better covenant. The good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, +the chief Shepherd, the Door, the Way, the Root and offspring of +David, the Branch of Righteousness, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily +of the valley, the true Vine, the Corn of Wheat, the Bread of +God, the true Bread from heaven. He is also the Light of the +world, the Day dawn, the Star out of Jacob, Sun and Shield, the +Bright and Morningstar, the Sun of Righteousness. Thus we read of +that worthy Name, that He is, the Great High-priest, the Daysman, +the Advocate, Intercessor, Surety, Mercy Seat, the Forerunner, +the Rock of Salvation, the Refuge, the Tower, a strong Tower, the +Rock of Ages, the Hope of Glory, the Hope of His people, a living +Stone. And what else? the Gift of God, the Beloved, the Fountain +of Life, Shiloh, He is our Peace, our Redeemer, He is precious, +the Amen, the Just Lord, the Bridegroom, the Firstborn from the +Dead, Head over all, Head of all principality and power, Heir of +all things. He is Captain of the Lord’s Host, Captain of their +salvation, Chiefest among Ten Thousand, the Leader, the +Counsellor, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Governor, Prince +of Peace, the Prince of Life, the Prince of the Kings of the +earth, the Judge, the King, the King of Israel, King of Saints, +King of Glory, King over all the earth, King in His Beauty, King +of Kings and Lord of lords.</p> +<p class="pn">All these names and attributes of that worthy Name +are familiar. What dignity, what power, what grace and blessing +for us for whom He died and shed His precious blood they express. +Who can fathom these names? Who can tell out His worth? And +hundreds more could be added, and many, many more, which are +still undiscovered in the Word of God. What a Lord He is! We +worship and adore Thee, Thou worthy One. Draw us O Lord and we +will run after Thee. What a joy and delight it ought to be to +follow Him, to exalt Him, to be devoted to such a One! Oh! our +failures! And still He carries us in kindness and patience. And +He also has a Name, which expresses the fulness of His work and +glory. No one knows what <i>that</i> is. “He had a name written, +that no man knew, but He Himself” (Rev. xix:12). That unknown +Name may never be made known.</p> +<p class="pn">But oh! the blessedness which is before us His +redeemed people. Of us it is written “They shall see <i>His +face</i>”: That blessed, blessed face of that worthy Name, we +shall behold at last. We shall see His face! Oh the rapture which +fills the heart in the anticipation of that soon coming event. +“And His Name shall be on their foreheads” (Rev. xxii:4). We +shall be like Him, we shall be a perfect reflection of +Himself.</p> +<h1><a name="Doctrine" id="Doctrine">The Doctrine of +Christ.</a></h1> +<h2>2 John 9-11.</h2> +<p class="pnn">“WHOSOEVER transgresseth and abideth not in the +doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine +of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any +unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your +house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God +speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11). What then is +the doctrine of Christ? It is the revealed truth concerning the +person of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, whom +the Father sent into the world. “God so loved the world, that He +gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him +should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is the +doctrine of Christ. Anyone who does not hold the doctrine of +Christ that He is absolutely God, one with the Father come into +the world, hath not God. He is without God and hope in the world. +He is an Anti-christ. “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus +Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that +confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of +God; and this is that spirit of Anti-christ, whereof ye have +heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the +world” (1 John iv:2-3). Such a denier of the Deity of the Lord +Jesus Christ is no christian at all and all fellowship even to +the greeting must be denied to him. This seems severe and +intolerant. But it is not if we consider what the denial of the +Person of our holy and blessed Lord means. God grant unto us, who +hold the doctrine of Christ, a divine jealousy for His honor and +glory, manifested by separation from all who in any way deny the +doctrine upon which all Christianity rests.</p> +<p class="pn">But how blessed to faith to see in the first +Epistle of John the doctrine of Christ revealed and the blessings +and comforts brought forth, which are for those who abide in this +doctrine. In the Gospel of John the beloved disciple writes by +the Holy Spirit about the Son of God, how He came from the Father +and was in the world and how He left the world to go back to the +Father. The Son of God is also the theme of the Holy Spirit in +the first Epistle of John. “Our fellowship is with the Father, +and with His <i>Son</i> Jesus Christ” (i:3). This fellowship +means that we share the Father’s thoughts about His Son and to +enjoy with the Son His own blessed and eternal relationship with +the Father. In the measure our faith enters into the doctrine of +Christ in that measure we shall have deeper fellowship with the +Father and His Son. Is your cry, dear reader, for more reality in +this fellowship? There is one way only which leads to this. It is +an increase in the knowledge of the Son of God and as you abide +there, you <i>have</i> the Father and the Son.</p> +<p class="pn">And now we shall call to our remembrance other +passages in the first Epistle of John in which our blessed Lord +as the Son of God is mentioned. They are sweet and precious to +faith and if read in the Spirit they will bring the joy, the +blessing, the peace and the comfort of the doctrine of Christ to +our hearts.</p> +<p class="pn">“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us +from all sin” (i:7). That precious blood, His own blood, has +cleansed us once and for all. “For this purpose the <i>Son of +God</i> was manifested that He might destroy the works of the +devil” (iii:8). “And this is his commandment, that we should +believe on the name of His <i>Son</i> Jesus Christ and love one +another as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His +commandments (which are: believing on Him and loving one another) +dwelleth in Him and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth +in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us” (iii:23-24). “In +this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God +sent His <i>only begotten Son</i> into the world that we might +live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that +He loved us, and sent <i>His Son</i> into the world to be the +propitiation for our sins.” “Beloved, if God so loved us, we +ought also to love one another” (iv:9-11). “And we have seen and +do testify that the Father sent <i>the Son</i> to be the Saviour +of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is <i>the Son of +God</i>, God dwelleth in him and he in God. 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” (iv:14-16). +“Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that +Jesus is <i>the Son of God?</i>” (v:5) “If we receive the witness +of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of +God which He hath testified of His <i>Son</i>. He that believeth +on the <i>Son of God</i> hath the witness in himself; he that +believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not +the record that God gave to <i>His Son</i>. And this is the +record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is +<i>in His Son</i>. He that hath <i>the Son</i> hath life; he that +hath not the <i>Son of God</i> hath not life” (v:9-12). “These +things have I written unto you that believe on the name of <i>the +Son of God</i>, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and +that ye may believe on the name of <i>the Son of God</i>. And +this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask +anything according to His will, He heareth us” (v:13-14). “And we +know that the <i>Son of God</i> is come, and hath given us an +understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in +Him that is true, even in <i>His Son</i> Jesus Christ. This is +the <i>true God</i> and eternal life” (v:20).</p> +<p class="pn">May our faith lay hold anew of these simple yet +deep and precious revelations. They are the doctrine of Christ. +Into this we must enter constantly and manifest in our lives the +fruits of this doctrine, love and righteousness. The increasing +rejection of the doctrine of Christ demands the increased +appreciation of that doctrine. The more the enemy attacks the +Person of Christ, the more the Holy Spirit demands of us, who +belong to Christ, that we exalt Him. Everything in the present +time seems to be aimed at the setting aside of the doctrine upon +which our Hope rests. Higher Criticism, the evil doctrines, which +reject the eternal punishment of the wicked, the spurious +gospels, ethical teachings and every other false doctrine strikes +at the blessed Person of our Lord. The shadow of <i>the</i> +Anti-christ is cast in our days. Let us heed God’s Word. Let us +be separated from those who deny Christ or we are partakers of +their evil deeds. The path of the true believer becomes narrower. +It must be so. But Christ becomes more precious, more real to our +souls.</p> +<p class="pn">What awful times are coming upon this age according +to God’s Word! With the rejection of the doctrine of Christ this +age sides completely with Satan and that wonderful being is both +blinding his victims and using them for his own sinister +purposes. The blindness is fearful. It will be worse before long. +The rush into complete apostasy and from there into the delusion +with the lying wonders and on into the darkness forever will come +next. Let us praise God for the doctrine of Christ, which is our +salvation, and may God give us faith and courage to walk +according to that doctrine. What day of joy awaits us, when we +shall see him as He is and know the depth of the Love of God by +being like Him!</p> +<h1><a name="PreEminence" id="PreEminence">The Pre-Eminence of +the Lord Jesus Christ.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">WHAT a blessed theme the Person and Glory of our +Lord! How inexhaustible and unsearchable! How refreshing to the +souls of His redeemed people as well as to the heart of our +heavenly Father, who, loveth the Son! To meditate on Him, to +behold the Glory of the Lord under the guidance of the Holy +Spirit in the Word of God, means spiritual growth and spiritual +enjoyment. This only can make the unseen Person a blessed reality +in our daily walk. We pray that all our beloved readers are drawn +closer to Himself through these brief meditations. Can we truly +say the Lord is more precious to our hearts and that we are +living more in His presence than ever before? Has He become the +absorbing object of our hearts and lives? Are we more devoted to +Him? God grant that this may be the case with all of us. It is +the great need we have. It is the good part, which Mary, resting +at His feet, had chosen.</p> +<p class="pn">In the great chapter which begins the Epistle to +the Colossians, after that blessed description of the Son of God, +stands this word “<i>that in all things He might have the +pre-eminence</i>” (Col. i:18). But who can tell out what a +pre-eminence, the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ is? Some +day we shall see Him in all His Glory. He Himself will lead us +into the Holiest of the third heaven to behold the Glory the +Father has given Him (John xvii:24); then we shall know His +pre-eminence fully. And yet from Scripture we can learn even now +the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ.</p> +<p class="pns">In all eternity the Son of God was the object of +Love and Glory.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">“Son of God the Father’s bosom</p> +<p class="p3s">Ever was Thy dwelling place.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">He ever subsisted in the form of God. In all +creation He has the pre-eminence. This is made known to us, as +man could not discover it, by revelation. We accept this in +faith. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed +by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made +of things which do appear” (Heb. x:3). And all which was called +into existence was created by Him and for Him. “For by Him were +all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, +visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or +principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for +Him” (Col. i:16). What a marvellous survey! What power and glory +belongs to the blessed Son of God! “All things were made by Him; +and without Him was not anything made that was made.” “The world +was made by Him” (John i:3, 10).</p> +<p class="pn">He has the pre-eminence in sustaining His creation. +All things consist by Him. He upholds all things by the Word of +His power (Heb. i:3).</p> +<p class="pn">In the Revelation of God He has the pre-eminence. +Both books, the book of Nature and the Book of all books, the +written Word of God, the Bible, tell out His Glory. The Bible may +be compared to a living organism, like the human body. Every book +in the Bible has a specific place and service like the members of +the body; the life in that marvellous divinely constructed +organism of the revelation of God is the Son of God. Apart from +Him there is no revelation from God and no manifestation of God. +He reveals God throughout the Bible, in every part, He holds the +pre-eminence. Greater still is His pre-eminence in redemption. +Redemption would be an eternal impossibility without Him. He came +from the Father’s bosom to redeem us. He is the Way, the Truth +and the Life. No one can come to the Father but by Him. He gives +eternal life. Furthermore as the first born from the dead He is +the head of the body. That body is the church and every believing +sinner is a member in that body. Each is united to Him and +possesses His life. This body with its many members He keeps, +nourishes, builds up, sanctifies and ultimately glorifies. In all +the great and glorious redemptive work He has the +pre-eminence.</p> +<p class="pn">As the glorified Man He is the Heir of God and as +such He holds the pre-eminence in heaven. He has been made so +much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a +more excellent name than they. Far above all the angelic beings, +higher than the archangel is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Man in +Glory.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a future pre-eminence for Him. The day of +His visible Glory and power is approaching. Now He is rejected, +then He will be enthroned. Upon the holy hill of Zion He will be +the King of Glory. His Glory will cover the heavens and His +Majesty the earth. He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. He +will rule as the only potentate and every knee must bow before +Him. The song must at last rise in heaven and on earth “Worthy is +the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, +and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing.” Such is, +briefly sketched, the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yea, +in <span class="sc">all</span> things He hath the +pre-eminence.</p> +<p class="pn">Can we do anything less than to give Him the first +place in all things? He is worthy of it. He died for us. He drank +the cup of wrath in our stead. His own self bare our sins in His +own body on the tree. How great has been and still is His love +for us, the love, which passeth knowledge. He is worthy of the +first place every moment of our lives. He is worthy to possess +all we have and are. We are bought with a price, we are not our +own. We belong to Him.</p> +<p class="pns">What unspeakable grace from God the Father, that +He has brought us into fellowship with Him to whom He has given +the pre-eminence. We please the Father as we delight ourselves in +the Son and walk in that blessed fellowship. We must honor Him +whom the Father has honored, and as we serve the Lord Jesus +Christ and accord Him the first place, the Father will honor us +(John xii:26). Our hearts too can never fully know the blessed +peace of God and rest of faith till we give our Lord the first +place. Anything less than that will mean dishonor to Him. “Not +I—but Christ” must be the constant cry of our hearts. Not I—but +Christ in our daily walk; Not I—but Christ in our service. Oh! +that we might realize our great and holy calling, our wonderful +privilege, a privilege which is ours for but a little while +longer to live Him, live for Him, who has in all things the +pre-eminence.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">Nothing save Him, in all our ways,</p> +<p class="p3">Giving the theme for ceaseless praise;</p> +<p class="p3">Our whole resource along the road,</p> +<p class="p3s">Nothing but Christ—the Christ of God.</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Gods" id="Gods">“Ye are Christ’s—Christ is +God’s.”</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">ONLY a few words, yet how blessedly full of peace +and joy! How precious they are to faith! If we, to whom they +apply, would remember them daily, how happy in Him we would be. +In all our ways, in good and evil days, yea, every moment the +truth contained in these words ought to be real to the true +believer. Is not all our failure due to the fact that we live not +sufficiently in the consciousness and reality of this wonderful +fact, that we belong to Christ, that we are one with Him? Before +these words in the third chapter of First Corinthians we find the +statement “all things are yours.” And after these words it is +written “Christ is God’s.” We are Christ’s and Christ is God’s; +all things are ours because Grace has brought us into this +marvelous relationship. “Christ is God’s” gives us once more the +whole story of God’s Love and Grace. As the Only Begotten He ever +subsisted in the form of God, the Image of God, one with Him, +absolutely God. But He came down, took upon Him the form of a +servant, taking His place in the likeness of man. In the form of +man He wrought the great work of redemption on the cross and now +after His resurrection, by which He is proven Son of God and His +presence as the glorified Man in the highest heaven, He is the +one in whom and through whom, God the God and Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ gives all blessing. “Christ is God’s,” then, means +what we learn from the following scriptures: “The Father loveth +the Son, and hath given all things into His hands” (John iii:35). +“Whom He hath appointed heir of all things” (Heb. i:2). “Christ +is God’s” is a word which tells us that He who is the Creator of +all things, the visible and the invisible, came in incarnation, +redeemed us and is now, the beginning, the first-begotten from +the dead and the Head of His Body, which is the Church. This is +how God has brought us to Himself in the person of His own Son by +whom he has redeemed us, in whom He has exalted us and with whom +He has given us all things.</p> +<p class="pn">To that wonderful person, Christ, the Christ of +God, we belong. We are His, who is One with God, by whom and for +whom all things were created. The Son of God for such as we are, +became poor, even to the poverty of the cross. There He took our +place and in His own body He bore our sins and died for us. He +saw us then the travail of His soul. We can look back to the +cross and say, as His Apostle said: “Who love me and gave Himself +for me.” We belong to Him, who has all power in heaven and will +have all power before long, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords on +earth. We are Christ’s, whom God has appointed as the second Man, +the head of the new creation as Heir of all things. We are +Christ’s, who is the Head of the Body, to which we belong. In Him +and with Him we are the Heirs of God. God and Christ are +inseparable and so are Christ and we who have trusted in Him and +have His life. All Christ has belongs to us; all Christ is we +shall be; where Christ is there we shall be in all eternity. +Reader! Child of God, pause! Does your faith lay hold of this? Do +you read it only and enjoy it just for a moment or is this great +fact of your union with Christ and God becoming daily a greater +reality in your life? Is it really so that you enter deeper and +deeper into that love which passeth knowledge? Oh! that it may be +so with the writer and each believer who reads these feeble words +on so great a theme.</p> +<p class="pn">“Ye are Christ’s.” Then we are <i>not our own</i>. +That is exactly what is elsewhere stated in First Corinthians. +“Ye are not your own; we are bought with a price; therefore +glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 +Cor. vi:20). Our hearts occupied with Himself, increasingly +attracted by the glorious Person of our adorable Lord, realising +by the power of His Spirit our glory and destiny with the Lord of +Glory, we shall act and walk as such, who are Christ’s. Every +step of the way it will resound in our hearts “ye are Christ’s.” +In all we do we shall always remember we are Christ’s. Cares, +anxieties, worldly ambitions, all manner of temptations, will +fall before the fact grasped in faith “I am Christ’s.”</p> +<p class="pn">We are convinced that <i>only</i> the Person of +Christ put before the heart of the believer through the Word of +God and the power of His Spirit can keep the Christian in these +awful days of apostasy from going along with the fearful current +of the last days. If Christ and our blessing in Him become more +real to us we will be beyond the reach of the god of this age +with his wiles and sinister purposes.</p> +<p class="pn">Furthermore the demand of the hour is for us to +exalt Christ. How He is dishonored is a dread reality. The +rejection of Christ was never so marked and never so satanic as +in these days. God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ +expects from us His children that we exalt Him in the days of His +rejection and thus share His reproach. Let us do it!</p> +<p class="pns">And lastly, if we ever have the Person of Christ +before our hearts, we shall walk in obedience to Him as our Lord. +Then if we exalt Christ and are obedient to Himself we have the +fullest assurance that the Holy Spirit will be with us, upon us +and fill us. There is no need to seek “the power” as some express +it, nor a baptism of the Spirit. He will be with us and in us in +the measure as we exalt Christ and walk in Him.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p1">O gracious Lord, when we reflect</p> +<p class="p2">How apt to turn the eye from Thee,</p> +<p class="p1">Forget Thee, too, with sad neglect,</p> +<p class="p2">And listen to the enemy,</p> +<p class="p1">And yet to find Thee still the same—</p> +<p class="p1s">’Tis this that humbles us with shame.</p> +<p class="p1">Astonished at Thy feet we fall,</p> +<p class="p2">Thy love exceeds our highest thought,</p> +<p class="p1">Henceforth be Thou our all in all,</p> +<p class="p2">Thou who our souls with blood hast bought;</p> +<p class="p1">May we henceforth more faithful prove,</p> +<p class="p1s">And ne’er forget Thy ceaseless love.</p> +<hr style="width:8em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:2em"> +<p class="p1">“Him will I make that overcomes</p> +<p class="p2">And stems the advancing flood,</p> +<p class="p1">A pillar of might, with glory light,</p> +<p class="p2">In the temple of my God.</p> +<p class="p1">On him shall the blest Name divine,</p> +<p class="p2">And my new name be graven;</p> +<p class="p1">And the City’s name, Jerusalem,</p> +<p class="p2s">That cometh down from heaven.”</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Wonderful" id="Wonderful">The Wonderful.</a></h1> +<h2>Isaiah ix:6.</h2> +<p class="pnn">HIS name shall be called “Wonderful” (Isaiah +ix:6). And long before Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction +the angel of the Lord had announced his name to be Wonderful. As +such He appeared to Manoah. And Manoah said unto the angel of +Jehovah, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we +may do thee honor. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Him “why +askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is Wonderful” (margin, +Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, the Person who +appeared repeatedly in Old Testament history is an uncreated +angel. Of this Being we read that He is the Redeemer, for Jacob +speaks of Him “the angel which redeemed me from all evil” +(Genesis xlviii:15). He is the angel whose voice must be obeyed, +who has power to pardon transgressions, in whom the name of God +is (Exodus xxiii:20-23). He is the angel of His Presence who +saved them (Isaiah lxiii:9) and Exodus xxxiii:14 must refer to +this Being “My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee +rest.” This angel of Jehovah speaks in the Book of Judges and +declared, “I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you +into the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said I will +never break my covenant with you” (Judges ii:1). He appeared unto +Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of the bush and He +spoke to Moses as the I am! (Ex. iii.) The same One appeared +before Joshua and he worshipped in His presence. With Him Jacob +wrestled, with Jehovah, the God of hosts (Hosea xii:4-6). Malachi +iii:1 shows that the Lord Himself is this Angel, the Angel of the +Covenant, who also visited Abraham in the form of Man (Genesis +xviii).</p> +<p class="pn">And after all these manifestations, seven hundred +years after Isaiah had announced Him, as the Wonderful, He +appeared in human form in the midst of His people. And now we +know by divine Revelation in the completed Word of God that He is +wonderful in His Person and in his work; but no mind can fathom, +no heart can grasp, no pen can describe, how wonderful He is.</p> +<p class="pn">He is wonderful if we think of Him as the Only +Begotten of the Father. “In the beginning was the Word, and the +Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the +beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him +was not anything made that was made” (John i:1-3). “By Him were +all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth, +visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or +principalities, or powers, all things were made by Him and for +Him; and He is before all things and by Him all things consist” +(Col. i:16-17). He is the image of the invisible God, the +brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person. How +wonderful such a One, who ever was, with no beginning, One with +God!</p> +<p class="pn">How wonderful His humiliation. “Who being in the +form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but +made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a +servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being in +fashion as a man He humbled Himself” (Phil. ii:6-8). “For verily +He took not on Him the nature of Angels, but He took on Him the +seed of Abraham” (Hebrews ii:16). Wonderful condescension that He +who created the angels should be made lower than the angels and +lay His Glory by, to appear in the form of man on earth.</p> +<p class="pn">Wonderful is He in His incarnation, “that holy +thing” as the angel announced Him, truly God and Man. Born of the +woman, resting on the bosom of the virgin as a little child and +yet He is the One who ever is in the bosom of the Father.</p> +<p class="pn">Wonderful that blessed life He lived on earth of +which the beloved disciple bears such a beautiful witness. “That +which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have +seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have +handled of the Word of Life. For the life was manifested and we +have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal +life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us” (1 +John i:1-2). Wonderful are the blessed words which came from His +lips, wonderful is His moral glory, His untiring service, His +love, His patience and everything which the Holy Spirit has been +pleased to tell us of His earthly life. The more our hearts +contemplate Him the more wonderful He appears. But still greater +and more wonderful is it that He went to the cross to give His +life as a ransom for many, that the Just One should die for the +unjust, that He who knew no sin was made sin for us and pay the +penalty of sins on the cross. He is the Wonderful in His great +work on the cross, the depths of which have never been fathomed. +And what can we say of His wonderful Glory, His wonderful Place, +His wonderful Power, His wonderful Grace! How wonderfully He has +dealt with us, with each one of us individually. How wonderful it +is that He knows each of His sheep, that He guides each, provides +for, loveth, succors, stands by, restores, never leaves nor +forsakes each who has trusted in Him and belongs to Him. How +wonderful are His ways with us, that He guides with His eyes and +that His loving power and omnipotent love is on our side. In His +coming manifestation He will be wonderful. Wonderful He will be +when we shall see Him and stand in His presence. What a day it +will be when we see Him face to face! Then we shall know all the +loveliness and wonderfulness of His adorable Person and His +wonder ways with us. With what wonderment we shall then behold +Him. And when He comes with His Saints, when the Heavens are lit +up with untold glory, when He comes to judge, to establish His +Kingdom, to speak peace to the nations, to restore creation to +its right condition, when He reigns and all His redeemed ones +with Him—Oh how wonderful it all will be!</p> +<p class="pn">He is altogether lovely and he is altogether +wonderful. Glory to His name! Well has one said: “He pervades the +whole of the New Testament with His presence, so that every +doctrine it teaches, every duty it demands, every narrative it +records, every comfort it gives, every hope it inspires, gathers +about His person and ministers to His glory.” So dear does He +thus become to the heart of the believer, that Luther may well be +excused for exclaiming, ‘I had rather be in hell with Christ, +than in heaven without Him.’</p> +<p class="pn">“We believe in Him as our Saviour, Acts vi:31; +confess Him as our Lord, Rom. x:9; we have redemption through His +blood, Eph. i:7; we look to Him as our Leader, Heb. xii:2; we +follow Him as our Teacher, Eph. iv:20, 21; we feed upon Him as +our Bread, Jno. vi:48; we go to Him in our Thirst, Jno. vi: 37; +we enter by Him as our door, Jno. x:9; we are in Him as our vine, +Jno. xv:5; we find in Him our rest, Matt. xi:28; we have in Him +our example, Jno. xiii:15; He is our righteousness, 2 Cor. v:21; +we are succored by Him in temptation, Heb. ii:18; we turn to Him +for sympathy, Heb. iv:15; we obtain through Him our victory, 1 +Cor. xv:57; we overcome by Him the world, 1 Jno. v:5; we have in +Him eternal life, 1 Jno. v:11, 12; we gain by Him the +resurrection, Phil. iii:20, 21; we appear with Him in glory, Col. +iii:4, we exult in His everlasting love, Rev. i:5, 6.”</p> +<p class="pns">May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts and eyes with +Himself and reveal to us through the written Word more of the +matchless beauty of the wonderful Person of our Saviour and Lord. +We honor and adore Thee, blessed, blessed Lord, and while Thou +art rejected we thy feeble people would know more of Thyself and +keep closer at Thy feet. Amen.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p1">“We would see Jesus, for the shadows lengthen</p> +<p class="p2">Over this little landscape of our life,</p> +<p class="p1">We would see Jesus, our weak faith to +strengthen,</p> +<p class="p2">For the last weariness, the final strife.</p> +<p class="p1">We would see Jesus, this is <i>all</i> we’re +needing;</p> +<p class="p2">Strength, joy and willingness come with the +sight;</p> +<p class="p1">We would see Jesus, dying, risen, pleading;</p> +<p class="p2s">Then welcome day, and farewell mortal night.”</p> +<h1><a name="Honour" id="Honour">Honour and Glory Unto +him.</a></h1> +</div> +<p class="pnn">IN Revelation V, that great worship scene, +beginning some day in heaven and going on into future ages, we +read of the Lamb to whom honor and glory are due. He alone is +worthy. And every heart who knows Him rejoicing in His love, +cries out, “Thou art worthy!” Yea, the sweetest song for the +redeemed soul is the outburst of praise, which we find on the +threshold of His own Revelation. “Unto Him that loveth us and +washed us from our sins in His own blood and hath made us kings +and priests unto God and His Father; <i>to him</i> be glory and +dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Soon the great worship John +beheld prophetically may become reality.</p> +<p class="pn">As long as we His people are here in this present +evil age it is God’s call to us to honor and glorify His Son. +This surely is God the Father’s expectation from His children, +who are begotten of Him. This is His call to us in the last days +of this rapidly closing age.</p> +<p class="pn">It was on the mountain of transfiguration that the +Father bore witness to His Son. “This is my beloved Son, in whom +I am well pleased.” The Father bore not alone this witness, but +He vindicated the honor of His Son, whose glory flashed forth on +that mountain. Peter had spoken; in fact, he was still speaking +when the Father’s voice was heard. “Lord, it is good to be here; +if Thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee and +one for Moses and one for Elias.” These were Peter’s words. At +the first glance they appear harmless. Indeed, they are generally +used in spiritual application of having a good time here. But +they have a far different meaning. Peter had spoken once more in +the impulsiveness of the flesh. By putting the Lord of Glory +alongside of Moses and Elias, he had lowered the dignity of Him. +The One whom he had but recently confessed as the Christ, the Son +of the living God, he now put into the same position and place +with Moses and Elias. He lost sight of the wonderful and glorious +person of Christ. When he uttered this human suggestion the +Shekinah cloud appeared and its glorious splendor covered them. +Out of that cloud came the Father’s voice vindicating the honor +of His Son. Who is Moses? Who is Elias? Sinful men they were, man +of failure and weakness. But here is another. This is my Beloved +Son in whom I am well pleased; hear Him. And how that beloved Son +is in our day dishonored!</p> +<p class="pn">He was in all eternity the beloved Son. When God +created all things, for Him and by Him, He was the delight of +God. This is the foundation of our faith. When he spoke of coming +into the world, as we read in Hebrews X, to do the Father’s will, +the Father’s love and delight was upon Him. In humiliation +beginning there in Bethlehem He was the beloved Son of God. In +all He did, every step of the way, the Holy One had above Himself +the loving Father. And then He went to the cross, putting away +sin by the sacrifice of Himself. In the awful suffering on the +cross, in the hours of darkness, when as the substitute of +sinners He tasted death, God’s holy hand rested upon that beloved +One in judgment, so that He uttered that never to be forgotten +cry “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And God in His +mighty power opened the grave and brought Him forth. He raised +Him from the dead. He was received up in the Glory, exalted into +the highest position. He is the heir of all things, the upholder +of all things, all things consist and exist by Him. God has given +Him the pre-eminence in all things.</p> +<p class="pn">And this blessed One, the beloved Son of God is +denied, He is rejected, dishonored and refused. God speaks in +Him, by Him, and he who has made known God, in whom redemption +for man was procured is dishonored. But how is He dishonored and +robbed of His Glory? And where is He dishonored? Not in the world +as such so much but in Christendom. The harvest of this +destructive and evil criticism of the Bible, rejecting the Bible +as the inspired Word of God is being reaped. After the written +Word has been attacked and lowered the enemy who stands behind +“Higher Criticism” in a disguised form has thrown off the mask +and bluntly strikes at the Person of the beloved Son of God. +First the devil in the garb of “reverend criticism” denied Isaiah +vii:14, the promise of the virgin bringing forth a son, as having +anything to do with Christ, and now the harvest, the denial of +the virgin birth of our Lord. It would take many pages to mention +all how our ever beloved Lord is robbed of His Glory, how His +Person is dishonored. This denial of the Person of Christ is the +apostasy. It is the very breath of the personal antichrist, the +man of sin, which we feel in these last days.</p> +<p class="pn">The Father’s voice is not heard in these days as it +was heard on the transfiguration mountain. The heavens are silent +to all the dishonor heaped upon Him, who is in the heaven of +heavens. But God the Father looks to His people in whom the Holy +Spirit dwells to honor and glorify His Son. The Holy Spirit gives +us the power to stand as bold witnesses for Himself and to +contend earnestly for the faith once and for all delivered unto +the Saints. The Father expects us that we stand up for the honor +of His Son. His voice to us is “<i>Honor my Son!</i>”</p> +<p class="pn">We feel deeply impressed with this great call of +God to us at the present time of increasing darkness and +apostasy. Let each child of God act accordingly. Honor your Lord +wherever you are. “Be thou not ashamed of the testimony of our +Lord” (2 Tim. i:8). If you cannot publicly stand up and honor +Christ then honor Him, speak well of Him, in the home circle or +wherever you are. O child of God, walk close to Him! Sit more at +His feet! Cast yourself more upon Him! Let Him be your all in +all! And as He is the sole object of your heart you will honor +Him in the day when He is rejected.</p> +<p class="pn">But this will mean something else. It means +separation. God’s call to His people is to stand aloft from all +which dishonors His Son. This means much in our days. How can we +honor the Beloved One if we have fellowship with that which +dishonors Him? No child of God should go on with any institution, +school or church where the written Word is set aside or +belittled. The second Epistle of Timothy, which has special +reference to our times is very clear on this separation. No one +needs to wait for a special call from God to act and separate +from the corruption of Christendom. It is all given before hand +by the Holy Spirit. “From such turn away” (2 Tim. iii:5). And +those from whom God commands us to separate are persons who have +the form of godliness and deny the power thereof. Again it is +written: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold +and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor +and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from +these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for +the master’s use, prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. +ii:20-21). Hear the Word of the Lord! Hear His call! Be faithful +to Him! Keep His Word and do not deny His Name! Honor and glorify +Him who is our Lord whom we soon shall see face to face.</p> +<h1><a name="Song1" id="Song1">Christ’s Resurrection +Song.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">WHEN the blessed Lord appeared in the midst of His +disciples and they beheld the risen One in His glorified body of +flesh and bones and He ate before them, He told them that all +things which were written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets +and <i>in the Psalms</i> concerning Him, had to be fulfilled +(Luke xxiv:44). While on the way to Emmaus He said to the two +sorrowing and perplexed disciples “Ought not Christ to have +suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning +at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them all the +Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” It seems to us He must +have then spoken much of the Psalms, these wonderful prayers and +songs of praise, with which His Jewish disciples were so +familiar. In the Psalms the richest prophecies concerning Christ +are found. There we behold Him in His divine perfections as well +as in His true humanity; in His suffering and in His glory; in +His rejection and in His exaltation. Oh that we, the Lord’s +people, might read the Psalms more, so that the Holy Spirit can +reveal Christ more to our hearts. In many unexpected places we +can find Him in these songs. There is for instance the xxxvii +Psalm, so much enjoyed by the Saints of God. It contains such +precious exhortations to faith, to be patient and to hope. But in +taking the comfort of these blessed exhortations and their +accompanying promises, we are apt to overlook some verses which +tell us of our Lord. Verses 30-33 apply to Him. “The mouth of the +righteous speaketh wisdom and His tongue talketh of judgment. The +law of His God is in His heart; none of His steps shall slide. +The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay Him. +Jehovah will not leave Him in his hand, nor condemn Him when He +is judged.” Our Lord is this righteous One. Words of wisdom and +judgment, mercy and truth flowed from His lips while +righteousness in heart and life, and perfect obedience were +manifested in Him. Then His death and deliverance are indicated +in these words. However, care must be taken not to apply all the +experiences of the Psalms to Christ. We saw recently an +exposition of Psalm xxxviii:7. The words “For my loins are filled +with a loathsome disease and there is no soundness in my flesh” +were applied to Christ. This is a very serious mistake. He knew +no sin and therefore no loathsome disease could fill His loins. +Such exposition is evil.</p> +<p class="pns">Many joyous expressions of praise to God are found +in the Psalms which properly belong first to Him, who is the +leader of the praises of His people (Heb. ii:12). One of these +sweet outbursts of praise is contained in the opening verses of +the xl Psalm. The first three verses may be called “the +resurrection song of Christ”:</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">“I waited patiently for the Lord,</p> +<p class="p2">And He inclined unto me</p> +<p class="p2">And heard my cry.</p> +<p class="p2">He brought me up also</p> +<p class="p2">Out of an horrible pit,</p> +<p class="p2">Out of the miry clay;</p> +<p class="p2">And set my feet upon a rock,</p> +<p class="p2">Established my goings.</p> +<p class="p2">And He has put a new song in my mouth;</p> +<p class="p2">Praise unto our God;</p> +<p class="p2">Many shall see it and fear,</p> +<p class="p2s">And shall trust in the Lord.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">It is the experience of our Saviour, which must +here first of all be considered. Patiently He had waited for +Jehovah. Himself Jehovah He had taken the place of dependence +under God His Father and patiently He endured. He was obedient +unto death, the death of the cross. He endured the cross, +despising the shame. He cried to God. “Who in the days of His +flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with +strong crying and fears unto Him that was able to save Him from +death, and <i>was heard</i> in that he feared; though He were +Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered” +(Heb. v:7-8). The place of death is given in this Psalm: “the +horrible pit and the miry clay.” Who can describe all what is +meant by these words! “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and +carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken and smitten +of God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, +the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes +we are healed” (Isa. liii:45). He went into the horrible pit, or +as it reads literally, the pit of destruction, the place which +belongs to fallen man by nature, so that we might be taken out of +it. He went into the jaws of death and there the billows and +waves, yea all the billows and waves of the judgment of the holy +God passed over Him. In another Psalm the Holy Spirit describes +His agony. (Ps. lxix). There we read His cry “Save me, O God; for +the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where +there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, where the +floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried; +mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” And deeper He went for +our sakes. The miry clay has a special meaning. Any one who sinks +into a pit filled with miry clay cannot help himself. All his +struggling does not help; the more he labors the deeper he sinks. +One who is in the miry clay cannot save himself. And does this +not remind us of the Lord and of what was said of Him “He saved +others, Himself He cannot save.” He was in the miry clay. He +might have saved Himself but He would not. His mighty love it +was, that love which passeth knowledge, which brought Him from +Heaven’s Glory down to the horrible pit, the miry clay.</p> +<p class="pn">But the sufferings of our adorable Lord are not so +much before us in this Psalm as the fact of His resurrection. His +cry was heard. The prayers and supplications with strong crying +and tears were answered; His resurrection from the dead was God’s +blessed answer. While in other Scriptures it is stated that +Christ Himself arose, here His resurrection is seen as an act of +God. “He brought me up.” This act of God bears witness to the +completeness and perfection of the accomplished salvation. “We +believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who +was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our +justification” (Rom. iv:24-25). But we read also that His feet +were set upon a rock. “And set my feet upon a rock.” He is the +first born from the dead. Sin and death are abolished by His +mighty work. “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead +dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that +He died, He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He liveth +unto God” (Rom. vi:9-10). Upon that rock the feet of every +believing sinner securely rest.</p> +<p class="pn">But His ascension is likewise mentioned in this +resurrection song. “And established my goings.” He “whose goings +forth have been from old, from everlasting” (Micah v:2) and who +came from everlasting glory to walk in obedience to the cross and +the grave has gone back into heaven. He was received up into +glory; He ascended on high and led captivity captive.</p> +<p class="pn">And the mighty victor sings now a <i>new song</i>. +It is the triumphant song of redemption, to the praise of God. On +account of Him, what He has accomplished in His death on the +cross and Who is raised from the dead and in glory “many shall +see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord.” But this wonderful +resurrection song the Lord sings not alone. We, who have trusted +in Him and know Him have part in this song. Believing in Him we +are taken out, yea forever, from the terrible pit and the miry +clay. There is no more death and no more wrath for us. We are +also risen with Him, our feet are planted upon the rock, our +goings are established. We belong to the heavenlies where He is. +We sing praises in His name unto our God, His God and our God, +His Father and our Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus +Christ. Oh! that our hearts may enter deeper into this song of +accomplished redemption “praise unto our God;” the loving God who +spared not His only Begotten.</p> +<p class="pn">And indeed “many shall see and fear and trust in +the Lord.” This reaches into the future. Israel too will be taken +from the place of spiritual and national death, and raised to +life to join the new song. Nations will see it and fear and trust +Jehovah. At last the great new song of resurrection and the new +creation will swell in its divinely revealed length and breadth, +heighth and depth. Now He sings the song, and His co-heirs sing +it too in feebleness, yet by His Grace and through His Spirit. +Ere long in His presence all the Redeemed will praise in Glory +with glorified lips. Heavenly beings will utter their praise and +in a wider circle down on earth, every creature will join in.</p> +<p class="pn">“And they sung a <i>new song</i> saying, Thou art +worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof; for thou +was 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 +<i>our</i> God, Kings and priests, and we shall reign over the +earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round +about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the +number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands +of thousands. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that +was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength +and honor, and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in +heaven, and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in +the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and +honor, and glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth on the +throne, and unto the lamb forever and ever” (Revel. v:9-13). That +song will never end. Oh may we learn to sing it now, and in His +Name sing praises unto our God.</p> +<p class="pn">May we follow the great leader of Praise, Him who +is anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. May the +path He followed down here become more and more ours. May we +serve, be obedient, give up, wait patiently for the Lord, after +His own pattern, suffer with Him, be rejected with Him, bear His +reproach and through it all rejoice in Him and sing “the new +song.” How happy we ought to be as linked with Him, the blessed +Christ of God. And as we walk in His fellowship the heart longs +to see Him as He is. Even so; come Lord Jesus.</p> +<h1><a name="Song2" id="Song2">The Glory Song.</a></h1> +<h2>Rev. i:5-6.</h2> +<p class="pnn">“UNTO Him who loveth us and washed us from our +sins in His own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God +and His Father: To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, +Amen” (Rev. i:5-6). This great outburst of praise may well be +called “the Glory Song.” It glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ; it +reveals also the Glory of those He has redeemed and will be heard +throughout eternity. There will never be a moment in the +countless ages of eternity when this Glory song will be hushed or +forgotten. We begin to sing it here on earth. The more we know +the Christ of God and His great love for us, the more we delight +to praise and to worship Him. Such worship of the heart in the +power of the Spirit is the atmosphere of heaven upon earth. And +some day we shall see Him whom we worship and adore in faith. In +that glorious moment, when we shall see Him as He is we shall +realize for the first time the length and breadth, the heighth +and depth of His love and know the Glory to which He has brought +us. Then we and all the redeemed will sing this song in a better +and more perfect way than we have ever done here. “Thou art +worthy * * * 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 over the earth” (Rev. v:9, 10).</p> +<p class="pn">This blessed Word of Praise is placed by the Holy +Spirit in the foreground of the book which bears the name, the +Revelation, or, Unveiling of Jesus Christ. In it is found the +great unveiling of the future, the great coming tribulation and +judgment period through which the earth must pass, events which +precede the glorious manifestation of the Lord. But in this last +great Bible book there is also a complete unveiling of the +Person, the Glory and the dignity of Him to whom all judgment is +committed. Not alone are in this book many of the prophecies, +given of old by the holy men of God, rehearsed, but all He is, +His Name, His power, His Glory, His work, and many of his titles +are restated. Think of what He is called and how He is described +in this book. We find Him called the Son of God, the Son of Man, +the Almighty, the Lord, the Alpha, the Omega, the First, the +Last, the Beginning of the Creation of God, the Amen, the +faithful Witness, the First begotten from the dead, the Word of +God, the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the mighty Angel, +He that liveth, He that was dead, He that is alive evermore, the +Root and Offspring of David, the bright and Morning star, the +Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of kings, the Lord of +lords. What an array of titles. On earth great ones, kings and +princes, have numerous titles. They concern only earthly glories; +they are but for a moment. But His titles concern the earth and +the heavens. They belong to Him because He is God, while others +are acquired through His great work of redemption. His Glory and +His dignity are indescribable. One who reads the Book of +Revelation and reads it again will be increasingly impressed with +the Glory of Him, whom John beheld in all His Majesty.</p> +<p class="pn">Before the Spirit of God records this Glory song, +the utterance of praise to be used and to be enjoyed by redeemed +sinners, He mentions three titles of our Lord. The faithful +Witness; the First begotten from the dead, and the Prince of the +kings of the earth. These three titles take in His earthly life, +His redemption work and His future Glory. On earth He was the +faithful witness. He glorified the Father. He had come into the +world to bear witness unto the truth. He was faithful and nothing +marred His witness. He came as the Only begotten of the Father +and the faithful witness, the Son of God went to the cross to put +away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. The open and empty tomb is +the witness that it was perfectly and righteously accomplished. +Now He is the First begotten from the dead as well as the First +fruits. His death and His resurrection are, therefore, in view in +this second title. His glorious future is beheld in the third +title, the Prince of the kings of the earth. The kingdoms of the +earth belong to Him; He has a perfect right and title to the +earth and its government. Now still the god of this age rules, +but ere long He comes “whose right it is” and claims His +inheritance. In these three wonderful titles we behold all the +Son of God as Son of Man has accomplished in His mighty work. He +lived the path of faith and obedience on earth, as the faithful +witness. He has put away sin and conquered death and the grave as +well as him who has the power of death, that is the devil. In the +future He will be King of kings and Lord of lords.</p> +<p class="pn">And then follows this outburst of Praise. The Holy +Spirit, who is here on earth to glorify Him, breaks forth at once +into singing and directs the heart to worship Him. Beloved +readers if the Holy Spirit is ungrieved in us He will lead our +hearts into such praise and adoration of the Lord; nothing +grieves the Holy Spirit more than when a believer does not +appreciate the Lord Jesus Christ and manifest this appreciation +by praise and worship.</p> +<p class="pns">Three things are stated in this blessed +doxology:</p> +<p class="pn"><i>He loved us.</i></p> +<p class="pn"><i>He washed us.</i></p> +<p class="pns"><i>He hath made us.</i></p> +<p class="pn">These three things correspond to the three titles +which precede this doxology. Love it was, which brought Him down +from the Glory to walk upon this earth in humiliation, the +faithful witness, and that love knew and saw the cross. Love led +Him there to die for such as we are. What love it was! Who can +ever declare it!</p> +<p class="pns">The true translation is not “who loved us,” but +“who <i>loveth</i> us.” His love is an abiding love. He does +nothing but love those who belong to Him, who have trusted Him +and are the Beloved of God. Our sins, our weaknesses, our +infirmities and failures can never affect or diminish His love. +Never, oh child of God, doubt His abiding love. Yea, whatever our +circumstances are, in trials, in the hard places, in troubles, +burdened with cares and full of anxiety, in all our failures we +can look up and say, “He loveth me.” It is an ever present and +eternal love. Never, oh child of God, measure that love by your +changing feeling or by your experience. And this love He +manifested by dying for us. He has washed us from our sins in His +own blood. To this His title as “The First begotten from the +dead” refers. “Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on +the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto +righteousness, by whose stripes ye are healed” (1 Pet ii:24). The +precious blood of Christ has washed us from our sins. They can +never come up again. Oh blessed knowledge! Cleansed by His own +blood, the precious blood of the Lamb without spot and blemish! +And the blessedness of all that is connected with this!</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">Oh, the peace forever flowing</p> +<p class="p4">From God’s thoughts of His own Son!</p> +<p class="p3">Oh, the peace of simply knowing</p> +<p class="p4s">On the cross that all was done!</p> +<p class="p3">Peace with God, the blood in heaven</p> +<p class="p4">Speaks of pardon now to me:</p> +<p class="p3">Peace with God! the Lord is risen!</p> +<p class="p4s">Righteousness now counts me free.</p> +<p class="p3">Peace with God is Christ in glory;</p> +<p class="p4">God is just and God is love;</p> +<p class="p3">Jesus died to tell the story,</p> +<p class="p4s">Foes to bring to God above.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">But more than that “He hath made us kings and +priests unto God and His Father.” This belongs also to His mighty +love. His future of Glory as the Prince of the Kings of the +earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords, His fathomless love +leads Him to share with those for whom He died, whom He purged +and fitted by His own blood. He hath made us kings and priests. +It is all His work. A more correct translation is “He hath made +us a Kingdom.” This, however, does not mean that He has linked us +with a Kingdom in which we are to be subjects and governed by +Him. We are not subjects of a Kingdom, but <i>are</i> a Kingdom, +partakers of it in rule with Himself. We shall rule and reign +with Him over the earth. And because He will be “a priest upon +<i>His</i> throne” (Zech. vi:13) we, too, will be priests. What +it all includes, what glories await us, what enjoyment with Him, +what riches and blessings, power and honor, no mind can grasp and +no tongue nor pen can describe.</p> +<p class="pn">“To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, +Amen.” All glory and dominion to Him! Thou art worthy! Thou art +worthy! This is the heart’s cry, which really knows Him and is +devoted to Him. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and +honor and power.” Our crowns we cast before Thy throne. Amen and +Amen.</p> +<p class="pn">Reader can you add your “Amen”—your, “be it so” to +all this? Do you sing this Glory song? In a day when He, who is +worthy, is but little praised, do you praise Him thus? Do you +live in the daily enjoyment of His love? Do you give Him the +pre-eminence to whom God has given the pre-eminence in all +things? Amen! And oh the happy thought, which helps us so in +these evil days, that soon He, who loveth us, who washed us, who +hath made us a Kingdom and priests, may call us into His own +glorious presence.</p> +<h1><a name="Firstborn" id="Firstborn">The Firstborn.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">“THE Firstborn” or “The Firstbegotten” is one of +the names of our blessed Lord. It is applied to Him after His +resurrection from the dead. As the Only Begotten He came into +this world, the unspeakable gift of God to a lost and ruined +world; after the accomplishment of His work on the cross He left +the earth, He had created, as the Firstborn. As the Firstbegotten +He is now in the highest heaven and as the Firstbegotten the Man +of Glory He will be sent back to this earth and rule in power and +glory. Paul wrote to the Philippians “to write the same things to +you, to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe” (Phil. +iii:1). Peter’s preaching in the opening chapters of the Acts +might have been called monotonous, for he knew but one theme. The +Spirit of God filling him gave but one message and that was, the +rejected Jesus of Nazareth risen from the dead. In the Gospel of +the Glory of the blessed God (1 Tim. i:11), as revealed to the +Apostle of the Gentiles we have one theme, one abiding, ever +satisfying, eternal object and that is Christ who died for our +sins, risen from the dead, as Firstborn in Glory and our blessed +union with Him. Paul who knew Him as the Firstborn so well found +it not grievous to write the same thing. Indeed the more He knew +Him the more His heart cried out “that I may know Him” (Phil. +iii:10). There is an attraction in Him which is supernatural. +Every child of God will increasingly enjoy the contemplation of +this old yet ever new and blessed theme, the Firstborn from the +dead. Only in this our hearts can find perfect rest and abiding +joy. And if your heart, dear reader, is not attracted and +absorbed by Himself, it is because there is a broken communion +between you and your Lord. Oh, return unto thy rest, my soul! The +drifting masses of Christendom have no use for such a theme. The +words written in 2 Cor. iv:3-4 find a fearful application in our +time. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: +In whom the god of this age hath blinded the minds of them which +believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who +is the image of God, should shine unto them.”</p> +<p class="pn">How little of the Gospel of the Glory is preached! +It is not wanted. All the present day preaching of ethics, of +doing good, self improvement and self culture is anti-christian. +The preaching which leaves out the cross of Christ, the +resurrection of Christ, the Glory of Christ, differs not in the +least from the ethical-philosophical jumble of Buddhistic and +other oriental heathen teachers. It is an awful thing which is +done in Christendom today, this rejection of the Lord, the +Firstborn. Some day and that soon, God will judge those who have +rejected that Gospel and deal with them for the sin of all sins +which is unbelief (John xvi:9). But our hearts, beloved in the +Lord, must turn more and more to Him and find their delight in +Him, who is the Firstbegotten. And this we shall do now by +meditating on a few Scriptures which tell us of Him. “He is the +<i>Firstborn</i> from the dead” (Col. i:18). “Jesus Christ, who +is the faithful witness, the <i>Firstbegotten</i> of the dead, +and the Prince of the Kings of the earth” (Rev. i:5). What +blessed declarations these are! In the first chapter of +Colossians it is fully revealed who He is, who was dead and who +is alive for evermore. Not a creature but the Creator, the one +who images forth God, because He is God. By Him were all things +created, “that are in heaven, and that are on earth, visible and +invisible, thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers; +all things were created by Him and for Him.” And such a One made +peace through the blood of His cross. Such a One took our place +on the cross of shame, tasted death in our stead and all the +billows of wrath and judgment passed over His holy head. Because +He wrought out our redemption it is complete and perfect. Raised +from the dead, not held by death but bursting forth, leading +captivity captive, He is the Firstborn and to Him belongs all +Glory and Power. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and +become the <i>Firstfruits</i> of them that slept” (1 Cor. xv:20). +By His glorious resurrection He became the Firstfruits. All who +believe in Him will rise too by virtue of being one with Him, who +is the Resurrection and the Life. The mighty power of God which +raised Him from the dead and seated Him in the highest place, at +His own right hand, that exceeding greatness of His power is +towards us, who believe. That power has quickened us with Christ, +raised us up together and seated us in the heavenly. In some +future day that mighty power, which raised Him so that He became +the Firstfruits will raise all the saints to meet Him in the +air.</p> +<p class="pn">“And again, when He bringeth in the +<i>Firstbegotten</i> into the world, He saith, and let all the +angels of God worship Him” (Heb. i:6).</p> +<p class="pn">God will bring the Firstbegotten back to this earth +again. This is a very strong passage revealing the second coming +of Christ to this earth. The same blessed Person, who walked on +this earth as man, who is Emanuel, God with us, who died on the +cross for our sins, who became the Firstbegotten from the dead, +the Firstfruits of them that slept, He who is now as Man in +Glory, the same Person, the Firstbegotten, will be brought back +to this world by the power of God. Then worshipping angels will +be His attendants and He will bring His Saints with Him.</p> +<p class="pn">“For whom He foreknew, He also did predestinate, to +be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the +<i>Firstborn</i> among many brethren” (Romans viii:29). Conformed +to the glorious image of God’s ever blessed Son, the Lord Jesus +Christ, is the destiny of all, who have cast themselves as lost +sinners upon Christ and have been saved by Grace through faith. +It is true even now by beholding as in a glass the glory of the +Lord we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even +as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. iii:18). It is true if we +abide in Him, we shall walk even as He walked (1 John ii:6). The +exhortation in our great salvation Epistle is, not to be +conformed to this age, but to be transformed, or as it might be +translated, transfigured (Rom. xii:2). <i>But</i> to be fully +conformed to the image of His Son is never to be expected in this +world, where sin is ever present; When the Firstbegotten calls us +into His own presence, when the Heir of God summons His beloved +co-heirs to meet Him and to enter with Him into the blood-bought +inheritance, then each saved sinner will be conformed to the +image of Himself. Each will shine forth the excellencies of the +Firstbegotten. <i>We shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He +is.</i> Hallelujah! This is why God gave up His Son, that He +might be able to lift those who are His enemies by wicked works +into the Sonplace and make them like His Son in Glory.</p> +<p class="pn">“Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. +I will declare the degree; the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art +my <i>Son</i>; this day have I begotten Thee” (Ps. ii:6-7). In +this prophecy He is likewise seen as the Firstbegotten. It does +not mean the eternal Son of God, for as such He had no beginning, +but the day in which He was begotten is the third day when He was +raised from the dead. Paul gives us this truth when He spoke to +the Jews in Antioch and said: “God hath fulfilled the same unto +us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it +is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day +have I begotten Thee” (Acts xiii:33). Up to this time He is not +yet enthroned upon the holy hill of Zion. When He returns as the +Firstbegotten and finds the nations of the earth not converted, +but in opposition to Him (Ps. ii:1-3), He will become the King +and take His throne.</p> +<p class="pn">“Also I will make Him my <i>Firstborn</i>, higher +than the Kings of the earth” (Ps. lxxxix:27). This reveals the +exalted station, which He will assume, when His blessed feet +touch this earth again. He will be the King of kings, and the +Lord of lords.</p> +<p class="pns">This is the Glory of the Firstborn, the loving +Sinbearer who endured the cross and despised the shame. He is the +Heir of God, the Heir of all things, the Head of all principality +and power, the Head of His redeemed people, the church. He that +filleth all in all, the Firstborn, will share His glorious title +and possessions with His redeemed. The church to which God’s +marvelous Grace has brought us is the church of the +<i>Firstborn</i>. (Heb. xii:23), because the Firstborn is the +Head and beginning and those who are begotten again by the +resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead have their portion +with the Firstborn. Oh! glorious future we have as His redeemed +people! God our Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus +Christ, by Thy Holy Spirit, keep the Glory of Thy Son, the +Firstborn, before our hearts, that we may be changed into the +same image and overcome in these dark and evil days. Amen.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">Soon shall our eyes behold Thee</p> +<p class="p4">With rapture, face to face;</p> +<p class="p3">And, resting there in glory,</p> +<p class="p4">We’ll sing Thy pow’r and grace:</p> +<p class="p3">Thy beauty, Lord, and glory,</p> +<p class="p4">The wonders of Thy love,</p> +<p class="p3">Shall be the endless story</p> +<p class="p4s">Of all Thy saints above.</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Waiting" id="Waiting">The Waiting Christ.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">WAITING for the coming of the Lord is one of the +blessed characteristics of true Christianity. In the parable of +the ten virgins the three great marks of a true believer are +stated by our Lord. These are: <i>Separation</i>, indicated by +the virgins having gone forth. <i>Manifestation</i>, they had +lamps, which are for the giving of light, and <i>Expectation</i>, +they went forth to meet the Bridegroom. With five of them it was +only an outward profession. The foolish virgins are the type of +such who are Christians in name only and do not know the reality +of these characteristics. The Lord knew them not. These three +characteristics are seen in Paul’s first epistle to the +Thessalonians. That model assembly was composed of such members +who possessed these three things. They had turned to God from +idols (separation); they served the true and the living God +(manifestation); they waited for His Son from heaven +(expectation), 1 Thess. i:9, 10. The same is revealed in the +epistle to Titus. “For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation +hath appeared to all men.” That Grace accepted separates unto +God.</p> +<p class="pn">“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly +lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this +present world.” This is manifestation. The Grace of God enables +us to live thus. “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious +appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Here we +have expectation. Other similar passages could be quoted. If we +divide the New Testament Scriptures into three parts we have the +same order. In the Gospels the Grace of God in the Son of God +appeared. In the Epistles we are taught how to manifest Him by +walking in the Spirit. The great New Testament prophetic book, +the Revelation, looks on towards His Coming. And how His Coming +is forgotten! How few of His people truly wait for Him! How few +pray that important and almost forgotten prayer, Even so, Come +Lord Jesus! But we must also remember that our Lord is likewise +waiting. Innumerable multitudes of disembodied spirits who are +saved by Grace are waiting in His own presence for the moment +when they will receive their resurrection bodies, which will be +when He descends from Heaven and comes into the air. The faithful +remnant of His people on earth wait for His Coming. Israel and +all creation wait for Him as well as the unseen beings in the +Heavenly. <i>But He Himself is waiting.</i> This is the testimony +of the Word of God. First it is the subject of prophecy. In the +brief but great 110th Psalm that waiting is predicted. The +Christ, who is so often seen in the Psalms and in the Prophets as +King, ruling in His earthly kingdom, whose glories in that rule +are so blessedly described, is seen in the beginning of that +Psalm seated at the right hand of God; this heavenly place will +be occupied by Him till His enemies are made His footstool. How +the Holy Spirit witnessed to this fact at once after His descent +on the day of Pentecost is more fully revealed in the second +chapter of Acts. In Hebrews x:13 we read of His waiting attitude +in heaven. “But <i>this man</i>, after He had offered one +sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, +from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His +footstool.” The better word for expecting is “waiting.” We may +well emphasize the word “Man.” Our blessed Lord is not in the +presence of God as a Spirit Being, but He is there in the form of +Man. The blessed body He had on earth, which He gave on the cross +and which laid in the tomb could not see corruption. He was +raised on the third day. He ascended in that glorified body into +heaven and He is on the right hand of God as Man, in Him dwells +the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Just one Man is there in +Glory. But oh! what it means! He is the Head of His body, the +church and in the future all His redeemed people will possess +glorified bodies, like unto His glorious body. No wonder the +enemy ever aims at the denial of the Lord’s bodily presence. From +many pulpits it is declared to be “too material.” The denial of +this great truth, the <i>Man</i> in glory, is a denial of the +entire Gospel. It is at this the enemy strikes.</p> +<p class="pn">As the glorified Man on the Father’s throne He is +waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. This does not +mean, as so many believe and teach, that the Lord Jesus Christ is +waiting till His enemies are gradually overcome, till the church +on earth succeeds in converting the whole world. It does not mean +that. His enemies will be made His footstool in a far different +way. It will be a sudden event. All His enemies will be humbled, +all things will be subjected under His feet at the time of His +second Coming. As there was an appointed time by the Father for +His first Coming, so is there an appointed time for His second +Coming, when the power of God and His own power will triumph over +all His enemies. As He is in His redemptive work subject to the +Father, therefore is He waiting for that hour. Then the Father +will bring in the firstbegotten into the world (Heb. i:6) and He +will receive the nations for His inheritance (Psalm ii).</p> +<p class="pn">He is waiting for this great event. But He is also +waiting for His co-heirs, which constitute the church. The +church, His body, must be first completed as to numbers before +the hour can come in which His enemies are made His +footstool.</p> +<p class="pn">He is patiently waiting for that moment. John +speaks of that when he calls himself “a companion in tribulation +and in the kingdom and <i>patience</i> of Jesus Christ” (Rev. +i:9). Centuries have come and gone since He took that place upon +the Father’s throne, unseen by human eyes, and during all this +time, while the calling out of the church proceeded, He has +waited patiently. Some day His waiting will come to an end. His +church will be completed and then He Himself arises from His seat +and descends to that place in the air, where He will meet His +own, for whom His loving heart yearns so much. What a moment that +will be at last! Then His waiting as well as His patience will be +ended and He will receive His kingdom and be crowned Lord of +lords and King of kings. No longer will He then be unseen, but +His Glory will flash out of heaven and He Himself will be +manifested in Glory. Then the world can reject Him no longer but +must accept His righteous rule in which His redeemed people will +share. What child of God does not wish this to be soon, very +soon. Oh that we might cry more earnestly, more in the Spirit, +yes, incessantly, “Come Lord Jesus.”</p> +<p class="pn">But while He waits and the hour has not yet come we +must wait as He waits on the throne. To the Thessalonians who had +listened to teachers who judaized the blessed hope, fearing they +were facing the day of the Lord with its tribulation and wrath, +the Apostle wrote: “And the Lord direct your hearts in the love +of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ” (2 Thess. +iii:5). But we must not only wait patiently <i>for</i> Him but +also wait <i>with</i> Him. He is the rejected One. The world cast +Him out. As the rejected One He waits in patience for the hour of +His triumph and His Glory. This place of rejection is our +greatest privilege to share. And where is He more rejected than +in that which calls itself by His Name! To bear His reproach in +these closing days of this present age is our blessed +opportunity. To suffer with Him, if not for Him, should be that +for which our hearts should long, yea, pray. And we will be glad +to be rejected with Him, to be nothing at this present time, to +have fellowship with His sufferings, if He as the patient waiting +Lord is ever before our hearts.</p> +<p class="pns">At the close of the one hundred and tenth psalm +stands a word, which we should also remember.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">“He shall drink of the brook in the way,</p> +<p class="p2s">Therefore shall He lift up the head.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">It has puzzled many readers what this saying might +mean. It speaks to our hearts of His humiliation and exaltation. +One thinks at once of the three hundred of Gideon and how they +stooped down to drink. The brook is the type of death. He drank +of the brook in the way. His way was from Glory to Glory, and +between were His sufferings. And, therefore, He shall lift up the +head. Wherefore, God has highly exalted Him. May we all, dear +readers, follow in His path and suffer with Him; ere long in His +triumph and glory we shall triumph and glory.</p> +<p class="pn">“And if children then heirs; heirs of God and joint +heirs with Christ; if so be we suffer with Him, that we may be +also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this +present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which +shall be revealed in us” (Rom. viii:17-18).</p> +<h1><a name="Vision" id="Vision">A Vision of the King.</a></h1> +<p class="ps">ONE of the most blessed occupations for the +believer is the prayerful searching of God’s holy Word to +discover there new glories and fresh beauties of Him, who is +altogether lovely. Shall we ever find out all which the written +Word reveals of Himself and His worthiness? This wonderful theme +can never be exhausted. The heart which is devoted to Him and +longs through the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to +be closer to the Lord, to hear and know more of Himself, will +always find something new and precious. The Holy Spirit can do +this and reveals to our hearts from the inexhaustible Word of God +the Glory of Him, whom to exalt the Spirit has come. Much depends +on how we desire just Himself. And Christ alone and the heart +knowledge of Himself can satisfy the believer, who has His life +and is one Spirit with the Lord</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">“O Christ Thou art enough</p> +<p class="p3s">The heart to satisfy.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">Soon we shall see Him, whom we contemplate now in +faith. Soon we shall be in His own glorious presence and look +upon that face, which was once marred and smitten, but which now +shines out Heaven’s and the Father’s Glory.</p> +<p class="pn">The kingly Glory of our blessed Lord is one of the +great themes of the Bible. The Man of humiliation, who here on +earth walked in dependence on God, who did His will, suffered and +died is now in the Father’s presence and on the right hand of the +Majesty on high. There He sat down with His Father in His throne, +waiting for the moment when His work as the Priest and Advocate +of His beloved people on earth is accomplished, and when the +Father will establish Him as King, when He will receive the +kingdom. Alas! that all this glory, which belongs to Him and +which is still future, His Kingship, His kingly glory and rule, +as it must be some day, is so unknown and even disowned in +Christendom. It is but the uncovering of the condition of the +heart of the great majority of professing Christians. They may +talk of religion, of great reform movements, of service to +mankind, world progress, but the Christ of God in all His Glory, +past, present and future, has little attraction. Far different it +is with the heart which knows Him and has given Him the place He +is worthy of, the first place. That heart delights to meditate on +all His Glory and longs for the time when He will appear, and +when at last, crowned with many crowns, He will assume His +righteous rule. Great is our joy and delight when we follow +through the Scriptures His earthly life so full of His moral +Glory. Or when we think of Him as He died for us and bore in His +own body on the tree our sins; we praise Him for His mighty Love. +But what joy to think of Him as coming at last into that which +belongs to Him the Lord of Glory, by right of redemption, when He +will take possession of this earth and claim its Satan ruled +kingdoms for His own. Then it will be true, “The earth is the +Lord’s and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell +therein.” Then the Seraph’s song will be realized, “The whole +earth is full of His Glory.”</p> +<p class="pn">How much the Word has to say about the King and His +Glory; and we have never yet taken hold of it with our dull +hearts! Take the Book of Psalms, for instance, that book which +has been so belittled by the destructive criticism. While we read +so much in those precious productions of the Holy Spirit of +Christ’s sufferings, His humiliation, His prayers, His death, we +may find there much more about Him as King and His coming +manifestation.</p> +<p class="pn">The tumult of the nations, as predicted in the +<i>Second</i> Psalm, and about to be realized in our own times, +the tumult of the nations against the Lord and His Anointed, will +be silenced by the coming of the King. “I have set my King upon +my holy hill of Zion;” this is what God declares. The God-man +Christ Jesus, the Man, who is with Him now is, His King. His +destiny is the government of the nations, with a rod of iron.</p> +<p class="pns">The entire <i>Twenty-first</i> Psalm tells out the +Glory of the King. Christian expositors have rarely discovered +this. But Jewish exponents always knew it. Saith a leading Jewish +authority of the middle ages: “Our old teachers have always +applied this Psalm as meaning the King Messiah.” Read its +stanzas:</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p0">“The King shall joy in Thy strength, Jehovah;</p> +<p class="p0">And in Thy salvation, how greatly shall He +rejoice.</p> +<p class="p0">Thou hast given Him His heart’s desire,</p> +<p class="p0">And hast not withholden the requests of His +lips.</p> +<p class="p0">For Thou hast met Him with the blessings of +goodness;</p> +<p class="p0">Thou hast set a crown of pure gold on His head.</p> +<p class="p0">He asked Life of Thee;</p> +<p class="p0">Thou gavest Him length of days forever and +ever.</p> +<p class="p0">His Glory is great through Thy salvation;</p> +<p class="p0">Majesty and splendor hast Thou laid upon Him.</p> +<p class="p0">For Thou hast made Him to be blessings forever;</p> +<p class="p0">Thou hast filled Him with joy by Thy +countenance.</p> +<p class="p0">For the King confideth in Jehovah.</p> +<p class="p0">Through the loving kindness of the Highest</p> +<p class="p0s">He shall not be moved.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pns">Then comes His future action, when He whom faith +sees now crowned with Majesty and Splendor, who rejoices in the +Presence of God, appears to execute the judgments of God.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p0">“Thy hand shall find out all thine enemies;</p> +<p class="p0">Thy right hand shall find out those that hate +Thee.</p> +<p class="p0">Thou shalt make them as a fiery furnace</p> +<p class="p0">In the time of Thy presence.</p> +<p class="p0">Jehovah shall swallow them up in his anger,</p> +<p class="p0">And the fire shall devour them.</p> +<p class="p0">Their fruit shall Thou destroy from the earth,</p> +<p class="p0">And their seed from among the children of men.</p> +<p class="p0">For they intended evil against Thee,</p> +<p class="p0">They imagined a mischievous device,</p> +<p class="p0">Which they could not execute.</p> +<p class="p0">For Thou wilt make them turn their back,</p> +<p class="p0">Thou wilt make ready Thy bowstring against their +faces.</p> +<p class="p0">Be Thou exalted Jehovah in Thine own strength;</p> +<p class="p0s">We will sing and celebrate Thy power.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pns">And in the <i>Twenty-fourth</i> Psalm we have +prophetically that triumphant shout, which will be heard when the +King comes back to enter His City, Jerusalem, again.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">“Lift up your heads, ye gates</p> +<p class="p2">And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors;</p> +<p class="p2">And the King of Glory shall come in.</p> +<p class="p2">Who is this King of Glory?</p> +<p class="p2">Jehovah strong and mighty,</p> +<p class="p2s">Jehovah mighty in battle.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">The <i>Forty-fifth</i> Psalm is a song of the +Beloved, touching the King. He is described as coming in His +Majesty and Splendor, how He deals with His enemies and that He +will be surrounded by His own redeemed ones.</p> +<p class="pn">The Glory and dominion of His Kingdom He will +receive is described in the <i>Seventy-second</i> Psalm. “He +shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the +ends of the earth.” And other Psalms enlarge upon these glorious +visions, which will all be true when the King comes. Then +Jerusalem will be a praise in the earth. “Also I will make Him, +my Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth” (Ps. +lxxxix:27).</p> +<p class="pn">And how rich are the prophets in telling us of the +Glory of the King and the glories of His kingdom. “Behold a King +shall rule in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment” +(Isaiah xxxii:1). “Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty; +they shall behold the land that is afar off” (Isaiah xxxiii:17). +“A King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and +justice in the earth” (Jerem. xxiii:5). “And there was given Him +dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and +languages, should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting +dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom, that which +shall not be destroyed” (Dan. vii:14). “The King of Israel, the +Lord, is in the midst of thee (the earthly Jerusalem); thou shalt +not see evil any more” (Zeph. iii:15). “And the Lord shall be +King over all the earth” (Zech. xiv:6).</p> +<p class="pn">These and many, many more utterances of God’s +blessed prophets give us a vision of the King, of the Glory of +Him, who was crowned with a crown of thorns, the thorns of man’s +curse, and over whose cross it was written, “Jesus of Nazareth, +the King of the Jews.”</p> +<p class="pn">And the New Testament fully brings out the same +Glory of Him as King. He is “King of Peace” (Heb. vii:2); “King +of saints” (Rev. xv:3); “The Lord of lords and King of kings” +(Rev. xvii:14).</p> +<p class="pn">At last the unfulfilled message of Gabriel will be +gloriously fulfilled. “The Lord God shall give unto Him the +Throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of +Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke +i:32).</p> +<p class="pn">But nowhere is He called “King of the church,” nor +are we authorized as believers to address Him “Our King.” He will +be King, but then He will not be our King, but we shall <i>be +Kings with Him</i>. He is not King of the church, but the Head of +the Body, the church; Head and Body together, Christ and His +church, will rule and reign over the earth. Glory to His Name! In +loving tenderness He looks upon us, who possess His life, He is +not ashamed to call us “brethren,” for He is Man, the second Man, +and He beholds in us those, who will ere long share His Kingly +Glory, His Kingly rule.</p> +<p class="pn">Oh, Beloved readers! does it not warm our hearts! +Does it not make us feel like falling down on our faces and +confess to Him our indifference and our nothingness, and humble +ourselves in the dust. How little, oh how little we enter into +all this. The Lord help us to have through His Word and in the +power of His Spirit a greater vision of the King and our blessed, +eternal lot with Him.</p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">They crown Him King on high;</p> +<p class="p3">Shall we not crown Him here,</p> +<p class="p2">The blessed Christ of Calvary,</p> +<p class="p3s">To ransomed sinners dear?</p> +<p class="p2">They worship Him above,</p> +<p class="p3">Shall we not worship too,</p> +<p class="p2">The Son of God, the Lord of love,</p> +<p class="p3s">To whom all praise is due?</p> +<p class="p2">Up there they see His Face,</p> +<p class="p3">The Lamb who once was slain,</p> +<p class="p2">And in a new song praise His Grace;</p> +<p class="p3s">Shall we not join the strain?</p> +<p class="p2">Yonder His servants still</p> +<p class="p3">Serve as their Lord commands;</p> +<p class="p2">Oh may we also do His will</p> +<p class="p3s">With loving hearts and hands.—M. F.</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Fellowship" id="Fellowship">The Fellowship of His +Son.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">“GOD is faithful, by whom ye were called into the +fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. i:9). A +blessed word this is. By nature the Corinthians were in another +fellowship. The same Epistle (vi:9-11) tells us what some of them +were. Like ourselves by nature they were in the fellowship of sin +and death and in fellowship with him, who is the author of sin +and the enemy of God, Satan. But a faithful God called them and +has called us by the Gospel into the fellowship of His Son Jesus +Christ our Lord. If we have obeyed the Gospel and accepted the +gift of God we are brought through the Grace of God into the +fellowship of the Son of God. All believers are in the same +fellowship, one with the Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">But that is a truth and a blessed revelation far +deeper than our mind can fathom or our pen could describe. No +saint has ever sounded the depths of this wonderful call of God +nor can God’s saints fully know what that fellowship all means, +until the blessed day comes when we shall see Him as He is and +when joined to Him we shall be like Him.</p> +<p class="pn">And yet we can remind ourselves of the little we +know and through it encourage our hearts. Faith loves to dwell +upon the blessed Person, whom faith alone through the Spirit’s +power can make a living reality. And God, the faithful God, loves +to hear His children speak much of Him, whom He loves, the Son of +His Love, the Lord Jesus Christ.</p> +<p class="pns">Fellowship means to have things in common. And +that is what God has done. He has taken us through His Grace out +of the fellowship in which we are by nature, the things we have +in common as enemies and children of wrath and has called us into +the fellowship of His Son. And now called of God into this +fellowship we have things in common with His Son the Lord Jesus +Christ. This brings before us once more the old story, which +never grows old, but is eternally new and becomes more blessed +the more we hear it. The Son of God, He who is the true God and +the eternal Life, came to this earth and appeared in the form of +Man. “The Life was manifested; and we have seen, and bear +witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the +Father, and was manifested unto us” (1 John i:2). And He who is +the true God and the eternal life, by whom the worlds were made, +gave Himself for our sins. He came to give His life as a ransom +for many, to make propitiation for the whole world. He who knew +no sin was made sin for us and on the Cross peace was made. There +in His own body on the tree He bore our sins. All who believe on +Him, who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, are taken out of +that in which they are by nature and are brought into Christ. And +here we can with praising hearts and full assurance sing of our +blessed position in Him.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Lord Jesus, are we one with Thee?</p> +<p class="p3">Oh height, oh depth, of love!</p> +<p class="p2">And crucified and dead with Thee,</p> +<p class="p3s">Now one in heaven above.</p> +<p class="p2">Such was Thy grace, that for our sake</p> +<p class="p3">Thou didst from heaven come down;</p> +<p class="p2">With us of flesh and blood partake,</p> +<p class="p3s">And make our guilt Thine own.</p> +<p class="p2">Our sins, our guilt, in love divine,</p> +<p class="p3">Confessed and borne by Thee;</p> +<p class="p2">The gall, the curse, the wrath, were Thine,</p> +<p class="p3s">To set Thy ransomed free.</p> +<p class="p2">Ascended now, in glory bright,</p> +<p class="p3">Life-giving Head Thou art;</p> +<p class="p2">Nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor height</p> +<p class="p3s">Thy saints and Thee can part.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">But the fellowship of His Son into which the Grace +of God has brought us means more than this blessed new relation +and the positional truth that as believers we have been crucified +with Christ and that we are risen with Him. The life we possess +as born again is His own life. We possess the life of Him, who +died in our stead. Christ is our life. This means fellowship of +His Son, we are one with Him. We also possess His Spirit. The +Spirit of Christ dwelleth in us and we are “one Spirit with the +Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">This oneness with Christ, the fellowship of His +Son, that we belong to Him and He to us, that we have an +inheritance in Him and He has an inheritance in us, is a great +truth. Like every other revealed truth it must be a reality in +our lives. We are called by God to walk in this fellowship. We +know we are in Him, and through Grace we abide in Him. But it is +also written, “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also +so to walk even as He walked.” His own life must be manifest. In +this fellowship of His Son we have the strength to walk as He +walked, because we have His life and His Spirit. There is no need +to walk after the flesh, but we can always walk in the Spirit and +walking thus we walk as He walked. And this spiritual walk +becomes possible as our hearts dwell in faith on the fact that we +are called into the fellowship of His Son. We must have this +wonderful fact constantly before our hearts as a real thing. Then +all we do will be governed by it.</p> +<p class="pn">If this is real how can we be conformed to this +world? The world in all its aspects is the enemy of God. In that +fellowship we walked once “according to the course of this +world.” Should we then turn back to it and enjoy its pleasures +and ambitions? If we do, we walk in the flesh and then we do not +know the joy and peace of the fellowship of His Son, but are +joyless and miserable. But if the fact of the fellowship of God’s +Son is a reality in power, it will keep us from being conformed +to this world.</p> +<p class="pn">We believe the Spirit of God presses this home to +the consciences of His people and calls us to a separated +walk.</p> +<p class="pns">And this must lead to another phase of the +fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ. It is written “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” (2 Cor. iv:10). This +stands in connection with persecution and suffering. Walking in +the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ the Apostle had one great +desire, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, +and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to +His death” (Phil. iii:10). To the Colossians he wrote “who now +rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is +behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s +sake, which is the church” (Col. i:24). He suffered and bore His +reproach. His heart in the enjoyment of the fellowship desired +the fellowship of His sufferings. We know little of these because +we are conformed to this world and not loyal to our Lord and +God’s calling. But if we walk in conscious fellowship with Him +and are loyal to Him we too will know a little of the fellowship +of His sufferings. Then our hearts long that we may “bear His +reproach.” The blessed One of God is rejected, can our hearts be +satisfied with anything less than being rejected too? Perhaps if +we were to lift up our voices now against the Christ dishonoring +things, both in doctrine and practice, which are the leading +features of the present-day religious world, we would know a +little more of this fellowship.</p> +<p class="pns">Called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ +our Lord means also to share His work. We are called to serve. He +was here as One that serveth, and we are “to serve one another in +love.” “Whosoever will be great among you let him be your +minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your +servant” (Matt. xx:26-27). We can be servants with Him. He is +intercessor and burden-bearer and we have a share in this +likewise.</p> +<p class="pns">And there is the fellowship of His Son in its +eternal aspect. God’s calling is to be like His Son. “For whom He +did foreknow, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image +of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” +(Romans viii:29). We shall be with Him forever and like Him.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p1">And is it so—I shall be like Thy Son?</p> +<p class="p1">Is this the grace which He for me has won?</p> +<p class="p1">Father of glory, (thought beyond all thought!)—</p> +<p class="p1s">In glory, to His own blest likeness brought!</p> +<p class="p1">Oh, Jesus, Lord, who loved me like to Thee?</p> +<p class="p1">Fruit of Thy work, with Thee, too, there to see</p> +<p class="p1">Thy glory, Lord, while endless ages roll,</p> +<p class="p1s">Myself the prize and travail of Thy soul.</p> +<p class="p1">Yet it must be: Thy love had not its rest</p> +<p class="p1">Were Thy redeemed not with Thee fully blest.</p> +<p class="p1">That love that gives not as the world, but +shares</p> +<p class="p1s">All it possesses with its loved co-heirs.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">May the Holy Spirit hold these great truths before +our hearts and in His power may we be consciously and constantly +enjoying the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, till we +are called by Himself to be with Him.</p> +<h1><a name="Fulness" id="Fulness">Out of His Fulness.</a></h1> +<h2>John i:16.</h2> +<p class="pnn">“AND of His fulness have all we received, and +grace upon grace” (John i:16). This precious word was not spoken +by John the Baptist. It must be looked upon as an outburst of +praise, similar to the one which stands in the beginning of +Revelation (Rev. i:5-6). It is the adoring utterance of all +believers acknowledging the reception of that unfathomable and +never failing grace, which flows from the eternal fountain, the +Son of God. Out of the fulness of Himself believing sinners +receive grace upon grace. His own fulness is the source, which +supplies all the need of those, who by Him believe on God, that +raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory (1 Pet. i:2). That +exhaustless fulness is always ready to sustain, to help, to +comfort, to strengthen and to fill those, who are in Christ, one +with Him.</p> +<p class="pn">But what is this fulness of which we receive and +receive so abundantly? The blessed Son of God possessed in all +eternity fulness. The Holy Spirit in this chapter bears a +testimony to this fact by a great revelation. “In the beginning +was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. +The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by +Him; and without Him was not anything made ‘that was made.’ In +Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John i:1-4). +What a wonderful revelation this is! The Word which was in the +beginning, which ever <i>was</i> God, by whom all was made, +without whom nothing came into existence, is the Son of God. The +fulness of the Godhead was His before the world was made, for He +is God. Then we read in this chapter, “and the Word was made +flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of +the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” He +came to this earth, He took on the form of man, the eternal Word +was made flesh, God manifested in the flesh. And as He walked on +the earth the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell in Him +(Col. i:19). But before we could ever receive out of His fulness +grace upon grace, the Son of God had to die. If He had not died +and accomplished the great work for which He came into the world, +His fulness would have been forever inaccessible to sinners. But +He went to the cross and finished there the great work. Christ +died for us; He who knew no sin was made sin for us. And now it +is written of Him, the glorified One, the Man in Glory. “For in +Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are +complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power” +(Col. ii:9-10). He, who possessed eternally all fulness, who came +to this earth and in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt, who +died on the cross the just for the unjust, who His own self bore +our sins in His own body on the tree, is now as Man in glory and +there dwelleth in Him bodily the fulness of the Godhead. It is +all for us; we can now receive grace upon grace, because of Him +who is the Second Man, the Head of the new creation and with whom +God has made us, who believe, one. This is the deep and yet +simple Gospel. God gave His blessed Son, who was forever one with +Him, that through Him we might receive of the fulness of the +Godhead, grace upon grace. Brought to God in such a way, washed, +sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by +the Spirit of our God, we are receiving all we need. We receive +it not on our merit, because we labor or agonize for it, but we +<i>receive of His fulness</i>. But who can begin to tell out what +that is, grace upon grace? Pages upon pages might be written and +filled with the good things, the spiritual blessings, the joy, +the peace, the comfort, the power and the wisdom and many other +things, which are included in “grace upon grace.” And after we +mentioned all these precious things, we would have to put the pen +down and confess our insufficiency to tell out the riches, the +fulness and vastness of “grace upon grace.”</p> +<p class="pn">This expression brings a great cataract like +Niagara to our mind. Here we stand and behold the mighty waters +rushing down. Oh! the mighty rushing waters, who can measure +them! What a vast, inexhaustible supply! Water upon water dashing +down. For ages this has gone on. Hundreds of years, more than +that, thousands of years have witnessed the same mighty waters. +Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, every fraction +of a second—incessantly mighty rushing waters upon waters!</p> +<p class="pns">In the same way there is pouring forth out of His +fulness, the fulness of the Lord in Glory—grace upon grace. There +is an unlimited, inexhaustible supply of the water of life from +Him who is the life. For ages the saints of God, saved by grace, +have received grace upon grace. A never ceasing stream of grace +has been flowing forth and it has not impoverished the marvellous +eternal supply. Still it flows undiminished—still there is grace +upon grace. Yea it is grace upon grace by which God’s people +live. Every hour, every minute, every second, every moment it is +His grace, grace upon grace which keeps us, surrounds us, flows +upon us and overshadows us. And the more we take and enjoy the +more we learn to sing.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">More and more, more and more,</p> +<p class="p4"><i>Always</i> more to follow!</p> +<p class="p3">Oh, His matchless, boundless <i>Grace</i>,</p> +<p class="p4s">Still there’s more to follow!</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">Will it ever stop? No, never! We shall keep on +singing in all eternity “still there’s more to follow!—still +there’s more to follow.” Hallelujah! “That in the ages to come He +might show the <i>exceeding</i> riches of His Grace in His +kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. ii:7). <i>Always +more to follow!</i> Still there’s MORE to follow. All Praise to +Him who died to have it so for us poor lost sinners, whose lot +should have been, as it is the lot of all who reject this +marvellous grace—always more to follow—in eternal darkness and +despair.</p> +<p class="pn">And how simple it is to receive “of His fulness +grace upon grace.” Look at this never ceasing spring of pure +water, it never fails. You approach it a weary, thirsty, +dustladen traveler. You need to be refreshed. You need the +cooling drink. You need washing. What then is necessary? Oh! to +fill your cup. Just to take for it is for you. And so this +wonderful grace which flows out of His fulness. It is for you, +just come and take. Fill your cup, fill it again! Drink oh drink! +“Of His fulness have all we received, grace upon grace.”</p> +<h1><a name="Ps22" id="Ps22">The Twenty-second Psalm.</a></h1> +<h2>The Cross of Christ.</h2> +<p class="pnn">THE Twenty-second Psalm contains a most remarkable +prophecy. The human instrument through whom this prophecy was +given is King David. The Psalm does not contain the experience of +the King, though he passed through great sufferings, yet the +sufferings he speaks of in this Psalm are not his own. They are +the sufferings of Christ. It is written in the New Testament that +the prophets searched and enquired diligently about the coming +salvation. The Spirit of Christ, which was in them testified +beforehand the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter i:10-11). David was +a prophet, and in this great prophecy the Spirit of Christ +testified of the sufferings of Him, who is both David’s Lord and +David’s son.</p> +<p class="pn">The book of Psalms, so rich and full of Himself, so +inexhaustible in description of our ever blessed Lord, is divided +into five books, which correspond to the five books with which +the Bible begins, the Pentateuch. The first book (Psalm i-xli) +contains some of the great prophecies about the Christ of God; +these prophecies are in the so-called messianic Psalms. Perfect +and divine is the order in which they are revealed. <i>Son of +God</i>—The Second Psalm. <i>Son of Man</i>—The Eighth Psalm. +<i>Obedient One</i>—The Sixteenth Psalm. <i>Obedient unto +Death</i>, the Death of the Cross—The Twenty-second Psalm. +<i>Highly exalted by God</i>—Revealed in each of these Psalms. +This is the order in which the Holy Spirit describes the path of +the Lord in Phil. ii:6-11. How perfect the Word of God is!</p> +<p class="pn">The Twenty-second Psalm, the center of the first +part of the book of Psalms, the Genesis portion, corresponds to +the twenty-second chapter in the book of Genesis. There we see +Isaac bound upon the altar having been led there and put upon the +altar by his Father while he opened not his mouth. Here we behold +the true Isaac on the cross. Everything in this Psalm speaks of +our blessed Lord; in the first part of His sufferings, in the +second part of His Glory and exaltation.</p> +<p class="pn">And we must not overlook the two Hebrew words the +Holy Spirit has put over this Psalm: <i>Aijeleth Shahar</i>. The +margin tells us they mean “the hind of the morning.” This has a +beautiful, though hidden meaning. Some have thought of the +innocent suffering of a wounded hind and the dawn of the morning +brings relief. They have applied this to the death and +resurrection (in the morning dawn) of the Lord. But the meaning +is better still. The oldest Jewish traditions give us the key. +They take the expression “Aijeleth Shahar” to mean the Shechina, +the glory cloud, which was visible among His people and they +speak of “the hind of the morning” as being the dawning of +redemption. The dawning of the morning is compared by them with +the horns of the hind, on account of the rays of light appearing +like horns. According to their tradition the lamb was offered as +the sacrifice in the morning as soon as the watcher on the +pinnacle of the temple cried out “Behold the first rays of +morning shine forth.”</p> +<p class="pn">But what pen can describe the predictions and the +fulfilment of His sufferings, the sufferings of the Holy One! +Here we behold what it cost Him to redeem us. Here we have the +full description of what His atoning work meant. Here we see the +full meaning of the sin-offering.</p> +<p class="pn">Well may we bow our heads and hearts here and +worship as we gaze upon this picture. The opening word of the +Psalm expresses the consummation of all the sufferings of Christ, +that word which came from the darkness, which surrounded the +cross and in which we are face to face with the unsearchable +depths of His atoning work. “My God, My God, why hast Thou +forsaken Me.” He who was ever with the Father, one with Him in +all eternity, who could say on earth “I am not alone” was left +alone. He was forsaken of God. But more than that. Jehovah +bruised Him; He put Him to grief. The spotless One bore the wrath +of God alone. It was then that He who knew no sin was made sin +for us. How significant it is then that the Holy Spirit puts that +word of the Lord Jesus Christ before the predictions of His +physical sufferings. They tell us what our redemption cost +Him—the awful price, forsaken of God. The Psalm also emphasizes +what man under the terrible instigation of Satan did unto Him. We +glance at some of these sufferings as expressed by His own +Spirit.</p> +<p class="pn">“But I am a worm, and not man; a reproach of men, +and despised of the people” (verse 6). This is His own complaint. +No longer a man but writhing on the ground like a worm, the +substitute of sinners, thus the Holy One felt when He was +numbered among the transgressors. The Hebrew word “worm”, means +the small insect, the coccus, from which the scarlet color is +obtained by death of this worm, that color which was used in +connection with the tabernacle. Thus He died as our substitute +that our sins though they are as scarlet might be white as snow. +Men reproached Him; His own people despised and rejected Him. +Then we read how He was mocked and scoffed at. They “laugh me to +scorn,” they “shoot out the lip,” they “shake the head.” The very +language of the leaders of the people as they surrounded the +cross is given by the Spirit of God. “He trusted on the Lord that +He would deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him” (verse 7). What +depths of the depravity of the human heart they reveal! And in +all this, while He suffered thus from man His sole trust was in +God (verses 9-10). His whole life was to trust in the Lord to +lean upon Him, till that moment came when God could no longer +know Him as His own, when the sword, the sword of judgment awoke +against the Man, the fellow, the companion of the Lord of hosts +(Zech. xiii:7). What that sword did to Him is expressed by the +cry of the forsaken One.</p> +<p class="pn">And what else do we find here? We can follow the +whole story of the cross in the first part of this Psalm. His +enemies are described, the bulls and the ravening and roaring +lion.—“I am poured out like water.”—“All my bones are out of +joint.”—“My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my +bowels.” Like fire melteth wax so His heart melted in the fire of +wrath against sin. The strength of the mighty One, who fainteth +not and knows no weariness, failed. His tongue cleaves to His +jaws. “Dogs” and “the assembly of the wicked”—Gentiles and Jews +were there. “They pierced my hands and feet;” crucifixion, +unknown among the Jews when David lived, is here predicted by the +Holy Spirit. “I may tell all my bones” as well as the words “all +my bones are out of joint” refer to His suffering on the cross. +Then after they hung the Prince of Glory at that cross we read +“they look and stare upon Me” (verse 17). “They parted my +garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” What man did +to Him, what He suffered from man and from Satan’s power is here +described. Yet it was God who bruised Him. Concerning man the +sufferer spoke what “they” did unto Him; but He also addresses +God “THOU hast brought me into the dust of death.”</p> +<p class="pns">And thus He suffered and died for us. Our sins +were laid upon Him and He bore them in His own body on the tree. +At what an infinite cost we have been redeemed! What a price has +been paid! The Father did not spare His only begotten Son, but +delivered Him up for us all. The Son of God, was made sin for us, +smitten, stricken and forsaken of God.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Jehovah bade His sword awake—</p> +<p class="p3">O Christ, it woke ’gainst thee!</p> +<p class="p2">Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;</p> +<p class="p3">Thy heart its sheath must be—</p> +<p class="p2">All for my sake, my peace to make;</p> +<p class="p3s">Now sleeps that sword for me.</p> +<p class="p2">The Holy God did hide His face—</p> +<p class="p3">O Christ, ’twas hid from thee!</p> +<p class="p2">Dumb darkness wrapt thy soul a space—</p> +<p class="p3">The darkness due to me.</p> +<p class="p2">But now that face of radiant grace</p> +<p class="p3s">Shines forth in light on me.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">Wonderful Love! But how unable we are to realize +adequately these blessed facts! How little after all we think of +these marvellous things and how weak is our devotion to that +blessed, loving Lord, who loved us thus!</p> +<p class="pn">And what do we behold about us? An ever increasing +darkness; a turning away from the blessed Gospel of the Son of +God as it centers in the Cross; a greater rejection and +neglection of the great salvation which God has so graciously +provided in the great sacrifice. It is fearful to see the enemies +of the cross increasing and rushing on to their coming doom. What +is to be our attitude? It is for us to glory more and more in the +cross of Christ. We must exalt and magnify the Person and Work of +our blessed Lord as never before. The more He is rejected by the +world, His blessed work on the cross disowned in such latter day +delusions as the new theology, Christian Science and the numerous +other systems, the more we must give Him the pre-eminence.</p> +<p class="pn">But it means also for us if we are faithful to Him +the fellowship of His sufferings. God has called us into the +fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. This includes the +fellowship of His sufferings. Never, of course, suffering from +God as He did. But as He is rejected and despised so are we +called to share His rejection and take upon us His reproach. He +suffered without the gate and the Word exhorts us “Let us go +forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.” +In these last days we must like Moses “esteem the reproach of +Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt (the world).” +And if we are faithful to Him, if we walk in <i>separation from +the world</i>, including the great “religious world” with its +Christ and the Cross rejecting schemes and tendencies, we shall +know something of the reproach of Christ and the fellowship of +His sufferings. Oh! that we might know more of that in these easy +going days. Such a precious Word of God as contained in 1 Peter +iv:13-14 ought to make us long for bearing His reproach and for +sufferings with Him. “But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of +Christ’s sufferings that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may +be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name +of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God +resteth upon you; on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your +part He is glorified.”</p> +<p class="pn">Be true to Christ and to the cross of Christ. Live +out the doctrine of the cross “crucified with Christ”—dead to the +things here below, then you will have some suffering from the +side of men and Satan as well.</p> +<p class="pns">And what will be the awful judgment for the +multitudes, the ever increasing multitudes who reject the Cross +of Christ, who are either opposing it by their ethical gospel, to +whom the preaching of the cross is foolishness, or who are +indifferent? The Holy Spirit has told us that where the Gospel, +the Cross of Christ is rejected or perverted the Anathema, the +curse of God must follow (Gal. i:9; 1 Corinth. xvi:22). Well has +one said “Distance from God was the climax of the Lamb’s dying +sorrow.” It is a fearful solemn thought that the world while with +heedless selfconfidence it still pursues its way, is no nearer +now to God than Jesus was when, under the burden of the world’s +iniquity, He cried, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” +How solemn this is! May we learn to say more fully with Paul, +“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our +Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I +unto the world.”</p> +<h2>The Glory of Christ.</h2> +<p class="pn">The first twenty-one verses of this Psalm describe +the sufferings of Christ. This part closes with an appeal to +Jehovah for deliverance. “But be thou not far from me, O Lord; O +my strength, haste thee to help me. * * * Save me from the lion’s +mouth.” Then comes the joyful statement that He has been heard. +The answer He received to His cry is resurrection. We find +therefore that the second part of this great Psalm, which reveals +so fully the Cross of Christ, is taken up with the Glory of the +forsaken One. God raised Him from the dead, and so we hear at +once in this Psalm the notes of triumph coming from the lips of +Him who is dead and now liveth. His triumph and His Glory are +revealed. All for whom He died, the Church, Israel, the ends of +the earth, the nations are mentioned. He is seen in the midst of +the church as well as in the midst of the future great +congregation. All the ends of the earth are yet to remember and +turn unto the Lord. The nations will come to worship before Him; +His will be the Kingdom, He will rule among the nations. But we +must look at some of these precious predictions a little closer. +We need to consider them as much as the Sufferings, the Cross of +Christ.</p> +<p class="pns">The day of His Resurrection is first +mentioned.</p> +<p class="pn">“I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren</p> +<p class="pns">“In the midst of the congregation will I praise +Thee.”</p> +<p class="pn">It is a joyous word which stands at the head of the +glory section of this Psalm. Raised from the dead He met His own +with an “All hail”—rejoice. In the Gospel of John we see Him +meeting her who sought the living One among the dead and telling +her “Go and tell my brethren.” How literally this prediction has +been fulfilled. And what He tells her of “my Father and your +Father, my God and your God” declares that intimate relationship +which is the result of His death on the cross. Brought through +Him to God, we are Sons of God and Heirs of God. “He that +sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one, +therefore He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb. ii:11). +Precious truth! He owns us as brethren. He is the Firstborn among +many brethren. The congregation mentioned here is the church. In +the midst of the church His praise is heard (Heb. ii:12). It is +true the church is not revealed in the Old Testament but it is +anticipated. And as we, saved by Grace, in possession of His +life, approach God in His worthy Name His own voice is heard; He +is the leader of our prayers and our praises. That new and +intimate relationship brought about by His atoning death at the +cross is mentioned first. He gave Himself for the church (Eph. +v:25). In the next place we hear Israel praising Him. “All ye the +seed of Jacob glorify Him; and reverence Him all ye the seed of +Israel.” They who rejected Him, His people who despised Him and +had such a part in the suffering of Christ, now own Him. They +acknowledge Him, whom they thought afflicted of God, as having +been heard of God.</p> +<p class="pn">That time will come when He returns in power and +glory, when Israel will see the Man in Glory, the First begotten +coming in the clouds of Heaven. Then they will realize the full +truth of Isaiah liii. The blessed Lord will then have the travail +of His soul and be satisfied. But there is more glory still for +Him.</p> +<p class="pns">A <i>great</i> congregation is mentioned; there +too His praises will be heard. All the ends of the earth will +remember and turn unto the Lord. Nations will worship before +Him.</p> +<p class="pn">“For the Kingdom is Jehovah’s</p> +<p class="pns">And He ruleth among the nations” (verse 28).</p> +<p class="pns">The great congregation are the nations of the +millennial age. Then the ends of the earth will remember Him +while He ruleth among the nations. What Glory awaits Him! Now we +behold Him, who was made a little lower than the angels for the +suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. It is a +spiritual vision; we see Him there by faith. But a little while +longer and He will appear in the Glory of His Father bringing His +co-heirs with Him, the Son bringing many sons to glory, the sons +He is not ashamed to call brethren, for whom He was forsaken on +the cross. What a procession of triumph and glory that will be +when the Heavens open and He is coming forth, bringing His church +with Him! What will be His Glory when Israel at last owns Him and +nations submit under His rule, when His visible Glory will cover +the earth as the waters cover the sea! All hail! Oh blessed, +blessed Lord!</p> +<p class="pn">And we do need to consider all these precious +predictions, so numerous in the Scriptures, the prophecies of His +Glory. The God of this age Satan is unfolding the glories of this +present age which is almost at the end, with a skilful master +hand. He knows how to blind the eyes not only of those who +believe not, but of many who are Christians. He makes everything +so attractive and many of God’s people have fallen into his +snares. We need to look through the Word of God upon the +brightness of His Glory, the glorious things to come, so that our +eyes may be blinded to the miserable playthings of the dust, +which the fire of God’s vengeance will ere long consume. We need +these glorious visions of the great realities so that we can go +forward with joyfulness to suffer, be rejected of men and bear +the bright and blessed testimony, the Father expects from His +beloved children. Take up the watchword of the last days! <i>True +to Christ—all in Christ—all for Christ—Onward to Glory.</i> Soon +He will call us into His glorious presence.</p> +<p class="pn">“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present +time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be +revealed in us” (Rom. viii:18).</p> +<p class="pn">“For our light affliction which is but for a +moment, worketh a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” +(2 Cor. v:17).</p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p1">Oh what will be the day when won at last</p> +<p class="p2">The last long weary battle, we shall come</p> +<p class="p1">To those eternal gates the King hath passed,</p> +<p class="p2">Returning from our exile to our Home;</p> +<p class="p1">When earth’s last dust is washed from off our +feet;</p> +<p class="p2">The last sweat from our brows is wiped away;</p> +<p class="p1">The hopes that made our pilgrim journey sweet</p> +<p class="p2s">All met around us, realized that day!</p> +<p class="p1">Oh what will be the day, when we shall stand</p> +<p class="p2">Irradiate with God’s eternal light;</p> +<p class="p1">First tread as sinless saints the sinless land,</p> +<p class="p2">No shade nor stain upon our garments white;</p> +<p class="p1">No fear, no shame upon our faces then,</p> +<p class="p2">No mark of sin—oh joy beyond all thought!</p> +<p class="p1">A son of God, a free-born citizen</p> +<p class="p2s">Of that bright city where the curse is not!</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Exalted" id="Exalted">The Exalted One.</a></h1> +<h2>Hebrews i.</h2> +<p class="pnn">SOME thirty-five years ago, when the so-called +“Higher Criticism” had begun its destructive work, a believer +living in England, predicted that within thirty years the storm +would gather over one sacred head. How this has come true! +Satan’s work of undermining the authority of the Bible, a +pernicious work still going on, is but the preliminary to an +attack of the Person of Christ. To-day as never before the +glorious Person of our Lord is being belittled in the camp of +Christendom. This is done not only in the out and out denials of +His Deity but also in more subtle ways. It is for us who “deny +not His Name” (Revel. iii:8), whose desire is to exalt Him, ever +to remind ourselves of the Blessed One and His Glory. At this +time we desire to look briefly at the teachings of the first +chapter in Hebrews.</p> +<p class="pn">This chapter is divided into two parts. In the +first part we find another great description of our adorable +Lord, and in the second a description of His exaltation. The +beginning of the chapter gives us that solid assurance that God +has spoken and that the Old Testament is His Word. “God having +spoken in many parts and in many ways formerly to the fathers in +the prophets, at the end of these days has spoken to us in (the +person of the) Son.” The Old Testament Scriptures are the +inspired Word of God; at last God spake in Son, as it is in the +Greek. The Old Testament announced that God would speak in the +person of the Son. For this reason it is impossible to deny the +authority of the Old Testament without denying the authority of +Lord Jesus Christ. The written and the living Word stand and fall +together.</p> +<p class="pn">This is followed by a description of Himself. Seven +things are mentioned concerning our Lord. 1. Heir of all +Things. 2. By whom He made the worlds. 3. The Brightness of +God’s Glory. 4. The Express image of His Person. 5. The +Upholder of all Things. 6. He has purged our sins. 7. He sat +down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. What wonderful +seven things these are! Oh that we would meditate more on each, +how it would strengthen our faith and deepen our fellowship with +Him. It would give us victory when the hosts of the enemy press +upon us. Our defeat is the result of losing sight of the object +of our faith, Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">We also can divide the description of our Lord in +the first chapter of Hebrews into three parts. 1. He is the Son +of God in eternity; One with the Father, essentially and +absolutely God. This is found in these great statements “By whom +He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His Glory and the +express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word +of His power.” This could never be said of a creature of God. Our +Lord is the Creator Himself, the express image of the person of +God, the one who upholds all things. What it all means! What a +Lord we have! All this harmonizes with the description of His +Person in Colossians.</p> +<p class="pn">2. He is the Son of God in incarnation. This is +found in the following sentence “When He had Himself purged out +sins” or as it is literally “Having made by Himself the +purification of sins.” For this great purpose He entered His own +world. The mighty Creator, the eternal Son of God, the Holy One +is our Redeemer. As Son of God He walked on the earth in the +Spirit of holiness, the holy, spotless One, God manifested in the +flesh. And this wonderful Being was made Sin for us, went as the +willing sacrifice to the cross. Oh what a record! “Who did no +sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who when reviled, +reviled not again: when suffering threatened not; . . . . . . . +who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, . . . . by +whose stripes ye have been healed.” What a foundation for our +faith, what assurance! He Himself has accomplished the work for +us and has made peace in the blood of His cross. He only could do +it.</p> +<p class="pn">3. The Son of God in resurrection. “He sat down on +the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made so much better +than the angels as He hath by inheritance obtained a more +excellent name than they.” And in verse 2 we read “Whom He (God) +hath appointed heir to all things.”</p> +<p class="pn">All this is spoken of Him who had died on the cross +and who raised from the dead as glorified Man is at the right +hand of the majesty on high. What He is in that resurrection +Glory we shall be with Him. His Love does not stop short of this. +The Glory the Father gave to Him, He has given to us. He is the +image of the invisible God, because He is God. His redeemed +people shall be transformed into His image, that He might be the +first born among many brethren. What a thought this is! We shall +image Him forth in all eternity, as He images the invisible God. +Into what depths we gaze!</p> +<p class="pns">Then in the second part of this chapter we find a +description of His exaltation and Glory. The Holy Spirit shows +this marvelous theme from His Word. He quotes from seven Psalms, +that book which is one of the most attacked in the present day. +The Holy Spirit gives us a key in these quotations how we should +look for Christ in the Psalms. What wickedness in face of such +Scriptures to deny the messianic prophecies contained in the +Psalms. The Psalms quoted are the following: “The ii; lxxxix (2 +Sam. vii:14); xcvii; civ; xlv; cii and cx.” They reveal His Glory +and in what His future Glory will exist. And we shall share that +exaltation with Him. We are destined to be His Co-heirs. We shall +rule with Him and shall be priests with Him. He is higher than +the angels in His resurrection Glory. He was made a little lower +than the angels that He could take us with Himself into that +place above the angels. All Glory and Praise to His Holy Name. We +worship and adore Thee, Thou Son of God, our Saviour and Lord! +What Glory awaits us! What dignity is ours! Oh, child of God, you +need just this one thing, to know Him better, to have the Holy +Spirit make Christ and the things of Christ, the future Glory +more real to your souls. Let Him do it. And soon we shall be with +Him.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Lamb of God, Thy faithful promise</p> +<p class="p3">Says, “Behold, I quickly come;”</p> +<p class="p2">And our hearts, to Thine responsive,</p> +<p class="p3">Cry, “come, Lord, and take us home.”</p> +<p class="p2">Oh, the rapture that awaits us</p> +<p class="p3">When we meet Thee in the air,</p> +<p class="p2">And with Thee ascend in triumph,</p> +<p class="p3s">All Thy deepest joys to share!</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Glorious" id="Glorious">A Glorious Vision.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">THE Epistle to the Hebrews, this profound and +blessed portion of the Holy Scriptures, unfolds a most wonderful +vision of the Person, the Glory and the great Redemption work of +our adorable Lord. The portion of the Epistle which is the +richest in this respect is the Second Chapter. Here is a vista +for the eyes of faith which is sublime. Our Lord in His Person, +in His humiliation and exaltation, in His suffering and glory, +stands out in a way which makes the believing heart rejoice with +joy unspeakable and full of Glory. What He has accomplished for +us, His present place in Glory and intercessory work, His future +and dominion over the earth, all are mentioned by the Holy Spirit +in this brief chapter. His humiliation by incarnation is +mentioned in these words “Thou madest Him a little lower than the +angels.” “Forasmuch, then as the children are partakers of flesh +and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.” And +He is the One “by whom are all things” (verse 10).</p> +<p class="pn">His suffering and death and its blessed results are +given in this chapter. “By the grace of God He should taste death +for every man.” “That through death He might destroy him that had +the power of death, that is the devil.” He made “reconciliation +for sins of the people.”</p> +<p class="pn">We read of the gracious relations into which all +believing sinners are brought in virtue of His work on the cross. +“For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all +of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” +It is that blessed, deep, eternal relationship of being One with +Him and One with God. Then we find here His presence as Man in +Glory. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the +angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and +honor.”</p> +<p class="pn">In that attitude He is now “the merciful and +faithful high Priest.” “For in that He Himself hath suffered, +being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.”</p> +<p class="pn">The ultimate result of His work is also stated. He +is “bringing many sons unto glory.” And that glory will be His +own glory. Not only now but in that future day of glory He will +declare “Behold I and the children, which God hath given me.”</p> +<p class="pn">Furthermore we have the fact of His earthly +dominion, that He is to have possession of the earth. “The world +to come,” that is the habitable earth, not heaven, is to be put +in subjection under Him. “Thou hast put all things in subjection +under His feet.” All these blessed truths are stated in this +chapter of Hebrews.</p> +<p class="pn">In regard to a subdued earth we read: “But now we +see not yet all things put under Him.” That was true when the +Holy Spirit penned these words. This is still true and it will be +true until the Father bringeth in the First begotten into the +world, when not alone all the angels of God will worship Him +(Heb. i:6), but when God will make His enemies the footstool of +His blessed feet (Psalm cx:1).</p> +<p class="pns">However this coming triumph for Him who was made a +little lower than the angels is not the glorious vision of this +chapter. It is time by faith we may behold the glorious +consummation as revealed in the prophetic Word, but here another +vision for our present rejoicing and present help is put before +us. While we see not yet all things put under His feet “we see +Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the +suffering of death crowned with glory and honor.”</p> +<p class="pns">This is the great vision for the present. This is +what the Holy Spirit wants us to behold more than anything else. +Of Stephen it is written: “He being full of the Holy Spirit, +looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and +Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts vii:55). And +whenever the Holy Spirit fills us He will direct the vision of +the eyes of our heart to Him who was made a little lower than the +angels and who is now in heaven crowned with glory and honor. And +only the <i>power</i> of the Holy Spirit filling us can make this +great fact and vision a reality.</p> +<p class="pn">But what does this glorious vision mean to +<i>us?</i> What does it teach us? Oh, much more than the weak pen +of the writer can tell out.</p> +<p class="pn">The blessed One who is there crowned with glory and +honor is the One who was made a little lower than the angels for +the suffering of death; He bore our sins on the cross and died +for us. What a blessed, blessed proof then it is, as we behold +Him there, that our sins are completely and forever gone!</p> +<p class="pn">But more than that. In seeing Him there we behold +ourselves. The deliverer of our souls at the right hand of God, +the second man, crowned with glory and honor, is the pattern and +forerunner of all who belong to Him and whom He is not ashamed to +call brethren. Grace has raised us up together, and has made us +sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Eph. ii:5, +6).</p> +<p class="pn">Our eternal destiny, beloved in the Lord, is to be +like Him, with Him and to share His marvelous inheritance as His +co-heirs. That glorious vision is the evidence of our coming +glory, when we shall be transformed into His image that He might +be the firstborn among many brethren. As we gaze in the Spirit on +Him who is crowned with glory and honor we can see ourselves.</p> +<p class="pn">And as the age darkens, as the Laodicean state +becomes more prevalent, temptations and snares increase, the +enemy’s powers and activities more marked, we need to open our +eyes and hearts wider, to take in the vision of our blessed head +in Glory. Only in this way can we be kept in these evil days. The +only way of spiritual progress, spiritual enjoyment, spiritual +worship is to “behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord,” and +beholding that glorious vision we “are changed into the same +image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 +Cor. vii:18).</p> +<p class="pn">This glorious vision will keep us in the place of +separation. It will make us heavenly-minded and produce in our +lives the practical results of the cross of Christ “crucified +unto the world and the world crucified unto me.” Why do real +Christians, who know the truth and even know and speak of His +Second Coming go along with the world and delight in its ways? It +is because the heart is departed from Christ and has lost sight +of the blessed and glorious vision. Years ago a saint of God, who +is now present with the Lord, made the following statement:</p> +<p class="pn">“It sometimes happens that Christians have got so +far away from Christ in heart, that they become engrossed in the +affairs of this life, and some can even visit and enjoy the poor +empty, tinselled shows of this world’s vanity. What could be more +lamentable? They forget that <i>death’s stamp</i> is deeply +graven on everything this side of resurrection. But such actions +clearly prove that the heart must have been away from Christ for +some time.”</p> +<p class="pn">Reader! if this means you return unto thy rest. +Arise now and seek His face and behold your Saviour, who was made +a little lower than the angels crowned with glory and honor.</p> +<p class="pns">May all our hearts, dear children of God, cry out +with him, who knew Him so well, the prisoner of the Lord “That I +may know <i>Him</i>, and the power of His resurrection and the +fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His +death” (Phil. iii:10). Soon we shall know Him and all His +glory.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">I see a Man at God’s right hand,</p> +<p class="p3">Upon the throne of God,</p> +<p class="p2">And there in seven-fold light I see</p> +<p class="p3">The seven-fold sprinkled blood;</p> +<p class="p2">I look upon that glorious Man,</p> +<p class="p3">On that blood-sprinkled throne;</p> +<p class="p2">I know that He sits there for me,</p> +<p class="p3s">The glory is my own.</p> +<p class="p2">The heart of God flows forth in love,</p> +<p class="p3">A deep eternal stream;</p> +<p class="p2">Through that beloved Son it flows</p> +<p class="p3">To me as unto Him.</p> +<p class="p2">And, looking on His face, I know—</p> +<p class="p3">Weak, worthless, though I be—</p> +<p class="p2">How deep, how measureless, how sweet,</p> +<p class="p3s">That love of God to me.</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Brethren" id="Brethren">My Brethren.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">OUR Lord Jesus Christ calls those for whom He died +and who have believed on Him “<i>My Brethren</i>.” What a word it +is! The Brethren of the Man in Glory! Brethren of Him who is at +the right hand of God, the upholder and heir of all things! Pause +for a moment, dear reader. Let your heart lay hold anew of this +wonderful message of God’s Grace; Brethren of the Lord Jesus +Christ! What depths of love and grace these words contain! What +heights of glory they promise to us, who were bought by His own +precious blood! His Brethren now; His Brethren forever. One with +Him, one with His Father and His God. Sharers of His life, +sharers of His Spirit, sharers of His glory and His inheritance. +Blessed, glorious truth, He calls us His Brethren.</p> +<p class="pn">It is in the twenty-second Psalm where we find this +truth revealed prophetically for the first time. That Psalm +begins, as we have seen before, with the utterance of the deepest +distress. It closes with the shout of victory and of triumph. He +who was forsaken of God on the cross, the blessed sin bearer, has +received glory. In the midst of the congregation, His redeemed +people, He praises God, who has delivered Him and who gave Him +Glory. In God’s own time, in the coming day of His visible +manifestation, all the ends of the world shall remember and turn +unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship +before Him. Then the Kingdom will be the Lord’s.</p> +<p class="pn">He who suffered on the cross was heard “from the +horns of the unicorn” (Ps. xxii:21). Resurrection was the answer +from God; the power of God raised Him from the dead. At once, +after the great work had been accomplished, there follows the +triumphant declaration of Him whose voice had cried so bitterly +in death, “I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren; in the midst +of the congregation will I praise Thee.” And blessed was the +fulfilment on that day of joy, when the tomb was empty and He had +come forth, the risen Christ. To Mary Magdalene He said on that +glorious resurrection morning, “But go and tell <i>my +brethren</i>, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your +Father, and to my God and your God” (John xx:17). What joy must +then have filled His loving heart. From His gracious lips there +bursts forth a message such as He never gave to His own before +His resurrection.</p> +<p class="pn">The great work on the cross had been accomplished, +sin had been put away by the sacrifice of Himself. The Only +Begotten of the Father, God’s holy Son, one with God, became Man; +then passing through death, in which He fully glorified God, God +raised Him from the dead. And now He gives the blessed results of +His own work for those who believe on Him. He has brought us into +the same relationship with His Father and His God, which He +Himself holds, as the Man Christ Jesus, raised from the dead. His +Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is our Father; His +God is our God. And again we pause as we write this. Let our +hearts repeat it: “My Father, your Father; my God, your God.” He +has brought us into fellowship with His Father; He has brought us +to God and the place He has with the Father and with God, is the +place God’s fathomless Grace has given to us. How little our +hearts take it in! How little reality we possess of all this! And +yet He wants us to enjoy it as He enjoys the fulness of joy in +His Father’s and His God’s own presence. May the Holy Spirit work +in us unhindered, that through His power we may lay hold in faith +of this mighty truth and have it as a <i>practical power</i> in +our daily lives. My Father, your Father; my God, your God and +Christ, who loved me and gave Himself for me, Christ, who loveth +us, is with His Father and His God. In such relationship, brought +to the Father and to God through the Lord Jesus Christ and kept +there by His own Grace and Power, how happy we should be.</p> +<p class="pn">And because we possess now in virtue of Christ’s +work this blessed relationship, He owns us joyfully as His +brethren. Hebrews ii:11-12 puts this more fully before our +hearts: “For both He that sanctifieth and they that are +sanctified are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to +call them brethren. Saying, I will declare Thy name unto my +brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto +Thee.” The Lord Jesus Christ is He that sanctifieth and they that +are sanctified by His great work and are in Him, are believing +sinners, reconciled to God by His blood. Both He that sanctifieth +and we are all of One and this One is God, the Father. Therefore +He is not ashamed to call them brethren. It is true we possess +this relationship with the Man in Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, +because we are born of God. We have eternal life, His own life, +and that makes us One with Him. But this is not the truth in view +here. It is the truth that He has identified Himself with us and +through His death and resurrection we are identified with Him. +And what it means “in the midst of the church will I sing praises +unto Thee” we shall not follow at this time.</p> +<p class="pn">But let us keep it before our hearts a little while +longer. The Lord of Glory calls us “My Brethren.” He who is there +in the Father’s house, in the Father’s presence and on the +Father’s throne is not ashamed to call us brethren. He knows all +about us. He knows all the depths of sin in which we are by +nature; that by nature we were enemies by wicked works and +children of wrath, but He took it all upon Himself and has taken +it out of the way and now He looks upon us and all who have +accepted Him by personal faith as being one with Him and one with +His Father; therefore He is not ashamed to call us brethren. What +a comfort it should be to our hearts! What joy it should create +in our souls! He Himself received from God, His heart’s desire +and the request of His lips (Ps. xxi:2). And all His desire and +request was in our behalf, that He might bring us, His many sons, +to glory. And now He rejoices in us, for we are His inheritance. +He wants us to rejoice in Him and with Him in an unspeakable joy +and full of glory. Our souls entering into all this and rejoicing +with Him in His salvation, enjoying the comfort of it; this +honors Him and honors God.</p> +<p class="pn">It should end the discouragement and unbelief from +which we so often suffer. Though we are weak and erring, +imperfect in all our ways, yet He is not ashamed to call us +brethren. Such a fellowship and relation into which we are +brought once and, for all by the Son of God, should, if accepted +in faith, dispel any doubt about ourselves and free us from all +gloom and discouragement. Alas! how dull we are not to enter +fully into the joy and comfort Grace has bestowed upon us!</p> +<p class="pn">And then think of the dignity and honor which is +ours. Sons of God with Him; Heirs of God with Him; one with Him, +perfectly identified with the blessed One in God’s presence. +Therefore He is not ashamed to call us brethren. To walk worthy +of the Lord is our calling; and worthy of the Lord we shall walk +if we have the great fact of our fellowship with the Son of God +as a reality before our souls. It is a sad state to speak +theoretically of our position in Christ, to know all this with +our intellects and not to manifest it in our lives and show forth +the excellencies of Him, who has called us from darkness into his +marvellous light.</p> +<p class="pn">He is not ashamed to call us brethren. It should +strengthen the love for the brethren. Love one another. The +weakest, the most imperfect believer, that one who appears to us +so unlovable and so ignorant, is nevertheless owned by him. Just +let us remember in looking upon all believers, that he is not +ashamed to call them brethren, that no matter where they belong, +what their knowledge in the Scriptures might be, they belong to +Christ, and are equally beloved of God. How we need it in a day +when Satan goes about dividing the people of God. Love for the +brethren, a deep, real heart love, will possess us as our hearts +feed upon the fact of our oneness with him and with His Father +and His God.</p> +<p class="pn">He is not ashamed to call them brethren. It will be +an incentive to witness for Him. Dishonored as He is, it falls +upon us to honor Him by our personal witness. While in the +Father’s presence He sings and is the leader of the praises of +His people, we must sing of Him here and utter His praise on +earth. He is not ashamed of us; <i>how could we ever be ashamed +of Him?</i> What an honor to speak His worth, to tell out, though +in feeble way, His glory and exalt His name. And yet we must +beware of an unscriptural familiarity with Him, which the Holy +Spirit does not sanction in the Scriptures. We must not address +Him, as it is so often done, as “my brother,” or other +sentimental terms, which our pen is reluctant to repeat. In all +this we must not forget His dignity and glory. While He thus +identified Himself with us and is not ashamed to call us +brethren, He is nevertheless the holy Son of God, the Lord of +all. As such we must adore and worship Him. Some blessed day we +shall be just like Him. We are predestinated to be conformed to +the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many +brethren (Rom. viii:29). That will be in the glorious day when we +shall meet Him face to face. “We know that when He shall appear, +we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (John +iii:2). What it all will mean? What day of joy and triumph for +Him, when He stands as the leader of all whom the Father has +given unto Him, when all according to His prayer will be the +sharers of His Glory. Then He will be glorified in His saints for +they will bear His image and reflect His glory. What a destiny! +Like Him and with Him. And this future of perfect conformity to +the Lord Jesus Christ and possession of the wonderful +inheritance, which, in its riches we cannot grasp now with out +finite minds, is rapidly approaching. How soon it may burst upon +us!</p> +<p class="pn">Oh, friends, beloved in the Lord! Do we all enjoy +this now in faith? Is it so that the Lord Jesus Christ becomes +daily more real and precious to us? Do we live in the power of +all this?</p> +<h1><a name="Patience" id="Patience">The Patience of +Christ.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">“BUT the Lord direct your hearts into the Love of +God and into the <i>Patience of Christ</i>” (2 Thess. iii:5). +With these words Paul exhorted the Thessalonian believers. They +had many trials and difficulties. They suffered persecutions and +were troubled. False alarms had affected their patience of hope +in the Lord Jesus Christ. The inspired exhortation puts before +their hearts the Patience of Christ. Comfort and joy, +encouragement and peace, would surely come to their hearts and +strengthen them, if they remembered and entered into the Patience +of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">And who can describe or speak fully and worthily of +the Patience of our blessed Lord! It includes so much. All His +moral Glory and Divine perfections are concealed and revealed in +this Word. The word patience has a wide meaning. It means more +than we generally express by it. Submission, endurance in +meekness, waiting in faith, quietness, contentment, composure, +forebearance, suffering in calmness, calmness in suffering; all +and more is contained in the one word, Patience. And such +patience in all its fulness and perfection the Son of God +exhibited in His earthly life. Whenever we look in the Gospels, +we behold this calm, quiet, restful patience. His whole life here +on earth is but a continued record of patience. In patience His +childhood was spent, and when in His twelfth year the Glory of +His Deity flashed forth we read “He went down with them, and came +to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” In patience, He whose +mighty power had called the universe in existence, toiled on, +content in Nazareth, submissive to the Father, till after many +years the day would come, when the work He had come to do should +be begun and finished. To describe that Patience during His +public ministry from Nazareth, where He had been brought up, to +Golgotha, would necessitate a close scrutiny of every step of the +way, every act and every utterance which came from His holy lips. +What discoveries of His Grace and moral Glory we make, if under +the guidance of His Spirit we meditate on His life here below. +Humility and submission under God, patient waiting on Him, utter +absence of all haste, perfect calmness of soul and every other +characteristic of perfect patience, we can trace constantly in +that wonderful life. What patience is revealed in the forty days +in the wilderness, when He hungered and was with the wild beasts +(Mark i:13). When Satan tempted Him and asked for stones to be +made bread, He exhibited still His patience. In His service, that +marvellous service rendered by the perfect servant, no +ambitiousness or ostentatiousness can ever be discovered. He +pleased not Himself but Him who sent Him. He was constantly going +about doing the Father’s will. His kindness and love were +rewarded by rejection and insults, yet no complaint or murmur +ever came from His lips. He was always trusting in God, perfectly +calm, perfectly satisfied.</p> +<p class="pn">And how His patience shines out in dealing with +men. What patience He had with His disciples and how He bore with +them in love. They were slow learners. What patience and +tenderness in his conversation with her, whom He had sought, the +woman at Samaria’s well. And greatest above all His patience in +suffering. He endured the cross. When He was reviled, He reviled +not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed +Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. (1 Pet. ii:23). He was +oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He +was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his +shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. All the buffetings, +shame, dishonors, griefs, pains and sorrows He patiently endured. +Oh! the patience of Christ, who for the joy set before Him +endured the cross, despising the shame!</p> +<p class="pn">And into this patience of Christ our hearts are to +be directed. It is to be the object of our contemplation and to +be followed by us, who belong to Him. The patience of Christ must +be manifested in our lives. For even hereunto were ye called, +because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that +ye should follow His steps. His humility, submissiveness, +contentment, calmness, patience in endurance, in doing and +suffering the will of God, must be reproduced in our lives. But +how little we know of it in reality. Impatience is the leading +characteristic of the closing days of this present evil age. It +is alas! but too prominently seen among God’s people who are +influenced by the present day currents. How little true waiting +on the Lord and for the Lord is practiced! How much reaching out +after the things which are but for a moment and which will soon +perish! In consequence there is but little enjoyment of that +which is the glorious and eternal portion of the Saints of God. +How great the haste and hurry of present day life! How little +quietness and contentment! In suffering and loss, murmurings, +fault-finding and words of forced resignation are more frequently +heard than joyful songs of praise. Unrest instead of rest, +discontent instead of contentment, anxiety instead of simple +trust, self exaltation instead of self abnegation, ambitiousness +instead of lowliness of mind are found on all sides among those +who name the name of Christ and who carry His Life in their +hearts. And why? Your heart, dear reader, is so often out of +touch with Christ. You lose sight of Him. His Spirit is grieved +and in consequence there is failure and the impatience of the +flesh. Return, oh my soul, unto thy rest! Direct, O Lord, our +hearts into the Patience of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">The Patience of Christ. He is still the patient +Christ. Rejected by the world He has taken His place upon the +Father’s throne. There He waits until His enemies are made His +footstool. Long ago, in our human reckoning, He entered there. +Long ago the Father said to Him, “Ask of Me and I will give Thee +the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost part of the +earth for Thy possession” (Ps. ii:8). Up to now He has not yet +asked the Father. When He asks it will mean judgment for this +world. In infinite patience He has waited and waited in the +presence of God. And all this time He has carried on His work as +the Priest and Advocate of His people who live on earth. With +what tenderness and patience He has dealt with all who lived in +the past centuries. His mighty power kept them and now they are +at home with Him. The same patience He manifests towards us. How +often we have failed Him and walked in the flesh instead of +walking in the Spirit. We came to Him and confessed and then we +found Him so loving towards us. But ere long we failed again and +in His loving patience His arms were again around us. And thus a +hundred times. He changeth not. He is the same loving, patient +Lord towards His own in Glory as He was on earth. “He shall not +be discouraged,” the prophet declared. Even so His Patience knows +no discouragement.</p> +<p class="pn">In all the dishonor done to His holy, worthy Name, +He endures patiently. He is silent to all what is done by His +enemies. The Patience of Christ. May the Lord grant us His +Patience. John said to himself, “I am your brother and companion +in tribulation and in the kingdom and <i>patience</i> of Jesus +Christ” (Rev. i:9). To that kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ +of which John speaks of belonging we belong. The martyrs belonged +to it. Afflictions, persecutions and sufferings were their part. +They are ours. In humility, in endurance, unflinching courage, in +the patience of Christ, let us suffer with Him, share His +reproach until His Glory is revealed.</p> +<h1><a name="Silent" id="Silent">He Shall Not Keep +Silent.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">THE heavens have long been silent. It is one of +the leading characteristics of this present age, the closed, the +silent heavens. But they will not be silent forever. “Our God +shall come and shall not keep silence” (Ps. i:3). In His divine +Patience the Lord has been at the right hand of God for nearly +two thousand years. He will not occupy that place forever. It is +not His permanent station to be upon the Father’s throne. He has +the promise of His own throne, which He as the King-Priest must +occupy. Nearly two thousand years have gone since He passed +through the heavens and during that time He has been rejected by +the world. Every possible dishonor, insult and shame has been +heaped upon His holy head through the instrumentality of the +enemy, the devil. Never before has the rejection of the Man in +Glory been so pronounced, so radical, so blasphemous as now. +Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ are constantly seized by an +unspeakable grief on account of these awful denials of the Christ +of God and an horror as well. And still He patiently waits. But +He will not always wait. His Patience will some day be exhausted. +He will pray His unprayed prayer in Glory and ask of the Father +the nations and the uttermost parts of the earth. The Father will +then send the Firstborn back to this earth. When He comes in +visible Glory to this earth it will mean the day of vengeance. +The vengeance of God will fall upon His enemies. All the Christ +rejecters, the wicked men and women who received not the love of +the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, the enemies of +the cross of Christ, though they lived amiable lives (one of +Satan’s pet phrases), will meet Him not as the patient lamb, but +the Judge, the lion of the tribe of Judah. What will it be when +His Patience is ended? What will it be when the kingdom and the +Patience of Jesus Christ give way to the kingdom and Glory of +Jesus Christ? Rapidly the day is nearing when the Lord Jesus +Christ will be completely rejected. As long as the true church is +still here this complete rejection is an impossibility. But the +church will some day leave this earth. Then conditions are ripe +for the complete rejection of the Christ and the reception of +Antichrist who will then appear. And when the beast is worshipped +(Rev. xiii) and the world defies God and His anointed as never +before, when the nations of apostate Christendom stand in battle +array (Rev. xix:19), then He will come as the King whose patience +is ended and claim His Kingdom. What will it mean when His +Patience is ended? Who can describe it? What judgments will fall +then upon a wicked world and be meted out upon the enemies of +Christ? The day of vengeance is rapidly approaching. It is the +day of vengeance for the world. It is the day of the Glory of +Christ. It is the day of the Glory of the Saints. It is the day +of your Glory as a believer.</p> +<p class="pn">Let us suffer with Him, that we may also be +glorified together. Let us be patient as long as He is patient. +“Be ye also patient; establish your hearts for the coming of the +Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest +ye be condemned; behold the Judge standeth before the door” +(James v:8, 9).</p> +<p class="pn">In His Patience pray for the unsaved. Preach the +Gospel, give out the Gospel, send the Gospel, give for the +Gospel, live the Gospel. A little while longer and His patience +will end.</p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:2.5em"> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Trusting in the Lord thy God,</p> +<p class="p4">Onward go.</p> +<p class="p2">Holding fast His faithful word,</p> +<p class="p4">Onward go.</p> +<p class="p2">Not denying His worthy name,</p> +<p class="p2">Though it brings reproach and shame,</p> +<p class="p2">Spreading still His wondrous fame,</p> +<p class="p4s">Onward go.</p> +<p class="p2">Has He said the end is near?</p> +<p class="p4">Onward go.</p> +<p class="p2">Serving Him with holy fear,</p> +<p class="p4">Onward go.</p> +<p class="p2">Christ thy portion, Christ thy stay—</p> +<p class="p2">Heavenly bread upon the way,</p> +<p class="p2">Leading on to glorious day—</p> +<p class="p4s">Onward go.</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Love" id="Love">The Love of Christ.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">THE Patience of Christ was recently the object of +our meditation in these pages. Blessed and inexhaustible it is. +And now a still greater theme is before our hearts. The Love of +Christ. The heart almost shrinks from attempting to write on the +matchless, unfathomable love of our blessed and adorable Lord. +All the Saints of God who have spoken and written on the Love of +Christ have never told out its fulness and vastness, its heights +and its depths. “The Love of Christ which passeth knowledge” +(Ephesians iii:19). And yet we <i>do</i> know the Love of Christ. +While we cannot fully grasp that mighty, eternal Love our hearts +can enjoy it and we can ever know more of it. And He Himself +whose Love is set upon us wants us to drink constantly of the +ocean of His never-changing Love and receive new tokens, new +glimpses of it. Surely His own blessed Spirit, though one feels +so insufficient for such an object, will guide us in our +meditation. He is with us and in us to glorify Him and take of +the things of Christ to show them unto us. The Love of Christ, +the Holy Spirit ever longs to make known and to impart to our +poor and feeble hearts.</p> +<p class="pns">The Love of our Lord is an eternal Love. It is not +a thing of time. It antedates the foundation of the world.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">“His gracious eye surveyed us</p> +<p class="p3s">Ere stars were seen above.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">He as the Son of God in the bosom of God was the +object of Love. “Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the +world” (John xvii: 24). And then He knew us and His Love was even +then set upon us, before we ever were in existence. He knew our +sinfulness, our enmity, our vileness, and in Love which passeth +knowledge He looked forward to the time, when He would manifest +this Love to us His fallen creatures. “Such knowledge is too +wonderful for me; it is high I cannot attain unto it” (Psalm +cxxxix:6).</p> +<p class="pn">It was Love which brought Him down from the Glory, +which He had with God. What Love to come into this dark, +sin-cursed world, a world full of enemies. What Love to leave +that bright and glorious home and appear as man, made of a woman +entering this world He had called into existence. And there was +no room for Him in the inn. It passeth knowledge.</p> +<p class="pns">And then that life, which He lived on earth, was +lived in that mighty Love.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">“A love that led Thee here below</p> +<p class="p3">To tread a lonely path in grace,</p> +<p class="p3">To pass through sorrow, grief and woe,</p> +<p class="p3s">The portion of a ruin’d race.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">What Love we see in Him, in every step of that +lonely path! What compassion, what tenderness in every action in +every word we discover, ever new and fresh, in that blessed life +of God’s unspeakable gift. Wherever we look we behold that Love. +Loving compassion rested upon the multitudes; with Love He +compassed the poor, the sinful, the oppressed, the heartsick and +the outcast. Love carried the weak and failing men, who had +believed on him, His disciples. A blessed word it is, which +stands in the beginning of the thirteenth chapter in the Gospel +of John. “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved +them unto the end.” His Love for His own was expressed by serving +them. He pleased not Himself but had come to minister. He then +girded Himself and began to wash the disciples’ feet. What +humiliation! Yet it was the fruit of Love. All He did was born of +Love. His was on earth a constant, a never-tiring, an enduring +Love. All the selfishness of His disciples could not quench that +Love. Nothing could quench His Love for His own. Nothing will +ever quench it. Peter denied Him. “And the Lord turned and looked +upon Peter” (Luke xxii:61). Was it a look of reproach? Was it a +frown of displeasure which Peter saw in that beloved face? Far +from it. Love in its divine perfection shone out of the eyes of +the Son of God. And after His resurrection that Love was still +the same. There was no reproach connected with the restoration of +Peter to service. In the greatest tenderness and Love He +committed to His disciple, who had so shamefully denied Him, the +lambs and sheep so dear to His own loving heart.</p> +<p class="pn">Again we say, that Love passeth knowledge. How +could man’s imagination and invention ever have produced such a +loving Person as our Lord, revealing the perfection of divine +Love!</p> +<p class="pn">But there is greater Love than the Love which we +behold in His blessed Life on earth. The greater Love is +manifested when He laid down His life. He came into the world to +die, to be the propitiation for our sins. He came to take our +place on the cross. He came to drink the cup of wrath in our +stead and suffer the awful penalty of our sins.</p> +<p class="pn">“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. <i>But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, +while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us</i>.”</p> +<p class="pns">God in Love gave thus His Son, and He gave Himself +in Love. From shame to shame, from suffering to suffering, from +pain to pain and agony to agony that Love went on to plunge into +the deepest sorrow, to reach at last the place where His loving +lips had to cry “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">“To death of shame Thy love did reach,</p> +<p class="p3">God’s holy judgment then to bear;</p> +<p class="p2">Ah, Lord, what human tongue can teach</p> +<p class="p3s"><i>Or tell the love that brought Thee +there</i>.”</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">Ah! what human tongue can teach or tell the Love +that brought Thee there! It passeth knowledge. But with loving, +praising hearts, in worship and adoration we can look up to that +cross on which the Prince of Glory died and say with Paul, “He +loved me, He gave Himself for me.” And again we join with the +innumerable hosts of His own redeemed in the Glory song. “Unto +Him that loveth us and washed us from our sins in His own blood +and hath made us Kings and priests unto God and His Father, to +Him be Glory and dominion forever. Amen.” And beloved reader, +that Love which knew you and us all before we ever existed, that +Love which came from Glory for you, that Love which went into the +jaws of death, endured the cross and despised the shame, that +Love which gave so willingly, gave as we can never give, that +Love is still the same. It changes not. His Love knows no +fluctuations. That perfect Love cannot grow cold or indifferent. +We all had our first love; when first we saw Him with the eyes of +faith, how our hearts were enraptured. How soon that Love began +to grow cold and decreased instead of increased. Then our walk +and service became affected for thus it must ever be when the +heart is not responding to His Love and not in living, loving +touch with Himself. Oh! the weeks and months and years of our +Christian experience spent without the full enjoyment of His Love +and Presence. But has this changed His Love? Has our +unfaithfulness, our waywardness, our failure and backsliding +affected His Love? No. He is the same loving Lord, the same +loving Christ who has borne us and yearned over us, who has +prayed for us and kept us. Whenever we turn to Him with broken +hearts, confessing our sins, when in shame we hide our faces and +tell Him all our failures, we find Him still the same loving Lord +as He was when His loving eyes rested upon Peter. Oh! how He must +love us! How He must love us, with that Love which passeth +knowledge. What treasures that Love contains! Exhaustless it is +ever flowing full and free towards His own.</p> +<p class="pn">How it must grieve Him to see us so indifferent, +neither hot nor cold. How it must grieve Him that we enjoy this +Love so little that we permit that Love so little to serve us and +give Him so little opportunity to manifest His mighty Love +towards us. Alas! We even mistrust that Love. When suffering and +loss overtake us, when instead of prosperity adversity is our +lot, we doubt that Love. Fears and anxieties are nothing less +than an impeachment of the Love, which passeth knowledge. His +Love will never fail. He will see us safe home. Let the forces of +the enemy roar, let trials and troubles come, His Love will keep +us. His Love is our eternal portion.</p> +<p class="pn">“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, +nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, +nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other +creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, +which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">And soon He will have us with Himself. The church +He loved, for which He gave Himself, the church He sanctified by +the washing of water, this church He will present to Himself a +glorious church (Eph. v:24-27). Even while on earth He made known +His loving purpose, for He prayed, “The Glory, which Thou hast +given me I have given to them.”</p> +<p class="pns">It is His Love which will make us sharers of His +own Glory and Inheritance. What that Love will do then! How we +shall drink deeper of that Love, than we ever could drink here! +Oh the depths of the Love to be fathomed in all eternity! Oh the +length and breadth and height to be measured! It can never, no +never be exhausted.</p> +<p class="pns">O, child of God, is not thy poor wandering heart +beginning to be warmed? Is the warmth of His Love, the Love of +Christ refreshing your soul? Thank God for it. It is but a +demonstration of His Love. And do we not want more of it? Do we +not need it?</p> +<p class="pn">All our indifference, our cold heartedness, our +prayerlessness, our self indulgences, our inactivity and all else +which mars our Christian lives, is because we do not have the +Love of Christ before our hearts. If we were constantly enjoying +His Love and this mighty Love would constrain us, what +self-sacrificing lives we would live! How we would love one +another and in love serve one another. What peace there would be +among those of like precious faith. With a better heart knowledge +of the Love of Christ, what joy would be ours in all trials and +suffering and with what boldness we would approach the throne of +Grace and make constant use of our God-given privilege, +prayer.</p> +<p class="pn">The Love of Christ would lead us on and on in love +for souls, in service untiring, and yet the same Love too will +make us long and pray for His coming. Oh God our Father, grant +unto us all and to all Thy people throughout this world a +greater, a deeper, a more real knowledge of the Love of thine +ever blessed Son, the Love of Christ, and fill us through it with +all the fulness of God. Amen.</p> +<h1><a name="Joy" id="Joy">The Joy of the Lord.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">IT is written “the joy of the Lord is your +strength.” Every child of God knows in some measure what it is to +rejoice in the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ must ever be the sole +object of the believer’s joy, and as eyes and heart look upon +Him, we, too, like “the strangers scattered abroad” to whom Peter +wrote shall “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 +Pet. i:8). But it is upon our heart to meditate with our beloved +readers on the joy of our adorable Lord, as his own personal joy. +The Blessed One when His feet walked on the earth spoke not only +of “My Peace,” but He also spoke of “My Joy.” While He imparts +peace and joy and is the peace and joy of our hearts, He also +possesses His own Peace and His own Joy.</p> +<p class="pn">“The Joy of the Lord.” There was a time “when the +morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for +joy” (Job xxxviii:7). It was in the beginning when the heavens +and the earth were created by Him, who is before all things and +by whom all things consist, the Son of God. With what joy He must +have beheld what was called into existence by Him and for Him +(Col. i:16). But even before the foundation of the world He had +joy. With God, in the bosom of the Father Love, Glory and Joy +were His eternal portion. All was known to Him from the +beginning. The fall of Satan, the fall of man through Satan, the +entrance of sin with all its results, the cost price of +redemption, the suffering in the flesh on the cross for the +redemption of the creature, the multitudes, whom no man can +number, redeemed through His work, believing in Him, brought to +God, united with Him, Sons and Heirs with Him, the ultimate +victory over all enemies, so that God would be “all in all”—all +was known to Him.</p> +<p class="pn">What joy must have filled Him when at His +incarnation He announced, “Lo I come to do Thy will O God” (Heb. +x:5, 6). And then He came and took upon Himself the form of a +servant, the first word the heavenly messenger spoke, sent to the +virgin to announce the incarnation, was a word of joy. Never +before had Gabriel been sent with such a message. “Hail” our +English version has it; but the greeting means “Joy” or “Oh the +joy!” And the angel later announced “good tidings of great joy.” +And that blessed life which was lived upon earth to the Glory of +God, was a life which knew joy. All along the way from Bethlehem +to Golgotha He had joy before His heart. It is true He wept, He +had sufferings, He was tempted, He was ill-treated, cast out, +maligned, accused of evil and rejected, but joy filled His heart. +His God and Father was His joy, yea, His exceeding joy. To do His +will, who had sent Him was His constant joy. His joy was to walk +in confidence, in dependence on Him. His Father’s love and +delight, which rested upon Him were His joy. “Whom have I in +heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire +beside Thee” (Ps. lxxiii:25). This beautiful word must have been +His constant declaration; and that is joy. “I have set the Lord +always before me” (Ps. xvi:8) is another utterance of God’s +Spirit concerning the holy life of God’s well beloved Son. And +that meant joy. The seventy He had sent forth had returned again +with joy, because the demons were subject unto them. That is +sinful man in carnal rejoicing! some power manifested, some great +success fills our proud hearts with joy. But His words told them +of a different joy. They were not to rejoice that the spirits +submitted to them, but that their names were written in heaven. +“In that hour Jesus <i>rejoiced</i> in spirit, and said, I thank +Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden +these things from the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed +them to babes; even so Father; for so it seemed good in Thy +sight. All things are delivered to Me of My Father; and no man +knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, +but the Son, and to whom the Son will reveal Him” (Luke x:21, +22). Thus <i>He</i> rejoiced. In the parable of the treasure in +the field He speaks of His joy. The man who has found the +treasure, for joy thereof goeth and selleth all he hath, and +buyeth that field ( Matt. xiii:44). The man in the parable is the +Lord Himself and the field is the world. With joy He gave up all +and came down here to buy us back. And all His suffering from man +and from Satan, the persecutions He suffered from His own people +to whom He came were borne by Him with joy. He told out His own +blessed character in the beatitudes and in speaking of those who +are reviled and persecuted, He said, “Rejoice, and be exceeding +glad.” Thus He must have borne it all with joy. And then the +cross. The cross in which He who knew no sin was made sin for us. +He was troubled in His holy soul when He looked towards the cross +(John xii:27). In the garden He saw the cross. “And being in an +agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was as it were +great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke xii:44). +And yet it is written “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” (Heb. xii:2). All the suffering +put upon Him by man, acting under satanic impulses and the shame +connected with the cross, He despised, the cross itself He could +not despise, but He endured that. The joy was that He saw and +knew the full and glorious result of all His work He had come to +do. He saw then the travail of His soul and was satisfied. But in +that cross there was that suffering, which is unfathomable. God’s +own hand rested upon Him. All His sorrowful complaints as +predicted by His own Spirit were then fulfilled. “<i>Thou</i> +hast laid me in the dust of death.” “All <i>Thy</i> waves and +billows go over me.” “<i>Thine</i> hand has pressed me sore.” +“<i>Thy</i> wrath lieth hard upon me.” “<i>Thy</i> fierce wrath +goeth over me.” “<i>Thou</i> hast laid me in the lowest pit.” +Thus He suffered from God—smitten and afflicted of God. It +pleased the Lord to bruise Him. Then from that cross there came +that loud and triumphant cry when He gave His life “It is +finished!” Oh! what joy must have filled then His soul, when He +knew the work is done, all is accomplished. And with equal joy +God answered the cry of His well beloved Son, when He rent the +veil from top to bottom.</p> +<p class="pn">The risen Lord in meeting His disciples greeted +them, with the greeting of joy, which Gabriel had used. “All +Hail”—literally, <i>Oh the joy!</i> (Matt. xxviii:9.) What joy +must then have filled His loving heart as He met His own again. +Oh the joy! thus they had mocked Him when they crowned Him with a +crown of thorns and bowed the knee and in derision shouted “All +hail”—“Rejoice”—“King of the Jews.” But in the resurrection He +shouts “Oh the Joy!” The victory is won. Satan, Sin, Death and +the Grave are vanquished. And what joy is His now! What joy will +be His ere long! With a shout He went up (Ps. xlvii:5). What a +joy when He passed through the heavens and as the glorified man +He entered the Holy of Holies! What a joy when the Father had the +well beloved with Him again, and He took His seat at His own +right hand. What joy for Him and the heavens when Glory and Honor +was put upon Him and He was proclaimed throughout the depths of +the universe as Heir of all things! What joy! All power in heaven +and on earth is His. Oh the joy! as sinners are saved by Grace, +whom He redeemed by His blood. And as His body is building He +rejoiceth as the bridegroom over the bride. In unspeakable joy He +carrieth on His loving, tender, priestly work in behalf of those +for whom He died. His joy and delight, as well as His love and +His power is with them, who are His.</p> +<p class="pn">But there is greater joy in the future for Him, the +Man in Glory. Though even now He <i>is</i> “anointed with the oil +of gladness above all His fellows.” His joy will increase and be +full in the future. Another glad shout will be heard when he +leaves the Father’s throne and descends into the air. A shout of +triumph and joy it will be, which will open the graves of the +Saints, which will summon those who remain to meet Him in the +air. Oh the joy at last the travail of His soul will be brought +into His presence. Oh the joy! He will have us then and we will +be with Him. With <i>exceeding joy</i> He will present us +faultless before the presence of His Glory (Jud. 24). In joy and +a glorious triumph He will bring many sons to glory. What joy it +will be when He leads forth from heaven’s glorious mansions, +those who are “God’s workmanship created by Christ Jesus!” Then +all the world will know and angels shout once more for joy in the +full and glorious revelation of the new creation.</p> +<p class="pn">Oh! the Joy for Him! when Israel cries out “Blessed +is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!” Oh the joy! when +creation sings her songs of praise to Him, whose pierced hands +have removed the curse. Oh! the joy! when nations hear war no +more but sing the worth of the King of Kings and lay their gifts +at His feet.</p> +<p class="pn">If we could measure all which was accomplished on +Calvary’s cross, then we could also measure His joy, the joy of +the Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">Reader! If you are saved by Grace, one with the +Lord, then all this is yours. The joy in the Lord and the joy of +the Lord is to be your portion now and in the day of His joy and +glory. Murmuring, discouraged, tempted, complaining, bereaved, +downhearted, halfhearted child of God, ponder over these words. +Let God’s Spirit lead you into them. The joy of the Lord is to be +your portion. It will dispel your gloom. It will end your +discouragement. It will give you songs in the night. It will lift +you into a holy walk. The joy of the Lord can do this. He wants +you to possess His joy. “These things have I spoken unto you, and +that your joy might be full” (John xv:11). Let the Holy Spirit, +who is given to you of God, make the Lord Jesus Christ a greater +reality in your life. Let the joy of the Lord be your joy. +Rejoice in God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let +your joy be to do His will. Accept all from His hands. Rejoice in +all things. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, +Rejoice” (Phil. iv:4). Rejoice and glory in tribulation. “Count +it all joy when ye fall in divers temptations” (James i:2). +Having Christ, brought nigh to God, a perfect access into His +presence, yea the right to come with boldness, a rejoicing and +praising spirit should be manifested by us.</p> +<p class="pn">And look at the joy which is set before us. How it +ought to lift us over all the present day trials and temptations +and give us victory over the cares and anxieties, the pleasures +and deceitful riches of this present evil and fast closing age. +“Enter thou into the joy of <i>Thy</i> Lord.” This <i>is</i> our +blessed and glorious future. We shall share His future joy as we +shall share His glory. And it is but a little while longer and +weeping, which endured for the night, will give way to the <i>joy +of the morning</i>.</p> +<h1><a name="Same" id="Same">“This Same Jesus.”</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">“AND He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He +lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while +he blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into +heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with +great joy and were continually in the temple, praising and +blessing God” (Luke xxiv:50-53). Something else is reported in +the first chapter in the book of Acts in connection with the +Return of our blessed Lord to the Father. “And while they looked +steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by +them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why +stand ye gazing up into heaven? <i>This same Jesus</i>, which is +taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye +have seen Him go into heaven”. (Acts i:10-11). This blessed +message must have been the reason why they returned to Jerusalem +with <i>great</i> joy. Instead of tears and sorrow at that +parting there was joy, because they knew and believed that He who +had said “I will come again and receive you unto myself,” this +same Jesus would come for them. What a blessed truth it is that +the same Jesus, the same Lord who walked on earth, who spoke such +words of infinite love and tenderness, who wept, healed the sick, +raised the dead and commanded the demons, who calmed the storm, +who had gone to the cross to die that awful death in our +stead—that this same Jesus, raised from the dead, is now in the +presence of God for us and our Advocate with the Father. It is +the same loving, tender, caring, mighty Lord and Saviour, who is +there and this same Jesus, not another, will come again. The +reality of this filled the disciples with joy. They knew He had +left them, they knew He lived and that He would come again. This +knowledge gave them power to witness and to walk in holiness. The +reality of this fills still the believing heart with joy and +leads as well as keeps in the blessed faith life of fellowship +with Himself, into which we have been called by the Grace of God. +The heart of the believer under the control of the Holy Spirit +has but one desire. It is to know Him and know Him better. Other +desires for blessings may come up, but that life which is in the +believer ever reaches out after Himself who is our life. “That I +may know Him” was the passion of that wonderful man, who knew Him +so well (Phil. iii:10). And it is just heart knowledge of this +same Jesus in His loveliness, His patience, His power, His glory, +in all His blessed fullness, which we need the most and through +this all other needs are met.</p> +<p class="pn">Look up then in faith, child of God, He who is +altogether lovely, whose perfect ways of love and grace, were so +blessedly made known in His life down here, this same Jesus, with +all the tenderness of infinite love, the love that never grows +cold, is with the Father. Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, +to-day and forever. The disciples heard Him pray His great prayer +before He went to the cross (John xvii). As they listened to His +words addressed to the Father, they learned as never before, how +dear they all were to Him. How He loved them, cared for them, +what He had done for them, would continue to do and what their +future would be. And whenever we read these words in His high +priestly prayer, we can hear Him still pray. We know that love +for us cannot change; that prayer to keep does not fail; that +concern, so deep and gracious, in all who belong to Him is +unchanged, for it is “this same Jesus,” who intercedes for us, +whose loving eyes watch our going in and our going out, our walk +down here.</p> +<p class="pn">Oh! for the reality of this! This same blessed Lord +is with us, for us, above us. We can count on His unchanging +love. We can count on His power. The reality of the Person of our +exalted Lord keeps us down here. Oh, draw near, beloved reader, +for it is your privilege, your calling, to know Him and to enjoy +Him. His heart is never satisfied unless you drink deep of His +love and you lie in blessed dependence at His feet. Have you +failed Him? Are days, weeks, perhaps months of wandering your +past, days in which you grieved Him? Return, oh return! it is +“this same Jesus” who at the lake of Tiberias so tenderly +restored Peter and who waits for thy return.</p> +<p class="pn">And “this same Jesus” comes again. If the joy was +so great when He left, because the heavenly messengers gave the +good news that this same Jesus is coming again, what will be the +joy when he <i>does</i> come! He comes as Saviour, which is the +meaning of His blessed name. “For our conversation is in heaven; +from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, +who shall change our body of humiliation, that it may be +fashioned like unto His glorious body” (Phil. iii:20-21). The +glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ +who gave Himself for us, will some day take place. And when He +comes into the air and gives the shout, He will be “this same +Jesus.” When we are caught up in clouds to meet Him in the air we +shall meet <i>Him</i>, the same blessed Person, who walked on +this earth, who died on the cross, who in His unchanging love +kept and carried us and called us home. We shall see Him as He +is. He comes, this same Jesus, to take us to be with Him. What +will be His joy then when all His blood-washed, redeemed people +are at last with Him! Then this same Jesus who bore our sins in +His own body on the tree will bestow upon us His glory, the glory +the Father has given Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Reader! Is it even now before you such a living +reality, this same Jesus—is coming again; coming to take us all +into the Father’s house with its many mansions, to the place +whose portals were opened with His own blood! And how soon it may +be that we shall see Him and be with Him!</p> +<p class="pn">If an angelic message were brought to-day to all +Christians, we said recently in a meeting, and that message would +state in terms unmistakably, one week more and the Lord Jesus +Christ comes, one week more and we shall see Him; what would be +the result? We can imagine the eagerness with which all would +begin to serve and reach out after the unsaved; what self-denials +and boldness we would behold! How all the earthly things, the +childish things, the playthings of the dust, would lose their +attractiveness. Then heaven’s glory would break upon us. But such +a message is not promised to us. It is nowhere said that it will +take place. No angel will come to announce the time when “this +same Jesus” comes to call us home. The fact is God has told us in +His Word, that His ever blessed Son will come and that He will +come suddenly. He may come <i>to-day</i>. He may call us home +before another morning comes. And if we believe it we shall walk +in expectation and in separation. The Lord graciously revive the +blessed Hope in our hearts and through it make us holy in our +lives, zealous for the Gospel, untiring in service and loving +towards all the Saints.</p> +<h1><a name="Cross" id="Cross">The Wondrous Cross.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">WHO can tell out the story of the cross! There was +a time when we thought we knew much of it; but oh! the depths, +the wonderful depths of the cross and the work accomplished +there, which constantly break in upon the heart, as one meditates +on the cross. One who knew the cross, whose eyes were filled with +all its glory, because He beheld Him, who hung on the cross, in +highest glory has told us “But God forbid that I should glory, +save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is +crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Crucified unto the +world. Dead to the world and to sin are the blessed effects of +the cross.</p> +<p class="pns">Some time ago while remembering the Lord on the +Lord’s Day we sang a familiar hymn:</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">When we survey the wondrous cross</p> +<p class="p3">On which the Lord of glory died,</p> +<p class="p2">Our richest gain we count but loss,</p> +<p class="p3s">And pour contempt on all our pride.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">How true!—contempt must be poured on all our pride +when one beholds that sight, the cross on which the Lord of glory +died. But is it so, “and pour contempt on all our pride?”</p> +<p class="pns">And when we sang the second verse its truth came +home still more to the conscience:</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Forbid it, Lord, that we should boast,</p> +<p class="p3">Save in the death of Christ, our God;</p> +<p class="p2">All the vain things that charm us most,</p> +<p class="p3s">We’d sacrifice them to His blood.</p> +</div> +<p class="pns">How true! If such a one died to deliver us out of +this present evil age then the vain things that charm us most, +not the sinful things, must be relinquished. But is it really +so—all the vain things that charm us most—we’d sacrifice them to +His blood?</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">There from His head, His hands, His feet,</p> +<p class="p3">Sorrow and love flowed mingled down;</p> +<p class="p2">Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,</p> +<p class="p3">Or thorns compose so rich a crown?</p> +<p class="p2">Were the whole realm of nature ours,</p> +<p class="p3">That were an off’ring far too small;</p> +<p class="p2">Love that transcends our highest powers</p> +<p class="p3s">Demands our soul, our life, our all.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">And then once more the heart said, How true! +Marvelous sight the Lord of Glory on that cross for me! Forsaken +of God, paying the penalty of my sins, drinking the cup of wrath, +untasted by me. Such love surely demands our soul, our life, our +all. But is it so? How often we sing these blessed truths and our +lives are strangers to them. God grant that we may live out the +truth of the cross in our lives. May the deliverance, the +victory, the power of His cross be manifested in our lives. Dead +to the world and the world dead to me.</p> +<h1><a name="Legacy" id="Legacy">His Legacy.</a></h1> +<p class="pn">BLESSED and ever precious are the words, which came +from the lips of our loving Lord, before he went to the cross. +His own were gathered around Him; before He ever comforted them +and poured out His loving heart, He manifested that love by +serving them. He arose from the supper, laid aside His garments, +took a towel and girded Himself. What a sight the Son of God +girded! “After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to +wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel +wherewith he was girded” (John xiii:5). It was a great symbolical +action. He who stooped so low to wash the feet of His sinful +creatures is the same who declared in the Old Testament “Thou +hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with +thine iniquities” (Isaiah xliii:24). The washing typifies the +service our beloved Lord renders to His saints in cleansing them +from defilement; it is “the washing of water by the Word.” And +thus He continues in loving service till at last all His redeemed +people are brought home into the presence of the throne and “the +sea of glass like unto crystal” (Rev. iv:6) where no more +defilement is possible and no more washing is needed.</p> +<p class="pn">Many and blessed are the words, which then flowed +from His lips, after Judas had gone out into the dark night. Only +He could speak thus. Thousands upon thousands, countless +multitudes have been fed upon His gracious, comforting words and +have been strengthened and upheld. Their careful and refreshing +power is undiminished. Like Himself His Words are eternal and +inexhaustible. The Father’s house with its many mansions, the +fact of His personal return, the gift of the other Comforter, who +came to abide with and in His own, the promises concerning prayer +and assurance that the Father Himself loves them and many other +precious truths were spoken by Him ere He left the world to go to +the Father. At that time He gave His blessed legacy. “<i>Peace I +leave with you, my peace I give unto you</i>” (John xiv:27). And +the last word He spoke to His disciples before He uttered that +marvelous high priestly prayer, contains also the assurance of +peace. “These things have I spoken unto you, that <i>in Me</i> ye +might have <i>peace</i>. In the world ye shall have tribulation; +but be of good cheer I have overcome the world” (John +xvi:33).</p> +<p class="pns">The adorable Lord came to this poor sin cursed +earth, a world of sinners and enemies of God by wicked works to +make peace. The great work of reconciliation was effected on the +cross. By His death on the cross the enemies of God, believing in +Him, became reconciled to God. He made peace through the blood of +His cross (Col. i:20). As believing sinners we are justified and +<i>have</i> peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not our +walk or service, not our faith or repentance or anything we have +done or are doing is the ground of peace with God, but what +Christ has done for us. Yea He Himself is our peace. And because +<i>He</i> is our peace, it is a peace which can never be undone +or unsettled.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Oh, the peace forever flowing</p> +<p class="p3">From God’s thoughts of His own Son!</p> +<p class="p2">Oh, the peace of simply knowing</p> +<p class="p3s">On the cross that all was done!</p> +<p class="p2">Peace with God, the blood in heaven</p> +<p class="p3">Speaks of pardon now to me:</p> +<p class="p2">Peace with God! the Lord is risen!</p> +<p class="p3s">Righteousness now counts me free.</p> +</div> +<p class="pnn">When all was finished, the mighty victory over +sin, Satan, death and the grave had been gained, when every foe +had been met and fully conquered, the blessed victor appeared in +the midst of His beloved disciples. It was on “the same day” the +day when He arose, when the mighty power of God opened the grave, +on the same day, He suddenly stood in their midst. The doors were +shut. The disciples were full of fears and doubts. Thomas was not +there at all. All at once their eyes beheld Him once more who had +been crucified, had died and was buried. “Peace be unto you!” +This heavenly greeting came from His lips and soothed their +sorrows, cleared their doubts and dispelled their fears. And He +who stood thus in their midst was the same whom Gideon had seen +and who answered His fears with “Peace be unto you; fear not” +(Judges vi:23). Jehovah is peace; He is our peace. On the glad +and glorious resurrection day the gracious Lord appeared in their +midst and proclaimed peace to them. But He also showed them His +hands and His side. The marks of the nails and of the spear were +seen there. They are the evidences of His death for His people. +But He who was dead is risen and lives evermore. Ah! that is +peace! The Christ who died for our sins, who is risen and is in +God’s own presence is our peace. Would we enjoy that peace in a +greater sense and have it more real, then let us just have +Himself, the Person as the object of our hearts. “Then were the +disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.” Nothing could make them +glad aside from the Lord Himself. Alas! that some of God’s people +try to find joy and peace in their service, experiences, +knowledge of truth. Dear souls, it is the Lord only, who gives us +peace and gladness.</p> +<p class="pn">But the blessed legacy of our Lord is not so much +the peace with God, as it is “His own peace.” The peace which He +possessed while on earth, that peace like a majestic river, ever +flowing on in silence with not a moment’s interruption. His own +peace, He bequeathed to His own. What a peace was His! What +restfulness the divinely reported scenes of that blessed life +breathe! We have written before on His patience, His joy and His +love, the love which passeth knowledge. How much might be written +too on “His peace.” But not half could ever be told. What +calmness we see wherever we look. The threatening multitudes did +not disturb Him, nor did the fierce storm on the Galilean sea; +peacefully He rested in sleep, while the angry waves tossed the +little ship aside and the terror-stricken disciples awoke Him. +They cried “Lord, save us; we perish.” And then His eyes opened +and in loving tenderness He said unto them, “Why are ye so +fearful, O ye of little faith?” <i>Then</i> He arose and rebuked +the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. Ah! poor human +heart! how canst thou ever doubt with such a Lord at thy +side!</p> +<p class="pn">And this peace which was His constant portion, was +the result of a constant communion with God. His meat and drink +was to do the will of Him that sent Him. That calm, unruffled +peace was the fruit of His constant trust in God and dependence +on Him. And this peace He wants us to enjoy. In a world full of +tribulation, anxiety and care, a world full of increasing evils, +conflicts and sufferings, He wants us to have His own peace. The +enjoyment of this peace of our Lord Jesus Christ depends on our +communion with God and the realization of our union with Him. On +that blessed evening of the resurrection day the Lord spoke a +second time, “Peace be unto you.” Why should He repeat the same +greeting? The words which follow explain this. “As my Father hath +sent me, even so send I you” (John xx:22). As Christians saved by +grace and in Christ we are sent by Him as He was sent by the +Father. As we realize this and walk under Him, as we set the Lord +always before our eyes and our life’s aim is to do <i>His</i> +will and not our own, to please Him and not ourselves, to serve +Him and not man, to let Him plan and not we ourselves, to be +nothing instead of something, to be in the dust instead of +exalted, then shall we enjoy His legacy “His own peace.” He wants +us to have it. He wants us to be kept in perfect peace. Are we +willing to have it? And what else honors our absent Lord more +than a life which manifests His peace. What pleases the Father +more than to behold His children reminding Him by their lives of +dependence and peace, the result of the rest of faith, of His own +blessed Son. And the Holy Spirit, who produces all this in us +will ever lead us on in the fuller enjoyment of the peace of our +Lord Jesus Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">We must expect in the coming days greater tests of +faith, greater conflicts, greater trials. It cannot be otherwise +in these perilous times. We must not expect anything else. But He +can and will keep us. “Thou wilt keep him in <i>perfect +peace</i>, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because He trusteth in +Thee.” And ere long the God of peace will bruise Satan completely +under our feet. What joy—oh what joy awaits us when we shall see +Him face to face, who is our peace.</p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:2.5em"> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">“They that trust Him wholly</p> +<p class="p2">Find Him wholly true.”</p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<p class="p2">“Our God is able.”</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Idols" id="Idols">What have I to Do With +idols?</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">MUCH is said in reproof of Ephraim by the prophet +Hosea. All the wicked dealings and defilement of Ephraim is +uncovered—and the Lord said: “I will be unto Ephraim as a lion.” +Again Jehovah said: “Ephraim is like a cake not turned.” “Ephraim +is like a silly dove without heart.” “Ephraim hath made many +altars to sin.” “Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone.” But +all reproof and chastisement did not bring Ephraim back. Nothing +seemed to be able to draw Ephraim’s heart away from the idols. At +the close of the Prophet Hosea, however, Ephraim is made to speak +and a significant word it is. “Ephraim shall say, What have I to +do any more with idols? I have heard Him, and observed Him; I am +like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found” (xiv:8).</p> +<p class="pn">A familiar yet blessed truth is contained in this +statement. Ephraim dealt with by judgments after the severe +rebukes of the Lord could not let go the idols. Joined to idols, +the Lord said, “Let him alone.” But the day was to come when +Ephraim would willingly forsake all idols and cry out, “What have +I any more to do with idols?” And what brought about Ephraim’s +conversion? Ephraim heard Him and observed Him. The sight of the +Lord, His love and tenderness, His patience and kindness beheld +in faith, was enough for Ephraim to forsake all idols and cleave +to Him alone. Thus Ephraim became like a green fir tree.</p> +<p class="pns">And this is still true to-day. There is no other +way to be separated from idols and walk wholly with the Lord than +Ephraim’s way. Why are God’s people joined to idols? Why are +Christians half-hearted, conformed to this present evil age, +given to covetousness, which is idolatry (Col. iii:5)? There is +but one answer. Our hearts do not listen to that blessed voice, +which delights to speak to those who belong to Him. Our eyes do +not look upon Him in all His glory and beauty. We lose sight of +Him who is altogether lovely. Our minds instead of being occupied +with the things of Christ are centered upon earthly things. Our +thoughts are so little brought into captivity to the obedience of +Christ and are controlled by our own imaginations and the spirit +of the times. There is no other way of being delivered from +idols, from everything which would draw us away from Himself and +all which hinders from giving to Him the pre-eminence. That way +is heart occupation with our Lord, conscious communion with Him +through His Word in the power of His Spirit. We must hear Him, we +must observe Him. Then He appears to our hearts in all His +lowliness, in all His majesty and glory, and that vision will be +enough to disgust us with the playthings of the dust and He will +become the supreme object of our lives. There is no other way to +practical holiness than hearing Him and observing Him.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him?</p> +<p class="p3">Is not thine a captured heart?</p> +<p class="p2">“Chief among ten thousand” own Him,</p> +<p class="p3s">Joyful choose the better part.</p> +<p class="p2">Idols once they won thee, charmed thee,</p> +<p class="p3">Lovely things of time and sense;</p> +<p class="p2">Gilded, thus does sin disarm thee,</p> +<p class="p3s">Honey’d lest thou turn thee thence.</p> +<p class="p2">What has stript the seeming beauty</p> +<p class="p3">From the idols of the earth?</p> +<p class="p2">Not the sense of right or duty,</p> +<p class="p3s">But the sight of peerless worth.</p> +<p class="p2">Not the crushing of those idols,</p> +<p class="p3">With its bitter void and smart,</p> +<p class="p2">But the beaming of His beauty,</p> +<p class="p3s">The unveiling of His heart.</p> +<p class="p2">Who extinguishes their taper</p> +<p class="p3">Till they hail the rising sun?</p> +<p class="p2">Who discards the garb of winter</p> +<p class="p3s">Till the summer has begun?</p> +<p class="p2">’Tis that look that melted Peter,</p> +<p class="p3">’Tis that face that Stephen saw,</p> +<p class="p2">’Tis that heart that wept with Mary.</p> +<p class="p3s">Can alone from idols draw—</p> +<p class="p2">Draw, and win, and <i>fill completely</i>,</p> +<p class="p3">Till the cup o’erflow the brim;</p> +<p class="p2">What have we to do with idols,</p> +<p class="p3s">Who have companied with Him?</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">Reader! Gaze afresh in that lovely face of +transcendent beauty. Think of His great love for you, His +never-changing love, His eternal love. Follow the dictates of +that new nature Grace has given to you and have the Lord +constantly before your eyes and heart. Anything less will lead +you to idols. What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard +Him and observed Him.</p> +<h1><a name="Changing" id="Changing">The Never Changing +One.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">“JESUS Christ the same yesterday, and to-day and +forever” (Heb. xiii:8). Blessed truth and precious assurance for +us poor, weak creatures, yea, among all His creatures the most +changing; <i>He</i> changeth not. “For I am the Lord, I change +not” (Mal. iii:6). “Of old hast Thou laid the foundation of the +earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall all +perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like +a garment, as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be +changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end” +(Psalm cii:25-27 and Heb. i:10-12). The above blessed statement +puts Him before our hearts as the unchanging Son of God, the +solid rock of ages. It is a verse which is like Himself, +infinite, inexhaustible. Our adorable Lord is here mentioned as +having a past, a present and a future, a yesterday, to-day and a +forever. This Epistle at the close of which we find this word +gives us a definition of the yesterday, the today and the forever +of the Son of God. He is the true God; He had never the beginning +of days, a yesterday, a past without a beginning. By Him the +worlds were made. He is the effulgence of His glory and the +expression of His substance (Heb. i:3). His yesterday is +Eternity; His goings forth are from old, from everlasting (Micah +v:2). And in that yesterday, in the bosom of the Father, the +great plan of redemption was blessedly known. Oh! what a love +that knew all and was ever ready to give all to carry out that +wonderful scheme. “Wherefore coming into the world, He says, +sacrifice and offering Thou willedst not; but Thou hast prepared +me a body. Thou hadst no pleasure in burnt offerings and +sacrifices for sin. Then I said, Lo, I come, in the roll of the +book it is written of me, to do, O God, Thy will” (Heb. x:5-7). +And then He came to manifest the eternal love of God. He came in +the form of a servant; He, whose yesterday is eternity, was made +a little lower than the angles (Heb. ii:9). And while on earth He +was the same as in eternity. He showed His power as the Creator, +over nature, disease and death. Though in humiliation, the Son of +God had Glory, yet it was hidden. How blessed it is to trace His +way while on earth and what love, mercy, patience, meekness, +humility, peace and much more we find here. And then His great +work of redemption. It behooved Him in all things to be made like +unto “His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high +priest in things relating to God to make propitiation for the +sins of the people (Heb. ii:7). Who in the days of His flesh +having offered up both supplications and entreaties to Him, who +was able to save Him out of death; with strong crying and tears +(having been heard because of His piety); though He were Son yet +learned obedience from the things He suffered; and having been +perfected, became to all of them that obey Him, author of eternal +salvation” (v:7-10). In His yesterday He made purification of +sins; He put away sin by sacrificing Himself. He fulfilled the +eternal will of God, by which will we have been sanctified +through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for +all.</p> +<p class="pn">And this Epistle likewise speaks of His “today,” +the Present of Himself. His “to-day” began with the opened tomb, +that blessed, glorious resurrection morn. He is the great +shepherd of the sheep brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus +Christ (xiii:20). He is the appointed heir of all things, on the +right hand of the majesty on high, taking a place so much better +than the angels, as He inherits a name more excellent than they +(Heb. i:3-5). He is addressed by God as high priest according to +the order of Melchisedec (v:10). We gaze into the opened heavens +and we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for +the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor (ii:9). Now +a summary of the things of which we are speaking is: We have such +a one high priest who has sat down at the right hand of the +throne of the majesty in the heavens; minister of the holy places +and the true tabernacle, which the Lord has pitched and not man +(vii:1). He has a priesthood unchangeable. Whence also He is able +to save to the uttermost those who approach by Him to God, always +living to intercede for them (viii:25). For the Christ is not +entered into holy places made with hands, figures of the true, +but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for +us (ix:24). But, He having offered one sacrifice for sins, sat +down in perpetuity at the right hand of God, waiting from +henceforth until His enemies are made His footstool (x:12). Such +and much more is His “to-day.” All power in heaven and on earth +is given to Him.</p> +<p class="pn">His “forever” will begin when He leaves the +Father’s throne and when He is brought into the world again, when +all things are to be subjected under His feet and He will be in +the fullest exercise of His Melchisedec priesthood, a priest upon +His throne. And in all, yesterday, in the days of His +humiliation, to-day upon the Father’s throne as our advocate and +priest, in His glorious future, upon His own throne He is the +same, the mighty Jehovah, who changeth not, the Alpha and the +Omega, the First and the Last. He is the unmovable rock, no +storms, no changes can move the rock upon which we stand, and +though heaven and earth pass away neither He, the living, eternal +Word, nor His written Word will change.</p> +<p class="pns">His power, His grace, His love, His patience, is +kindness, His sympathy is ever the same towards His own beloved +people, who have trusted in Him and share His life. Having loved +His own, who are in the world, and loved them to the end (John +xiii:1); and that end is eternity. In the beginning of the last +book of the Bible, we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in the +church, worshipping Him, in that matchless outburst “Unto Him +that loved us and has washed us from our sins in His own blood.” +But it does not say “loved,” but it reads “Unto Him that +<i>loveth</i> us.” The love He has for His own is an abiding, an +unchanging love. Oh to think more of that love, that changeless +love, which passeth knowledge! And how true it is what a saint +has sung long ago:</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">“Oh! I am weary of my love,</p> +<p class="p3">That doth so little t’wards Thee move;</p> +<p class="p2">Yet do I constantly groan,</p> +<p class="p3s">To know the depth of all Thine own.</p> +<p class="p2">That groan, sweet Spirit, is from Thee,</p> +<p class="p3">Nor self-begotten e’er can be;</p> +<p class="p2">No natural heart, oh Lord, of mine</p> +<p class="p3s">Could long to lose itself in Thine.</p> +<p class="p2">O love of loves, for me that died;</p> +<p class="p3">The love of Jesus crucified!</p> +<p class="p2">Who lowly took His part with me,</p> +<p class="p3s">That I as <i>one</i> with Him might be.</p> +<p class="p2">Loved, and for ever on Thy throne</p> +<p class="p3">Adored, and loved, Thou changeless One;</p> +<p class="p2">Thou wilt thro’ one eternal day,</p> +<p class="p3s">The height and depth of all display.”</p> +<p class="p2">Meanwhile, Thou precious, wondrous Lamb</p> +<p class="p3">Content—at least with this I am,</p> +<p class="p2">To count my love too mean to own,</p> +<p class="p3s">And know but Thine—"<i>Thy love alone</i>."</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">And yet how often we doubt that love and by fear, +when we have come short or fallen in sin, insult that mighty +changeless love. How often, too, when trials are upon us and we +suffer, we lose sight of Him, the unchanging One, who loves His +own to the end, and deep down in the heart there is unrest, +anxiety, as if some evil could come upon us. Our weakness, our +imperfections, our failures and our sins do not change His love +and His grace.</p> +<p class="pn">As He was yesterday with His own and kept them, +carried them, was their strength, their help, their refuge and +their safe hiding place, their peace and their comfort, so is He +to-day, so will He be forever. And in faith we can bring it +stiller nearer to our hearts. He is for each the same loving, +sympathizing, caring, interested Saviour, Friend and Lord. He who +helped you yesterday, whose love was about you in the past, who +has not left you since He found you for a single moment, is the +same to-day, and will never be anything less. He will keep each +member of His body, He will carry, He will lead onward, and with +His unchanging love and power deal with each, as it pleases Him. +Oh that we might cast ourselves more upon Him and spend the +remainder of our days here (how few indeed!) in a more utter +dependence upon Him, trusting Him, the changeless One. Oh for a +closer walk with Him in these evil days and to taste more of His +love, His unchanging love. How happy, restful, without care and +anxiety God's people <i>might</i> be if only their hearts were +fixed upon Him who is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. +Alas! how often the things seen are more real to us as the real +things, the things unseen. What a joy it ought to be to our +hearts to follow Him now, to learn over and over again that He is +the same, who changeth not, to find His power and strength as of +old manifested in behalf of His beloved people.</p> +<h1><a name="Cheer" id="Cheer">Be of Good Cheer.</a></h1> +<p class="pnn">“BE of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” +(Matthew xiv:27).</p> +<p class="pn">“Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God +believe also in Me. In my father’s house are many mansions; if it +were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for +you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, +and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be +also” (John xiv:1-3).</p> +<p class="pn">“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; +not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be +troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John xiv:27).</p> +<p class="pn">“In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of +good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John xvi:33).</p> +<p class="pn">“Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given +Me, be with Me where I am” (John xvii:24).</p> +<p class="pn">“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the +age” (Matthew xxviii:20).</p> +<p class="pn">“He hath said I will never leave thee, nor forsake +thee” (Hebrews xiii:5).</p> +<p class="pn">“Fear not, I am the first and the last; I am He +that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore, amen; +and I have the keys of hades and of death” (Rev. i:17, 18).</p> +<p class="pn">“Behold I come quickly; hold that fast which thou +hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. iii:11).</p> +<p class="pns">“Surely I come quickly. Amen” (Rev. xxii.20).</p> +<p class="pns">These precious words of comfort and cheer came +from His loving heart and lips. May we take hold of them. How +well it is to remember His words and Himself. How worthy He is; +the mighty, the loving, the adorable Lord! How He loveth us His +own, how He careth for us, is mindful of us and carrieth us, no +heart can fully understand, no pen describe. How He came from +heaven’s glory long ago, how He the One, who was rich, became +poor for our sakes and died on the cross, that we might share +eternal riches and glory with Him, is the old story, which never +grows old. It is as fresh and new to the believing heart as it +ever has been. And He who bought us with His own blood, loveth +and carrieth us His poor, weak and sinning people with such love +and infinite patience. The past years of our Christian lives, so +all of us must confess, have been filled with many failures. But +as we come to Him with our failures, our sins, our burdens, we +find Him the same loving, tender Saviour. Ah! who can measure the +depths of His love! He will never cease loving those, who have +accepted him as their Saviour and whom He has accepted as His +own. In His gracious hands we are and all His people. The hands +which were pierced for us on the cross are over us and about us. +They carry us, guide us, hold us and keep us. We are His and +nothing can separate us from Him in time and in eternity. With a +joyful heart we can say “I am my Beloved’s and His desire is +toward me.”</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p2">O Lord! ’tis sweet the thought</p> +<p class="p3">That Thou art mine!</p> +<p class="p2">But brighter still the joy</p> +<p class="p3s">That I am Thine.</p> +</div> +<p class="pn">Oh, dear Christian readers, how happy we might be +if only all this were constantly real to our hearts and our minds +were occupied with that blessed, glorious One. What joy and +blessing we will have, if we walk closer with the Lord and live +that life to which we have been called, live by the faith of the +Son of God.</p> +<p class="pn">And the words He left us are just like Himself, +Love, Hope and Comfort. There is nothing to fear for one who is +in Him. He would have His beloved people free from all fear, +anxiety and care. Twice He has told us “Let not your heart be +troubled.” “Fear not!” “Be not afraid!” How much these words mean +if we consider Him who spoke them. They must calm every fear and +lift the trusting child of God over all the dark and difficult +things on the way. The blessed words we have quoted are the never +failing comfort for His people till they are gathered in His own +presence.</p> +<p class="pns">The greatest anodyne, however, He has given to us, +the anodyne for all pains and sorrows, griefs and perplexities is +the blessed Hope. “I will come again and receive you unto myself” +was spoken long ago, and yet it is still unfulfilled. Almost the +last petition of His great high-priestly prayer is the petition +to have His own with Himself in the Father’s house. “Father, I +will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I +am.” This prayer is still unanswered. “Behold I come quickly” are +His own words in the third chapter of Revelation, words so full +of meaning for us, exhorting us to hold fast what we have. And in +the very end of the Book, almost the last word of the Bible is +the last word He ever spoke. “<i>Surely</i> I come quickly. +Amen.” He has not spoken again after this last utterance, so full +of assurance. The next time His blessed voice will speak will be +when He comes into the air and gives the mighty shout (1 Thess. +iv:16) which will call the saints from their graves and ourselves +from earth’s sorrow together with them to meet Him in the air. +That blessed Hope is the great anodyne, the soothing as well as +inspiring truth of the Bible, which stands next to and in closest +relation with the Gospel. That blessed Hope is an imminent Hope. +How cheerless it would be to think that the Lord cannot come for +many years, that He cannot fulfill His blessed promise. How +cheerless, yea, how depressing and discouraging it would be if it +were true that the true believers must pass through the great +tribulation, suffer under Antichrist, taste of the wrath, which +will then be poured out. Such an expectation would not be a +blessed Hope, but a depressing outlook. But blessed be God this +is not the teaching of the Word, but only the invention of man. +We are not to wait for the apostasy, the great tribulation, great +earthquakes and disasters, but for Himself. He may come at any +time and call us into His presence. To wait daily for Him is the +true Christian attitude, which is a mighty power in the Christian +life, walk and service. How we shall be weaned away from the +passing things of this age, how we shall look upon all in its +true light and be faithful witnesses for our Lord, if we walk in +this daily expectation of meeting Him. And this we need. The Lord +Jesus Christ must become more real to our hearts. Our fellowship +with Him, our trust in Him, our walk in Him, our waiting for Him, +all must become more real. The Holy Spirit in His power will +accomplish this in our lives. In the awful darkness, which is +settling upon this age, only such can abide faithful who cling +closer to the Lord and who wait for His coming. The Lord grant +this to all His people.</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p3">He’ll come again,</p> +<p class="p3">And prove our hope not vain;</p> +<p class="p2">We wait the moment, oh, so fair;</p> +<p class="p2">To rise and meet Him in the air;</p> +<p class="p2">His heart, His home, His throne to share—</p> +<p class="p3">O wondrous love!</p> +</div> +<h1><a name="Haste" id="Haste">Make Haste.</a></h1> +<p class="ps">THE little book called Solomon’s Song, in the +Hebrew “the Song of Songs,” because it exalts and describes the +Bridegroom, closes with that longing cry, “Make Haste my +Beloved.” How this applies dispensationally we do not follow +here. It is the same desire for Himself, which is found almost +the last thing in the Bible, the great prayer, “Even so come Lord +Jesus.” The soul which knows Him, follows closely after Him, and +gets daily more of Himself will ever long for Him and for His +Coming. The desire and prayer will arise many times each day from +such a heart, “Make Haste my Beloved”—“Even so, come Lord Jesus.” +The Holy Spirit ungrieved and unhindered in the believer will not +alone produce this desire, but keep it alive in the soul and make +it more intense. One may hold the Second Coming of Christ in a +mere intellectual way; there is no profit in that. The blessed +Hope must have its seat in the heart and affection. It is +therefore a good test of our spiritual state. If our hearts are +crying more for Him, longing to be with the Beloved, and we daily +sigh for Himself to come and take us home, we are then certainly +walking in the Spirit. Such a desire will also lead us into +holiness of life and true service for Him. And as we look about +us at the condition of things, surely only the Coming of our Lord +appears to be the remedy. Nothing less than that event can arrest +the dreadful conditions and bring the long promised deliverance. +“The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together +until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the +first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within +ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of the body” +(Rom. viii:22-23). What a day it will be when at last He descends +into the air to call His own, His Beloved together! What a day it +will be when together with those who are raised from their graves +we shall be caught up in clouds to meet HIM in the sky! What a +day when He purges the earth by fire and comes with all His +Saints to reign. Make haste! Even so, come Lord Jesus!</p> +<div style="font-size:83%"> +<p class="p4">Lord Jesus, come!</p> +<p class="p3">And take Thy people home;</p> +<p class="p2">That all Thy flock, so scattered here,</p> +<p class="p2">With Thee in glory may appear.</p> +<p class="p3">Lord Jesus, come!</p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:2.5em"> +<p class="p1">“Soon the day-dawn will be breaking</p> +<p class="p2">And the shadows flee away;</p> +<p class="p1">Now, by faith, in joy and gladness,</p> +<p class="p2">I await the coming day,</p> +<p class="p1">For I know my soul is safely</p> +<p class="p2">Hidden in His wounded side;</p> +<p class="p1">And anon He sweetly tells me</p> +<p class="p2s">I shall soon be satisfied.</p> +<p class="p1">Lo! He tells me <i>now</i> His secret,</p> +<p class="p2">Cheering with His heavenly smile;</p> +<p class="p1">Telling me, in love’s low whisper,</p> +<p class="p2">It is but ‘a little while;’</p> +<p class="p1">Yes, for soon, to brightest glory,</p> +<p class="p2">He will fetch away His bride;</p> +<p class="p1">Then I’ll shine in His own likeness,</p> +<p class="p2s">And be ever satisfied!”</p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:5em;margin-bottom:0"> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lord of Glory, by Arno Gaebelein + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LORD OF GLORY *** + +***** This file should be named 29557-h.htm or 29557-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/5/5/29557/ + +Produced by Keith G. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Lord of Glory + Meditations on the person, the work and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ + +Author: Arno Gaebelein + +Release Date: July 31, 2009 [EBook #29557] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LORD OF GLORY *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + +The Lord of Glory + + +MEDITATIONS ON THE PERSON, THE WORK + +AND GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST + +BY + +A. C. GAEBELEIN + +PUBLICATION OFFICE OF "OUR HOPE," + +456 Fourth Avenue, New York, N. Y. + + PICKERING & INGLIS, L. S. HAYNES, + GLASGOW, 502 Yonge Street, + SCOTLAND TORONTO, CANADA + +Copyright 1910 by A. C. Gaebelein. + +Printing by + +Francis Emory Fitch + +of New York + + + +Contents + + + Preface + Dedication + The Lord of Glory + Jehovah. The "I am" + That Worthy Name + The Doctrine of Christ + The Pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ + Ye are Christ's--Christ is God's + The Wonderful + Honor and Glory unto Him + Christ's Resurrection Song + The Glory Song + The Firstborn + The Waiting Christ + A Vision of the King + The Fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord + Out of His Fulness, + The Twenty-second Psalm + The Exalted One + A Glorious Vision + My Brethren + The Patience of Christ + He Shall Not Keep Silent + The Love of Christ + The Joy of the Lord + This same Jesus + The Wondrous Cross + His Legacy + What Have I to do with Idols + The Never Changing One + Be of Good Cheer + Make Haste + + + +Preface. + + +For a number of years the first pages of each issue of "Our Hope" +have been devoted to brief meditations on the Person and Glory of +our adorable Lord Jesus Christ. Three reasons led the Editor to do +this: 1. He is worthy of all honor and glory, worthy to have the +first place in all things. 2. The great need of His people to have +His blessed Person, His past and present work, His power and glory, +His future manifestation constantly brought before their hearts. 3. +There is an ever increasing denial of the Person of our Lord. In the +most subtle way His Glory has been denied. It is therefore eminently +necessary for those who know Him to tell out His worth. Long and +learned discussions on the Person of the Lord have been written in +the past, but are not much read in these days. We felt that short +and simple meditations on Himself would be welcomed by all +believers. + +All these brief articles were written with much prayer and often +under deep soul exercise. It has pleased the Holy Spirit to own them +in a most blessed way. Hundreds of letters were received telling of +the great blessing these meditations have been and what refreshing +they brought to the hearts of His people. Weary and tired ones were +cheered, wandering ones restored and erring ones set right. Many +wrote us or told us personally that the Lord Jesus Christ has become +a greater reality and power in their lives after following this +monthly testimony. + +Suggestions were made to issue some of these notes in book form so +that these blessed truths may be preserved in a more permanent form. +We have done so and send this volume forth with the prayer that the +Holy Spirit, who is here to glorify Christ, may use it to the praise +and glory of His worthy Name. We are confident that such will be the +case. + +A. C. G. + +New York City, October 1, 1910. + + + +Dedication. + + +"Unto Him who loveth us and washed us from our sins in His own +blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God His Father; to +Him be glory and dominion forever."--Rev. i: 5-6. + +"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and +wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."--Rev. v: +12. + +"Then they that feared the Lord spake one to another: and the Lord +hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before +Him for them that feared the Lord and that _thought upon His Name_." +--Mal. iii: 16. + +"Let us go forth, therefore, unto Him without the camp bearing His +reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to +come. By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God +continually, that is the fruit of our lips, _confessing His Name_." +--Hebrews xiii: 13-15. + +"Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so. Come Lord Jesus."--Rev. +xxii: 20. + + + +The Lord of Glory. + + +1 Cor. ii:8. + + +OUR ever blessed Lord, who died for us, to whom we belong, with whom +we shall be forever, is the Lord of Glory. Thus He is called in 1 +Cor. ii:8, "for had they known they would not have crucified the +_Lord of Glory_." Eternally He is this because He is "the express +image of God, the brightness of His Glory" (Heb. i:3). He possessed +Glory with the Father before the world was (John xvii:5). This Glory +was beheld by the prophets, for we read that Isaiah "saw His Glory +and spake of Him" (John xii:41). All the glorious manifestations of +Jehovah recorded in the Word of God are the manifestations of "the +Lord of Glory," who created all things that are in heaven, and that +are in earth, visible and invisible, who is before all things and by +whom all things consist. He appeared as the God of Glory to Abraham +(Acts vii:1); Isaac and Jacob were face to face with Him. Moses +beheld His Glory. He saw His Glory on the mountain. The Lord of +Glory descended in the cloud and stood with him there (Exod. +xxxiv:5). How often the Glory of the Lord appeared in the midst of +Israel. And what more could we say of Joshua, David, Daniel, +Ezekiel, who all beheld His Glory and stood in the presence of that +Lord of Glory. + +In the fulness of time He appeared on earth "God manifested in the +flesh." Though He made of Himself no reputation and left His +unspeakable Glory behind, yet He was the Lord of Glory, and as such +He manifested His Glory. In incarnation in His holy, spotless life +He revealed His moral Glory; what perfection and loveliness we find +here! We have the testimony of His own "We beheld His Glory, the +Glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (John i:14). "They saw +His Glory" (Luke ix:32) when they were with Him in the holy +mountain. They heard, they saw with their eyes, they looked upon, +their hands handled the Word of life, the life that was manifested +(1 John i:1-2). In His mighty miracles the Lord of Glory manifested +His Glory, for it is written "this beginning of miracles did Jesus +in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth His Glory" (John i:11). + +And this Lord of Glory died. The focus of His Glory is the cross. He +was obedient unto death, the death of the cross. He gave Himself for +us. Without following here all the precious truths connected with +that which is the foundation of our salvation and our hope, that the +Lord of Glory, Christ died for our sins, we remember that God +"raised Him up from the dead and _gave Him Glory_" (1 Pet. i:21). He +was "received up into Glory" (1 Tim. iii:16). "Ought not Christ to +have suffered these things and to enter into _His Glory_" (Luke +xxiv:26). The risen Lord of Glory said: "I ascend unto my Father and +your Father; to my God and your God." He is now in the presence of +God, the Man in Glory, seated in the highest place of the heaven of +heavens "at the right hand of the Majesty on high." He is there "far +above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and +every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that +which is to come" (Eph. i:21). He is highly exalted, the heir of all +things. In that Glory He was beheld by human, mortal eyes. Stephen +being full of the Holy Spirit "looked up steadfastly into heaven and +saw the _Glory of God_, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" +(Acts vii:55). This was the dying testimony of the first Christian +martyr. Saul of Tarsus saw this Glory; he "could not see for the +Glory of that light" (Acts xxii:11). John beheld Him and fell at His +feet as dead. And we see Him with the eye of faith. "But we see +Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering +of death _crowned with Glory and Honor_" (Heb. ii:9). + +But this is not all. The unseen Glory of the Lord and the unseen +Lord of Glory will some day be visible, not to a few, but to the +whole universe. He will come in the Glory of His Father and the holy +angels with Him (Matt. xvi:27). The Lord of Glory will be "revealed +from heaven with His mighty angels" (2 Thess. i:7). He will come in +power and Glory, come in His own Glory (Luke ix:26) and sit on the +throne of His Glory (Matt. xxv:31). His Glory then will cover the +heavens (Hab. iii:3) and "the earth will be filled with the +knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" +(Hab. ii:14). The heavens cannot be silent forever and He who now is +the object of the faith of believers, and the One whom the world has +rejected, will come forth in all His Majesty and Glory and every eye +shall see Him. Then every knee must bow at the name of Jesus and +every tongue confess Him as Lord. In that manifestation of the Lord +of Glory and the Glory of the Lord we His redeemed will be +manifested in Glory. He will then be glorified in His saints and +admired in all them that believed (2 Thess. i:10). He will bring His +many sons to Glory (Heb. ii:10). We are "partakers of the Glory that +shall be revealed" (1 Pet. v:1). The God of all Grace hath indeed +called us unto His eternal Glory by Jesus Christ. "And when the +chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of Glory that +fadeth not away" (1 Pet. v:4). "But rejoice inasmuch as ye are +partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when His Glory shall be +revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1 Pet. iv:13). + +But ere this visible Glory is manifested over the earth and on the +earth and He comes forth as the King of kings and Lord of lords His +own will be gathered unto Him and be caught up in clouds to meet Him +in the air. Then we shall see Him as He is and be like Him. The +Glory which the Father has given Him as the head of the body will be +bestowed upon the whole body; for thus He prayed "the Glory, which +thou hast given me I have given to them" (John xvii:22). And in the +Father's house where He is, in the Holy of Holies we shall behold +His Glory. We shall be changed into the same image "that He might be +the first born among many brethren" (Rom. viii:29). + +And now, dear reader, joint heir with the Lord of Glory, called by +God unto the fellowship of His Son, in meditating on these wonderful +facts given to us by revelation, does not your heart burn within +you? What a blessing, what a place, what a future is ours linked +with the Lord of Glory, one with Him! What a stupendous thought that +He came from Glory to die for us so that He might have us with Him +in Glory! + +And these blessed truths concerning the Lord of Glory and the Glory +of the Lord we need to hold ever before our hearts in these dreary +days when darkest night is fast approaching. To walk worthy of the +Lord, to be faithful to the Lord, to render true service, to be more +like Him and show forth His excellencies, we but need one thing, to +know Him better and to behold the Glory of the Lord. It is written +"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the +Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as +by the Spirit of the Lord." Guided by the Spirit we can look on the +Lord of Glory and His Glory, mirrored in all parts of the Word of +God. And then as we look on this wonderful person and His relation +to us and ours to Him, as we behold His glory both moral and +literal, in humiliation and exaltation, past, present and future, we +are changed into the same image. Our path will be from Glory to +Glory! And some day there will come that supreme moment when we +shall be _suddenly_ changed "in a moment, the twinkling of an eye." +Oh child of God see your need! It is Christ, the Lord of Glory set +before your heart; all worldly mindedness, all insincerity, all +discouragement, all unbelief, all unfaithfulness must flee when we +follow on to know the Lord and daily behold "as in a glass the Glory +of the Lord." + +"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present +you faultless _before the presence of His Glory_ with exceeding joy, +to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and +power, both now and ever. Amen." + + + +Jehovah. The "I Am." + + +WHEN Moses in the desert beheld the burning bush God answered his +question by the revelation of His name as the "I Am." "And God said +unto Moses, I am, that I am: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto +the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exod. iii:14). +He who spake thus out of the bush to Moses was the same who in the +fullness of time appeared upon the earth in the form of man. Our +Lord Jesus Christ is no less person, than the I AM. If we turn to +the fourth Gospel in which the Holy Spirit pictures Him as the Son +of God, one with the Father, we find His glorious title there as the +I AM. In the eighth chapter of that blessed Gospel we read that He +said to the Jews, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham +was, I am" (v:58). And the Jews took stones to cast them upon Him. +In the fifth chapter we read that they wanted to kill Him, not only +because He had violated the Sabbath, but also said that God was His +Father, making Himself equal with God (v:18). They wanted to stone +Him because in saying that word "Before Abraham was, I am" He had +claimed that holy name for Himself, which was revealed to Moses. The +Jews then, as the orthodox Jews do still, reverenced that name to +such a degree that they did not even pronounce it, but substituted +in its place the word "Adonai." Little did they realize that the +same "I am" who spoke to Moses out of the bush, saying, "I am;" who +descended before Moses later in a cloud and proclaimed the name of +the Lord (Exod. xxxiv) was standing in their midst in the form of +man. And this is not the only time He used this word. We find it in +the xviii chapter of John. When the band and officers of the chief +priests and Pharisees came with lanterns, torches and weapons, Jesus +stepped majestically into their presence with the calm question: +"Whom seek ye?" When they had stated that they were seeking Jesus +the Nazarene He answered them with one word "I AM." What happened? +They went backward and fell to the ground. What a spectacle that +must have been. The dark night, a company of people, all on the same +satanic errand, with their lanterns, torches and different kinds of +weapons. And then the object of their hatred steps before them and +utters one word and they fall helpless to the ground. What warning +it should have been to them. Once more He asks the question; again +He answers with the "I am" and with the understanding that His own +should be free, He allows Himself to be bound. + +He likewise called Himself "I am" in talking with the Samaritan +woman. In John iv:26 we read, "Jesus saith unto her, I that speak +unto thee am he." This does, however, not express the original. This +reads as follows: "I AM that speaks to thee." After this mighty word +had come from His lips the woman had nothing more to say, but left +her waterpot and went her way back to the city. The I AM had spoken +to her. In chapters vi:20 and viii:28 we find Him using the same "I +am" again. In the former passage "It is I" should read "I am." + +Besides these passages in which He speaks of Himself as the +self-existing Jehovah, the great "I am," He saith seven times in this +Gospel what He is to His own. I am the Bread of life (chapter +vi:35.) I am the Light of the world (chapter ix:5). I am the Door +(chapter x:7). I am the Good Shepherd (chapter x:11). I am the +Resurrection and the Life (chapter xi:25). I am the Way, the Truth +and the Life (chapter xvi:6); and I am the true Vine (chapter xv:1). +But this does not exhaust at all what He is and will be now and +forever to those who belong to Him. In the Old Testament there are +seven great names of the "I AM" which are deep and significant. In +them we can trace His rich and wonderful Grace. _Jehovah.--Jireh_ +--The Lord provides. The lamb provided (Genesis xxii). _Jehovah +Rophecah_--I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exodus xv). _Jehovah +--Nissi_--The Lord is my banner, He giveth the Victory (Exod. xvii). +_Jehovah shalom_, the Lord is Peace. He is our Peace (Judges vi). +_Jehovah Roi_--The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm +xxiii). _Jehovah-Tsidkenu_, the Lord is our righteousness (Jeremiah +xxiii). _Jehovah shammah_, the Lord is there (Ezek. xlviii). + +But this does not exhaust what He is. I AM--what? Anything and +everything what we need in time and eternity. + + "When God would teach mankind His name + He called Himself the great, I AM, + And leaves a blank--believers may + Supply those things for which they pray." + +Happy indeed are we, beloved reader, if we know Him, who died for us +as the I AM, if we learn more and more to trust Him as the all +sufficient One and know that the I AM will supply all our need. In +these days in which the person of Christ is so much belittled, +attacked; He as the Holy One, the great Jehovah rejected, not by the +outside world alone, but by those who call themselves after His own +blessed name, let us have for an answer to all these attacks of the +enemy a closer walk with Him, a more intimate fellowship with the I +AM; a better acquaintance with our Jehovah-Jesus, our gracious Lord. +Oh what a union is ours, One with Him the I AM, what a happy, +glorious lot. Hallelujah. + +I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, +which is, and which was, and which is to come (Rev. ii:8). I am the +bright and morning star (Rev. xxii: 16). What, oh what will He be +for His own in all eternity! + + + +That Worthy Name. + + +James ii:7. + + +IN the second chapter of the Epistle of James the Holy Spirit speaks +of our ever blessed Lord as "that worthy Name." Precious Word! +precious to every heart that knows Him and delights to exalt His +glorious and worthy Name. His Name is "far above every Name that is +named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." +(Ephes. i:21.) It is "as ointment poured forth" (Song of Sol. i:3); +yea, His Name alone is excellent (Psalm cxlviii:13). But according +to His worth that blessed Name is far from being fully known and +uttered by the Saints of God. "Thou art worthy" and "Worthy is the +Lamb" shall some day burst from the glorified lips of redeemed +sinners, brought home to be with Him. In that blessed day when at +last we see Him face to face, forever with the Lord, we shall begin +to learn the full worth and glory of that Name, the Name of the Lord +Jesus Christ. In a feeble way here below we get glimpses of His +precious, worthy Name, of His beauty and loveliness, and then only +through the power of the Holy Spirit. The aim of the Spirit of God +dwelling in our hearts will always be to tell us more of Himself. +Like Abraham's servant who had so much to say to the elect bride +about Isaac, so the Holy Spirit ever delights to show us more of +Christ, the Christ of God. Oh! how He is eager to tell us more of +His worth, of His glory, of His grace and of all He is and all He +has. How it grieves Him when our hearts do not respond to the great +message He has for us and when instead we turn to something else to +give us joy and comfort. Only Christ can give joy and comfort, peace +and rest to the hearts of those who are His. The days are evil and +the time is short. Is your heart increasingly attracted to that +worthy Name? Do you have a greater burning desire in your heart for +Himself? Does He, that worthy Name, become more and more day by day +the absorbing object of your heart and life? Do you often weep over +your coldheartedness, your lack of real devotion to Him and +communion with your Lord? Do you appreciate Him more than ever +before? Is the Apostle's longing cry "that I might know Him" coming +also from your heart? Dear reader, these are searching questions. A +better knowledge of our blessed Lord, a deeper acquaintance with +that worthy Name and greater devotion to Him, is the only true +spiritual progress which counts. If you live but little in the +reality of all this you lack that joy and rest which is true +Christian happiness and the Spirit is grieved. Oh let Him unfold to +your heart that worthy name and show you from His Word, His +wonderful person, then His power will attract your heart more and +more. This is what all God's people need. "That worthy Name," the +Lord in all His blessed fulness and glorious reality is what we +need. + +And what the written Word has to tell us of "that worthy Name"! Oh, +the titles, the attributes, the names, the glories, the beauties of +Himself. And we have discovered but so few of these blessed things. +Perhaps a few hundred of the descriptions of that worthy Name are +known to God's Saints; but there are hundreds, still hidden, we have +never touched. Yes, God's Spirit is ever willing to make them known +to our hearts. + +Just for a few moments think of some of the familiar titles and +names of that Name which is above every other name. How these titles +of our blessed Lord, what He is and what we have in Him should fill +our hearts with praise and our lips with outbursts of praise, lift +us above present day conditions and give us courage and boldness. +"That worthy Name"; who is He? + +The Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father, the living God, the +eternal Life; Emmanuel, the God of Glory, the Holy One; Jehovah, the +everlasting God, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord of Peace, the +Lord our righteousness, the Upholder of all things, the Creator, the +Alpha and Omega, the express image of God. He is the Word, the Word +of God, the Word of Life, the Wisdom of God, the Angel of the Lord, +the Mediator of the better covenant. The good Shepherd, the great +Shepherd, the chief Shepherd, the Door, the Way, the Root and +offspring of David, the Branch of Righteousness, the Rose of Sharon, +the Lily of the valley, the true Vine, the Corn of Wheat, the Bread +of God, the true Bread from heaven. He is also the Light of the +world, the Day dawn, the Star out of Jacob, Sun and Shield, the +Bright and Morningstar, the Sun of Righteousness. Thus we read of +that worthy Name, that He is, the Great High-priest, the Daysman, +the Advocate, Intercessor, Surety, Mercy Seat, the Forerunner, the +Rock of Salvation, the Refuge, the Tower, a strong Tower, the Rock +of Ages, the Hope of Glory, the Hope of His people, a living Stone. +And what else? the Gift of God, the Beloved, the Fountain of Life, +Shiloh, He is our Peace, our Redeemer, He is precious, the Amen, the +Just Lord, the Bridegroom, the Firstborn from the Dead, Head over +all, Head of all principality and power, Heir of all things. He is +Captain of the Lord's Host, Captain of their salvation, Chiefest +among Ten Thousand, the Leader, the Counsellor, the Lion of the +tribe of Judah, the Governor, Prince of Peace, the Prince of Life, +the Prince of the Kings of the earth, the Judge, the King, the King +of Israel, King of Saints, King of Glory, King over all the earth, +King in His Beauty, King of Kings and Lord of lords. + +All these names and attributes of that worthy Name are familiar. +What dignity, what power, what grace and blessing for us for whom He +died and shed His precious blood they express. Who can fathom these +names? Who can tell out His worth? And hundreds more could be added, +and many, many more, which are still undiscovered in the Word of +God. What a Lord He is! We worship and adore Thee, Thou worthy One. +Draw us O Lord and we will run after Thee. What a joy and delight it +ought to be to follow Him, to exalt Him, to be devoted to such a +One! Oh! our failures! And still He carries us in kindness and +patience. And He also has a Name, which expresses the fulness of His +work and glory. No one knows what _that_ is. "He had a name written, +that no man knew, but He Himself" (Rev. xix:12). That unknown Name +may never be made known. + +But oh! the blessedness which is before us His redeemed people. Of +us it is written "They shall see _His face_": That blessed, blessed +face of that worthy Name, we shall behold at last. We shall see His +face! Oh the rapture which fills the heart in the anticipation of +that soon coming event. "And His Name shall be on their foreheads" +(Rev. xxii:4). We shall be like Him, we shall be a perfect +reflection of Himself. + + + +The Doctrine of Christ. + + +2 John 9-11. + + +"WHOSOEVER transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, +hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath +both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring +not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him +God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil +deeds" (2 John 9-11). What then is the doctrine of Christ? It is the +revealed truth concerning the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, that +He is the Son of God, whom the Father sent into the world. "God so +loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This +is the doctrine of Christ. Anyone who does not hold the doctrine of +Christ that He is absolutely God, one with the Father come into the +world, hath not God. He is without God and hope in the world. He is +an Anti-christ. "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is +come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not +that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is +that spirit of Anti-christ, whereof ye have heard that it should +come; and even now already is it in the world" (1 John iv:2-3). Such +a denier of the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is no christian at +all and all fellowship even to the greeting must be denied to him. +This seems severe and intolerant. But it is not if we consider what +the denial of the Person of our holy and blessed Lord means. God +grant unto us, who hold the doctrine of Christ, a divine jealousy +for His honor and glory, manifested by separation from all who in +any way deny the doctrine upon which all Christianity rests. + +But how blessed to faith to see in the first Epistle of John the +doctrine of Christ revealed and the blessings and comforts brought +forth, which are for those who abide in this doctrine. In the Gospel +of John the beloved disciple writes by the Holy Spirit about the Son +of God, how He came from the Father and was in the world and how He +left the world to go back to the Father. The Son of God is also the +theme of the Holy Spirit in the first Epistle of John. "Our +fellowship is with the Father, and with His _Son_ Jesus Christ" +(i:3). This fellowship means that we share the Father's thoughts +about His Son and to enjoy with the Son His own blessed and eternal +relationship with the Father. In the measure our faith enters into +the doctrine of Christ in that measure we shall have deeper +fellowship with the Father and His Son. Is your cry, dear reader, +for more reality in this fellowship? There is one way only which +leads to this. It is an increase in the knowledge of the Son of God +and as you abide there, you _have_ the Father and the Son. + +And now we shall call to our remembrance other passages in the first +Epistle of John in which our blessed Lord as the Son of God is +mentioned. They are sweet and precious to faith and if read in the +Spirit they will bring the joy, the blessing, the peace and the +comfort of the doctrine of Christ to our hearts. + +"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (i:7). +That precious blood, His own blood, has cleansed us once and for +all. "For this purpose the _Son of God_ was manifested that He might +destroy the works of the devil" (iii:8). "And this is his +commandment, that we should believe on the name of His _Son_ Jesus +Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment. And he that +keepeth His commandments (which are: believing on Him and loving one +another) dwelleth in Him and He in him. And hereby we know that He +abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us" (iii:23-24). +"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_ into the world to be the propitiation +for our sins." "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love +one another" (iv:9-11). "And we have seen and do testify that the +Father sent _the Son_ to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever +shall confess that Jesus is _the Son of God_, God dwelleth in him +and he in God. 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" (iv:14-16). "Who is he that overcometh the world, +but he that believeth that Jesus is _the Son of God?_" (v:5) "If we +receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this +is the witness of God which He hath testified of His _Son_. He that +believeth on the _Son of God_ hath the witness in himself; he that +believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the +record that God gave to _His Son_. And this is the record that God +hath given to us eternal life, and this life is _in His Son_. He +that hath _the Son_ hath life; he that hath not the _Son of God_ +hath not life" (v:9-12). "These things have I written unto you that +believe on the name of _the Son of God_, that ye may know that ye +have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of _the Son +of God_. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we +ask anything according to His will, He heareth us" (v:13-14). "And +we know that the _Son of God_ is come, and hath given us an +understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him +that is true, even in _His Son_ Jesus Christ. This is the _true God_ +and eternal life" (v:20). + +May our faith lay hold anew of these simple yet deep and precious +revelations. They are the doctrine of Christ. Into this we must +enter constantly and manifest in our lives the fruits of this +doctrine, love and righteousness. The increasing rejection of the +doctrine of Christ demands the increased appreciation of that +doctrine. The more the enemy attacks the Person of Christ, the more +the Holy Spirit demands of us, who belong to Christ, that we exalt +Him. Everything in the present time seems to be aimed at the setting +aside of the doctrine upon which our Hope rests. Higher Criticism, +the evil doctrines, which reject the eternal punishment of the +wicked, the spurious gospels, ethical teachings and every other +false doctrine strikes at the blessed Person of our Lord. The shadow +of _the_ Anti-christ is cast in our days. Let us heed God's Word. +Let us be separated from those who deny Christ or we are partakers +of their evil deeds. The path of the true believer becomes narrower. +It must be so. But Christ becomes more precious, more real to our +souls. + +What awful times are coming upon this age according to God's Word! +With the rejection of the doctrine of Christ this age sides +completely with Satan and that wonderful being is both blinding his +victims and using them for his own sinister purposes. The blindness +is fearful. It will be worse before long. The rush into complete +apostasy and from there into the delusion with the lying wonders and +on into the darkness forever will come next. Let us praise God for +the doctrine of Christ, which is our salvation, and may God give us +faith and courage to walk according to that doctrine. What day of +joy awaits us, when we shall see him as He is and know the depth of +the Love of God by being like Him! + + + +The Pre-Eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. + + +WHAT a blessed theme the Person and Glory of our Lord! How +inexhaustible and unsearchable! How refreshing to the souls of His +redeemed people as well as to the heart of our heavenly Father, who, +loveth the Son! To meditate on Him, to behold the Glory of the Lord +under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the Word of God, means +spiritual growth and spiritual enjoyment. This only can make the +unseen Person a blessed reality in our daily walk. We pray that all +our beloved readers are drawn closer to Himself through these brief +meditations. Can we truly say the Lord is more precious to our +hearts and that we are living more in His presence than ever before? +Has He become the absorbing object of our hearts and lives? Are we +more devoted to Him? God grant that this may be the case with all of +us. It is the great need we have. It is the good part, which Mary, +resting at His feet, had chosen. + +In the great chapter which begins the Epistle to the Colossians, +after that blessed description of the Son of God, stands this word +"_that in all things He might have the pre-eminence_" (Col. i:18). +But who can tell out what a pre-eminence, the pre-eminence of the +Lord Jesus Christ is? Some day we shall see Him in all His Glory. He +Himself will lead us into the Holiest of the third heaven to behold +the Glory the Father has given Him (John xvii:24); then we shall +know His pre-eminence fully. And yet from Scripture we can learn +even now the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. + +In all eternity the Son of God was the object of Love and Glory. + + "Son of God the Father's bosom + Ever was Thy dwelling place." + +He ever subsisted in the form of God. In all creation He has the +pre-eminence. This is made known to us, as man could not discover +it, by revelation. We accept this in faith. "Through faith we +understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that +things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Heb. +x:3). And all which was called into existence was created by Him and +for Him. "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, +and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be +thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were +created by Him and for Him" (Col. i:16). What a marvellous survey! +What power and glory belongs to the blessed Son of God! "All things +were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was +made." "The world was made by Him" (John i:3, 10). + +He has the pre-eminence in sustaining His creation. All things +consist by Him. He upholds all things by the Word of His power (Heb. +i:3). + +In the Revelation of God He has the pre-eminence. Both books, the +book of Nature and the Book of all books, the written Word of God, +the Bible, tell out His Glory. The Bible may be compared to a living +organism, like the human body. Every book in the Bible has a +specific place and service like the members of the body; the life in +that marvellous divinely constructed organism of the revelation of +God is the Son of God. Apart from Him there is no revelation from +God and no manifestation of God. He reveals God throughout the +Bible, in every part, He holds the pre-eminence. Greater still is +His pre-eminence in redemption. Redemption would be an eternal +impossibility without Him. He came from the Father's bosom to redeem +us. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the +Father but by Him. He gives eternal life. Furthermore as the first +born from the dead He is the head of the body. That body is the +church and every believing sinner is a member in that body. Each is +united to Him and possesses His life. This body with its many +members He keeps, nourishes, builds up, sanctifies and ultimately +glorifies. In all the great and glorious redemptive work He has the +pre-eminence. + +As the glorified Man He is the Heir of God and as such He holds the +pre-eminence in heaven. He has been made so much better than the +angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name +than they. Far above all the angelic beings, higher than the +archangel is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Man in Glory. + +There is a future pre-eminence for Him. The day of His visible Glory +and power is approaching. Now He is rejected, then He will be +enthroned. Upon the holy hill of Zion He will be the King of Glory. +His Glory will cover the heavens and His Majesty the earth. He will +be King of kings and Lord of lords. He will rule as the only +potentate and every knee must bow before Him. The song must at last +rise in heaven and on earth "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to +receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and +glory and blessing." Such is, briefly sketched, the pre-eminence of +the Lord Jesus Christ. Yea, in all things He hath the pre-eminence. + +Can we do anything less than to give Him the first place in all +things? He is worthy of it. He died for us. He drank the cup of +wrath in our stead. His own self bare our sins in His own body on +the tree. How great has been and still is His love for us, the love, +which passeth knowledge. He is worthy of the first place every +moment of our lives. He is worthy to possess all we have and are. We +are bought with a price, we are not our own. We belong to Him. + +What unspeakable grace from God the Father, that He has brought us +into fellowship with Him to whom He has given the pre-eminence. We +please the Father as we delight ourselves in the Son and walk in +that blessed fellowship. We must honor Him whom the Father has +honored, and as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ and accord Him the +first place, the Father will honor us (John xii:26). Our hearts too +can never fully know the blessed peace of God and rest of faith till +we give our Lord the first place. Anything less than that will mean +dishonor to Him. "Not I--but Christ" must be the constant cry of +our hearts. Not I--but Christ in our daily walk; Not I--but Christ +in our service. Oh! that we might realize our great and holy +calling, our wonderful privilege, a privilege which is ours for but +a little while longer to live Him, live for Him, who has in all +things the pre-eminence. + + Nothing save Him, in all our ways, + Giving the theme for ceaseless praise; + Our whole resource along the road, + Nothing but Christ--the Christ of God. + + + +"Ye are Christ's--Christ is God's." + + +ONLY a few words, yet how blessedly full of peace and joy! How +precious they are to faith! If we, to whom they apply, would +remember them daily, how happy in Him we would be. In all our ways, +in good and evil days, yea, every moment the truth contained in +these words ought to be real to the true believer. Is not all our +failure due to the fact that we live not sufficiently in the +consciousness and reality of this wonderful fact, that we belong to +Christ, that we are one with Him? Before these words in the third +chapter of First Corinthians we find the statement "all things are +yours." And after these words it is written "Christ is God's." We +are Christ's and Christ is God's; all things are ours because Grace +has brought us into this marvelous relationship. "Christ is God's" +gives us once more the whole story of God's Love and Grace. As the +Only Begotten He ever subsisted in the form of God, the Image of +God, one with Him, absolutely God. But He came down, took upon Him +the form of a servant, taking His place in the likeness of man. In +the form of man He wrought the great work of redemption on the cross +and now after His resurrection, by which He is proven Son of God and +His presence as the glorified Man in the highest heaven, He is the +one in whom and through whom, God the God and Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ gives all blessing. "Christ is God's," then, means what +we learn from the following scriptures: "The Father loveth the Son, +and hath given all things into His hands" (John iii:35). "Whom He +hath appointed heir of all things" (Heb. i:2). "Christ is God's" is +a word which tells us that He who is the Creator of all things, the +visible and the invisible, came in incarnation, redeemed us and is +now, the beginning, the first-begotten from the dead and the Head of +His Body, which is the Church. This is how God has brought us to +Himself in the person of His own Son by whom he has redeemed us, in +whom He has exalted us and with whom He has given us all things. + +To that wonderful person, Christ, the Christ of God, we belong. We +are His, who is One with God, by whom and for whom all things were +created. The Son of God for such as we are, became poor, even to the +poverty of the cross. There He took our place and in His own body He +bore our sins and died for us. He saw us then the travail of His +soul. We can look back to the cross and say, as His Apostle said: +"Who love me and gave Himself for me." We belong to Him, who has all +power in heaven and will have all power before long, as King of +Kings and Lord of Lords on earth. We are Christ's, whom God has +appointed as the second Man, the head of the new creation as Heir of +all things. We are Christ's, who is the Head of the Body, to which +we belong. In Him and with Him we are the Heirs of God. God and +Christ are inseparable and so are Christ and we who have trusted in +Him and have His life. All Christ has belongs to us; all Christ is +we shall be; where Christ is there we shall be in all eternity. +Reader! Child of God, pause! Does your faith lay hold of this? Do +you read it only and enjoy it just for a moment or is this great +fact of your union with Christ and God becoming daily a greater +reality in your life? Is it really so that you enter deeper and +deeper into that love which passeth knowledge? Oh! that it may be so +with the writer and each believer who reads these feeble words on so +great a theme. + +"Ye are Christ's." Then we are _not our own_. That is exactly what +is elsewhere stated in First Corinthians. "Ye are not your own; we +are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in +your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. vi:20). Our hearts occupied +with Himself, increasingly attracted by the glorious Person of our +adorable Lord, realising by the power of His Spirit our glory and +destiny with the Lord of Glory, we shall act and walk as such, who +are Christ's. Every step of the way it will resound in our hearts +"ye are Christ's." In all we do we shall always remember we are +Christ's. Cares, anxieties, worldly ambitions, all manner of +temptations, will fall before the fact grasped in faith "I am +Christ's." + +We are convinced that _only_ the Person of Christ put before the +heart of the believer through the Word of God and the power of His +Spirit can keep the Christian in these awful days of apostasy from +going along with the fearful current of the last days. If Christ and +our blessing in Him become more real to us we will be beyond the +reach of the god of this age with his wiles and sinister purposes. + +Furthermore the demand of the hour is for us to exalt Christ. How He +is dishonored is a dread reality. The rejection of Christ was never +so marked and never so satanic as in these days. God, the God and +Father of our Lord Jesus Christ expects from us His children that we +exalt Him in the days of His rejection and thus share His reproach. +Let us do it! + +And lastly, if we ever have the Person of Christ before our hearts, +we shall walk in obedience to Him as our Lord. Then if we exalt +Christ and are obedient to Himself we have the fullest assurance +that the Holy Spirit will be with us, upon us and fill us. There is +no need to seek "the power" as some express it, nor a baptism of the +Spirit. He will be with us and in us in the measure as we exalt +Christ and walk in Him. + + O gracious Lord, when we reflect + How apt to turn the eye from Thee, + Forget Thee, too, with sad neglect, + And listen to the enemy, + And yet to find Thee still the same-- + 'Tis this that humbles us with shame. + + Astonished at Thy feet we fall, + Thy love exceeds our highest thought, + Henceforth be Thou our all in all, + Thou who our souls with blood hast bought; + May we henceforth more faithful prove, + And ne'er forget Thy ceaseless love. + + "Him will I make that overcomes + And stems the advancing flood, + A pillar of might, with glory light, + In the temple of my God. + On him shall the blest Name divine, + And my new name be graven; + And the City's name, Jerusalem, + That cometh down from heaven." + + + +The Wonderful. + + +Isaiah ix:6. + + +HIS name shall be called "Wonderful" (Isaiah ix:6). And long before +Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction the angel of the Lord had +announced his name to be Wonderful. As such He appeared to Manoah. +And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that +when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor. And the angel of +Jehovah said unto Him "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it +is Wonderful" (margin, Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, +the Person who appeared repeatedly in Old Testament history is an +uncreated angel. Of this Being we read that He is the Redeemer, for +Jacob speaks of Him "the angel which redeemed me from all evil" +(Genesis xlviii:15). He is the angel whose voice must be obeyed, who +has power to pardon transgressions, in whom the name of God is +(Exodus xxiii:20-23). He is the angel of His Presence who saved them +(Isaiah lxiii:9) and Exodus xxxiii:14 must refer to this Being "My +presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest." This angel +of Jehovah speaks in the Book of Judges and declared, "I made you to +go up out of Egypt, and have brought you into the land which I sware +unto your fathers; and I said I will never break my covenant with +you" (Judges ii:1). He appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of +the midst of the bush and He spoke to Moses as the I am! (Ex. iii.) +The same One appeared before Joshua and he worshipped in His +presence. With Him Jacob wrestled, with Jehovah, the God of hosts +(Hosea xii:4-6). Malachi iii:1 shows that the Lord Himself is this +Angel, the Angel of the Covenant, who also visited Abraham in the +form of Man (Genesis xviii). + +And after all these manifestations, seven hundred years after Isaiah +had announced Him, as the Wonderful, He appeared in human form in +the midst of His people. And now we know by divine Revelation in the +completed Word of God that He is wonderful in His Person and in his +work; but no mind can fathom, no heart can grasp, no pen can +describe, how wonderful He is. + +He is wonderful if we think of Him as the Only Begotten of the +Father. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, +and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All +things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that +was made" (John i:1-3). "By Him were all things created that are in +Heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be +thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were +made by Him and for Him; and He is before all things and by Him all +things consist" (Col. i:16-17). He is the image of the invisible +God, the brightness of His glory and the express image of His +Person. How wonderful such a One, who ever was, with no beginning, +One with God! + +How wonderful His humiliation. "Who being in the form of God, +thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no +reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in +the likeness of men, and being in fashion as a man He humbled +Himself" (Phil. ii:6-8). "For verily He took not on Him the nature +of Angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews ii:16). +Wonderful condescension that He who created the angels should be +made lower than the angels and lay His Glory by, to appear in the +form of man on earth. + +Wonderful is He in His incarnation, "that holy thing" as the angel +announced Him, truly God and Man. Born of the woman, resting on the +bosom of the virgin as a little child and yet He is the One who ever +is in the bosom of the Father. + +Wonderful that blessed life He lived on earth of which the beloved +disciple bears such a beautiful witness. "That which was from the +beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, +which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of +Life. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear +witness and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the +Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John i:1-2). Wonderful are +the blessed words which came from His lips, wonderful is His moral +glory, His untiring service, His love, His patience and everything +which the Holy Spirit has been pleased to tell us of His earthly +life. The more our hearts contemplate Him the more wonderful He +appears. But still greater and more wonderful is it that He went to +the cross to give His life as a ransom for many, that the Just One +should die for the unjust, that He who knew no sin was made sin for +us and pay the penalty of sins on the cross. He is the Wonderful in +His great work on the cross, the depths of which have never been +fathomed. And what can we say of His wonderful Glory, His wonderful +Place, His wonderful Power, His wonderful Grace! How wonderfully He +has dealt with us, with each one of us individually. How wonderful +it is that He knows each of His sheep, that He guides each, provides +for, loveth, succors, stands by, restores, never leaves nor forsakes +each who has trusted in Him and belongs to Him. How wonderful are +His ways with us, that He guides with His eyes and that His loving +power and omnipotent love is on our side. In His coming +manifestation He will be wonderful. Wonderful He will be when we +shall see Him and stand in His presence. What a day it will be when +we see Him face to face! Then we shall know all the loveliness and +wonderfulness of His adorable Person and His wonder ways with us. +With what wonderment we shall then behold Him. And when He comes +with His Saints, when the Heavens are lit up with untold glory, when +He comes to judge, to establish His Kingdom, to speak peace to the +nations, to restore creation to its right condition, when He reigns +and all His redeemed ones with Him--Oh how wonderful it all will +be! + +He is altogether lovely and he is altogether wonderful. Glory to His +name! Well has one said: "He pervades the whole of the New Testament +with His presence, so that every doctrine it teaches, every duty it +demands, every narrative it records, every comfort it gives, every +hope it inspires, gathers about His person and ministers to His +glory." So dear does He thus become to the heart of the believer, +that Luther may well be excused for exclaiming, 'I had rather be in +hell with Christ, than in heaven without Him.' + +"We believe in Him as our Saviour, Acts vi:31; confess Him as our +Lord, Rom. x:9; we have redemption through His blood, Eph. i:7; we +look to Him as our Leader, Heb. xii:2; we follow Him as our Teacher, +Eph. iv:20, 21; we feed upon Him as our Bread, Jno. vi:48; we go to +Him in our Thirst, Jno. vi: 37; we enter by Him as our door, Jno. +x:9; we are in Him as our vine, Jno. xv:5; we find in Him our rest, +Matt. xi:28; we have in Him our example, Jno. xiii:15; He is our +righteousness, 2 Cor. v:21; we are succored by Him in temptation, +Heb. ii:18; we turn to Him for sympathy, Heb. iv:15; we obtain +through Him our victory, 1 Cor. xv:57; we overcome by Him the world, +1 Jno. v:5; we have in Him eternal life, 1 Jno. v:11, 12; we gain by +Him the resurrection, Phil. iii:20, 21; we appear with Him in glory, +Col. iii:4, we exult in His everlasting love, Rev. i:5, 6." + +May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts and eyes with Himself and reveal +to us through the written Word more of the matchless beauty of the +wonderful Person of our Saviour and Lord. We honor and adore Thee, +blessed, blessed Lord, and while Thou art rejected we thy feeble +people would know more of Thyself and keep closer at Thy feet. Amen. + + "We would see Jesus, for the shadows lengthen + Over this little landscape of our life, + We would see Jesus, our weak faith to strengthen, + For the last weariness, the final strife. + We would see Jesus, this is _all_ we're needing; + Strength, joy and willingness come with the sight; + We would see Jesus, dying, risen, pleading; + Then welcome day, and farewell mortal night." + + + +Honour and Glory Unto him. + + +IN Revelation V, that great worship scene, beginning some day in +heaven and going on into future ages, we read of the Lamb to whom +honor and glory are due. He alone is worthy. And every heart who +knows Him rejoicing in His love, cries out, "Thou art worthy!" Yea, +the sweetest song for the redeemed soul is the outburst of praise, +which we find on the threshold of His own Revelation. "Unto Him that +loveth us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and hath made +us kings and priests unto God and His Father; _to him_ be glory and +dominion forever and ever. Amen." Soon the great worship John beheld +prophetically may become reality. + +As long as we His people are here in this present evil age it is +God's call to us to honor and glorify His Son. This surely is God +the Father's expectation from His children, who are begotten of Him. +This is His call to us in the last days of this rapidly closing age. + +It was on the mountain of transfiguration that the Father bore +witness to His Son. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well +pleased." The Father bore not alone this witness, but He vindicated +the honor of His Son, whose glory flashed forth on that mountain. +Peter had spoken; in fact, he was still speaking when the Father's +voice was heard. "Lord, it is good to be here; if Thou wilt let us +make here three tabernacles, one for Thee and one for Moses and one +for Elias." These were Peter's words. At the first glance they +appear harmless. Indeed, they are generally used in spiritual +application of having a good time here. But they have a far +different meaning. Peter had spoken once more in the impulsiveness +of the flesh. By putting the Lord of Glory alongside of Moses and +Elias, he had lowered the dignity of Him. The One whom he had but +recently confessed as the Christ, the Son of the living God, he now +put into the same position and place with Moses and Elias. He lost +sight of the wonderful and glorious person of Christ. When he +uttered this human suggestion the Shekinah cloud appeared and its +glorious splendor covered them. Out of that cloud came the Father's +voice vindicating the honor of His Son. Who is Moses? Who is Elias? +Sinful men they were, man of failure and weakness. But here is +another. This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear Him. +And how that beloved Son is in our day dishonored! + +He was in all eternity the beloved Son. When God created all things, +for Him and by Him, He was the delight of God. This is the +foundation of our faith. When he spoke of coming into the world, as +we read in Hebrews X, to do the Father's will, the Father's love and +delight was upon Him. In humiliation beginning there in Bethlehem He +was the beloved Son of God. In all He did, every step of the way, +the Holy One had above Himself the loving Father. And then He went +to the cross, putting away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. In the +awful suffering on the cross, in the hours of darkness, when as the +substitute of sinners He tasted death, God's holy hand rested upon +that beloved One in judgment, so that He uttered that never to be +forgotten cry "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And God +in His mighty power opened the grave and brought Him forth. He +raised Him from the dead. He was received up in the Glory, exalted +into the highest position. He is the heir of all things, the +upholder of all things, all things consist and exist by Him. God has +given Him the pre-eminence in all things. + +And this blessed One, the beloved Son of God is denied, He is +rejected, dishonored and refused. God speaks in Him, by Him, and he +who has made known God, in whom redemption for man was procured is +dishonored. But how is He dishonored and robbed of His Glory? And +where is He dishonored? Not in the world as such so much but in +Christendom. The harvest of this destructive and evil criticism of +the Bible, rejecting the Bible as the inspired Word of God is being +reaped. After the written Word has been attacked and lowered the +enemy who stands behind "Higher Criticism" in a disguised form has +thrown off the mask and bluntly strikes at the Person of the beloved +Son of God. First the devil in the garb of "reverend criticism" +denied Isaiah vii:14, the promise of the virgin bringing forth a +son, as having anything to do with Christ, and now the harvest, the +denial of the virgin birth of our Lord. It would take many pages to +mention all how our ever beloved Lord is robbed of His Glory, how +His Person is dishonored. This denial of the Person of Christ is the +apostasy. It is the very breath of the personal antichrist, the man +of sin, which we feel in these last days. + +The Father's voice is not heard in these days as it was heard on the +transfiguration mountain. The heavens are silent to all the dishonor +heaped upon Him, who is in the heaven of heavens. But God the Father +looks to His people in whom the Holy Spirit dwells to honor and +glorify His Son. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to stand as bold +witnesses for Himself and to contend earnestly for the faith once +and for all delivered unto the Saints. The Father expects us that we +stand up for the honor of His Son. His voice to us is "_Honor my +Son!_" + +We feel deeply impressed with this great call of God to us at the +present time of increasing darkness and apostasy. Let each child of +God act accordingly. Honor your Lord wherever you are. "Be thou not +ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Tim. i:8). If you cannot +publicly stand up and honor Christ then honor Him, speak well of +Him, in the home circle or wherever you are. O child of God, walk +close to Him! Sit more at His feet! Cast yourself more upon Him! Let +Him be your all in all! And as He is the sole object of your heart +you will honor Him in the day when He is rejected. + +But this will mean something else. It means separation. God's call +to His people is to stand aloft from all which dishonors His Son. +This means much in our days. How can we honor the Beloved One if we +have fellowship with that which dishonors Him? No child of God +should go on with any institution, school or church where the +written Word is set aside or belittled. The second Epistle of +Timothy, which has special reference to our times is very clear on +this separation. No one needs to wait for a special call from God to +act and separate from the corruption of Christendom. It is all given +before hand by the Holy Spirit. "From such turn away" (2 Tim. +iii:5). And those from whom God commands us to separate are persons +who have the form of godliness and deny the power thereof. Again it +is written: "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold +and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and +some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he +shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master's +use, prepared unto every good work" (2 Tim. ii:20-21). Hear the Word +of the Lord! Hear His call! Be faithful to Him! Keep His Word and do +not deny His Name! Honor and glorify Him who is our Lord whom we +soon shall see face to face. + + + +Christ's Resurrection Song. + + +WHEN the blessed Lord appeared in the midst of His disciples and +they beheld the risen One in His glorified body of flesh and bones +and He ate before them, He told them that all things which were +written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets and _in the Psalms_ +concerning Him, had to be fulfilled (Luke xxiv:44). While on the way +to Emmaus He said to the two sorrowing and perplexed disciples +"Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into +His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded +unto them all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." It +seems to us He must have then spoken much of the Psalms, these +wonderful prayers and songs of praise, with which His Jewish +disciples were so familiar. In the Psalms the richest prophecies +concerning Christ are found. There we behold Him in His divine +perfections as well as in His true humanity; in His suffering and in +His glory; in His rejection and in His exaltation. Oh that we, the +Lord's people, might read the Psalms more, so that the Holy Spirit +can reveal Christ more to our hearts. In many unexpected places we +can find Him in these songs. There is for instance the xxxvii Psalm, +so much enjoyed by the Saints of God. It contains such precious +exhortations to faith, to be patient and to hope. But in taking the +comfort of these blessed exhortations and their accompanying +promises, we are apt to overlook some verses which tell us of our +Lord. Verses 30-33 apply to Him. "The mouth of the righteous +speaketh wisdom and His tongue talketh of judgment. The law of His +God is in His heart; none of His steps shall slide. The wicked +watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay Him. Jehovah will not +leave Him in his hand, nor condemn Him when He is judged." Our Lord +is this righteous One. Words of wisdom and judgment, mercy and truth +flowed from His lips while righteousness in heart and life, and +perfect obedience were manifested in Him. Then His death and +deliverance are indicated in these words. However, care must be +taken not to apply all the experiences of the Psalms to Christ. We +saw recently an exposition of Psalm xxxviii:7. The words "For my +loins are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundness +in my flesh" were applied to Christ. This is a very serious mistake. +He knew no sin and therefore no loathsome disease could fill His +loins. Such exposition is evil. + +Many joyous expressions of praise to God are found in the Psalms +which properly belong first to Him, who is the leader of the praises +of His people (Heb. ii:12). One of these sweet outbursts of praise +is contained in the opening verses of the xl Psalm. The first three +verses may be called "the resurrection song of Christ": + + "I waited patiently for the Lord, + And He inclined unto me + And heard my cry. + He brought me up also + Out of an horrible pit, + Out of the miry clay; + And set my feet upon a rock, + Established my goings. + And He has put a new song in my mouth; + Praise unto our God; + Many shall see it and fear, + And shall trust in the Lord." + +It is the experience of our Saviour, which must here first of all be +considered. Patiently He had waited for Jehovah. Himself Jehovah He +had taken the place of dependence under God His Father and patiently +He endured. He was obedient unto death, the death of the cross. He +endured the cross, despising the shame. He cried to God. "Who in the +days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications +with strong crying and fears unto Him that was able to save Him from +death, and _was heard_ in that he feared; though He were Son, yet +learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb. v:7-8). +The place of death is given in this Psalm: "the horrible pit and the +miry clay." Who can describe all what is meant by these words! +"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we +did esteem Him stricken and smitten of God and afflicted. But He was +wounded for our transgressions, the chastisement of our peace was +upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed" (Isa. liii:45). He +went into the horrible pit, or as it reads literally, the pit of +destruction, the place which belongs to fallen man by nature, so +that we might be taken out of it. He went into the jaws of death and +there the billows and waves, yea all the billows and waves of the +judgment of the holy God passed over Him. In another Psalm the Holy +Spirit describes His agony. (Ps. lxix). There we read His cry "Save +me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep +mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, where +the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried; +mine eyes fail while I wait for my God." And deeper He went for our +sakes. The miry clay has a special meaning. Any one who sinks into a +pit filled with miry clay cannot help himself. All his struggling +does not help; the more he labors the deeper he sinks. One who is in +the miry clay cannot save himself. And does this not remind us of +the Lord and of what was said of Him "He saved others, Himself He +cannot save." He was in the miry clay. He might have saved Himself +but He would not. His mighty love it was, that love which passeth +knowledge, which brought Him from Heaven's Glory down to the +horrible pit, the miry clay. + +But the sufferings of our adorable Lord are not so much before us in +this Psalm as the fact of His resurrection. His cry was heard. The +prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears were +answered; His resurrection from the dead was God's blessed answer. +While in other Scriptures it is stated that Christ Himself arose, +here His resurrection is seen as an act of God. "He brought me up." +This act of God bears witness to the completeness and perfection of +the accomplished salvation. "We believe in Him who raised up Jesus +our Lord from the dead. Who was delivered for our offences and was +raised again for our justification" (Rom. iv:24-25). But we read +also that His feet were set upon a rock. "And set my feet upon a +rock." He is the first born from the dead. Sin and death are +abolished by His mighty work. "Knowing that Christ being raised from +the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in +that He died, He died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He +liveth unto God" (Rom. vi:9-10). Upon that rock the feet of every +believing sinner securely rest. + +But His ascension is likewise mentioned in this resurrection song. +"And established my goings." He "whose goings forth have been from +old, from everlasting" (Micah v:2) and who came from everlasting +glory to walk in obedience to the cross and the grave has gone back +into heaven. He was received up into glory; He ascended on high and +led captivity captive. + +And the mighty victor sings now a _new song_. It is the triumphant +song of redemption, to the praise of God. On account of Him, what He +has accomplished in His death on the cross and Who is raised from +the dead and in glory "many shall see it and fear and shall trust in +the Lord." But this wonderful resurrection song the Lord sings not +alone. We, who have trusted in Him and know Him have part in this +song. Believing in Him we are taken out, yea forever, from the +terrible pit and the miry clay. There is no more death and no more +wrath for us. We are also risen with Him, our feet are planted upon +the rock, our goings are established. We belong to the heavenlies +where He is. We sing praises in His name unto our God, His God and +our God, His Father and our Father, the God and Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ. Oh! that our hearts may enter deeper into this song of +accomplished redemption "praise unto our God;" the loving God who +spared not His only Begotten. + +And indeed "many shall see and fear and trust in the Lord." This +reaches into the future. Israel too will be taken from the place of +spiritual and national death, and raised to life to join the new +song. Nations will see it and fear and trust Jehovah. At last the +great new song of resurrection and the new creation will swell in +its divinely revealed length and breadth, heighth and depth. Now He +sings the song, and His co-heirs sing it too in feebleness, yet by +His Grace and through His Spirit. Ere long in His presence all the +Redeemed will praise in Glory with glorified lips. Heavenly beings +will utter their praise and in a wider circle down on earth, every +creature will join in. + +"And they sung a _new song_ saying, Thou art worthy to take the book +and to open the seals thereof; for thou was 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 over the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice +of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and +the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten +thousand, and thousands of thousands. Saying with a loud voice, +Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and +wisdom, and strength and honor, and glory and blessing. And every +creature which is in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth, +and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I +saying, blessing, and honor, and glory and power, be unto Him that +sitteth on the throne, and unto the lamb forever and ever" (Revel. +v:9-13). That song will never end. Oh may we learn to sing it now, +and in His Name sing praises unto our God. + +May we follow the great leader of Praise, Him who is anointed with +the oil of gladness above His fellows. May the path He followed down +here become more and more ours. May we serve, be obedient, give up, +wait patiently for the Lord, after His own pattern, suffer with Him, +be rejected with Him, bear His reproach and through it all rejoice +in Him and sing "the new song." How happy we ought to be as linked +with Him, the blessed Christ of God. And as we walk in His +fellowship the heart longs to see Him as He is. Even so; come Lord +Jesus. + + + +The Glory Song. + + +Rev. i:5-6. + + +"UNTO Him who loveth us and washed us from our sins in His own blood +and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father: To Him +be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen" (Rev. i:5-6). This +great outburst of praise may well be called "the Glory Song." It +glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ; it reveals also the Glory of those +He has redeemed and will be heard throughout eternity. There will +never be a moment in the countless ages of eternity when this Glory +song will be hushed or forgotten. We begin to sing it here on earth. +The more we know the Christ of God and His great love for us, the +more we delight to praise and to worship Him. Such worship of the +heart in the power of the Spirit is the atmosphere of heaven upon +earth. And some day we shall see Him whom we worship and adore in +faith. In that glorious moment, when we shall see Him as He is we +shall realize for the first time the length and breadth, the heighth +and depth of His love and know the Glory to which He has brought us. +Then we and all the redeemed will sing this song in a better and +more perfect way than we have ever done here. "Thou art worthy * * * +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 over the earth" +(Rev. v:9, 10). + +This blessed Word of Praise is placed by the Holy Spirit in the +foreground of the book which bears the name, the Revelation, or, +Unveiling of Jesus Christ. In it is found the great unveiling of the +future, the great coming tribulation and judgment period through +which the earth must pass, events which precede the glorious +manifestation of the Lord. But in this last great Bible book there +is also a complete unveiling of the Person, the Glory and the +dignity of Him to whom all judgment is committed. Not alone are in +this book many of the prophecies, given of old by the holy men of +God, rehearsed, but all He is, His Name, His power, His Glory, His +work, and many of his titles are restated. Think of what He is +called and how He is described in this book. We find Him called the +Son of God, the Son of Man, the Almighty, the Lord, the Alpha, the +Omega, the First, the Last, the Beginning of the Creation of God, +the Amen, the faithful Witness, the First begotten from the dead, +the Word of God, the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the +mighty Angel, He that liveth, He that was dead, He that is alive +evermore, the Root and Offspring of David, the bright and Morning +star, the Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of kings, the +Lord of lords. What an array of titles. On earth great ones, kings +and princes, have numerous titles. They concern only earthly +glories; they are but for a moment. But His titles concern the earth +and the heavens. They belong to Him because He is God, while others +are acquired through His great work of redemption. His Glory and His +dignity are indescribable. One who reads the Book of Revelation and +reads it again will be increasingly impressed with the Glory of Him, +whom John beheld in all His Majesty. + +Before the Spirit of God records this Glory song, the utterance of +praise to be used and to be enjoyed by redeemed sinners, He mentions +three titles of our Lord. The faithful Witness; the First begotten +from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. These three +titles take in His earthly life, His redemption work and His future +Glory. On earth He was the faithful witness. He glorified the +Father. He had come into the world to bear witness unto the truth. +He was faithful and nothing marred His witness. He came as the Only +begotten of the Father and the faithful witness, the Son of God went +to the cross to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. The open +and empty tomb is the witness that it was perfectly and righteously +accomplished. Now He is the First begotten from the dead as well as +the First fruits. His death and His resurrection are, therefore, in +view in this second title. His glorious future is beheld in the +third title, the Prince of the kings of the earth. The kingdoms of +the earth belong to Him; He has a perfect right and title to the +earth and its government. Now still the god of this age rules, but +ere long He comes "whose right it is" and claims His inheritance. In +these three wonderful titles we behold all the Son of God as Son of +Man has accomplished in His mighty work. He lived the path of faith +and obedience on earth, as the faithful witness. He has put away sin +and conquered death and the grave as well as him who has the power +of death, that is the devil. In the future He will be King of kings +and Lord of lords. + +And then follows this outburst of Praise. The Holy Spirit, who is +here on earth to glorify Him, breaks forth at once into singing and +directs the heart to worship Him. Beloved readers if the Holy Spirit +is ungrieved in us He will lead our hearts into such praise and +adoration of the Lord; nothing grieves the Holy Spirit more than +when a believer does not appreciate the Lord Jesus Christ and +manifest this appreciation by praise and worship. + +Three things are stated in this blessed doxology: + +_He loved us._ + +_He washed us._ + +_He hath made us._ + +These three things correspond to the three titles which precede this +doxology. Love it was, which brought Him down from the Glory to walk +upon this earth in humiliation, the faithful witness, and that love +knew and saw the cross. Love led Him there to die for such as we +are. What love it was! Who can ever declare it! + +The true translation is not "who loved us," but "who _loveth_ us." +His love is an abiding love. He does nothing but love those who +belong to Him, who have trusted Him and are the Beloved of God. Our +sins, our weaknesses, our infirmities and failures can never affect +or diminish His love. Never, oh child of God, doubt His abiding +love. Yea, whatever our circumstances are, in trials, in the hard +places, in troubles, burdened with cares and full of anxiety, in all +our failures we can look up and say, "He loveth me." It is an ever +present and eternal love. Never, oh child of God, measure that love +by your changing feeling or by your experience. And this love He +manifested by dying for us. He has washed us from our sins in His +own blood. To this His title as "The First begotten from the dead" +refers. "Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, +that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by +whose stripes ye are healed" (1 Pet ii:24). The precious blood of +Christ has washed us from our sins. They can never come up again. Oh +blessed knowledge! Cleansed by His own blood, the precious blood of +the Lamb without spot and blemish! And the blessedness of all that +is connected with this! + + Oh, the peace forever flowing + From God's thoughts of His own Son! + Oh, the peace of simply knowing + On the cross that all was done! + + Peace with God, the blood in heaven + Speaks of pardon now to me: + Peace with God! the Lord is risen! + Righteousness now counts me free. + + Peace with God is Christ in glory; + God is just and God is love; + Jesus died to tell the story, + Foes to bring to God above. + +But more than that "He hath made us kings and priests unto God and +His Father." This belongs also to His mighty love. His future of +Glory as the Prince of the Kings of the earth, the King of kings and +Lord of lords, His fathomless love leads Him to share with those for +whom He died, whom He purged and fitted by His own blood. He hath +made us kings and priests. It is all His work. A more correct +translation is "He hath made us a Kingdom." This, however, does not +mean that He has linked us with a Kingdom in which we are to be +subjects and governed by Him. We are not subjects of a Kingdom, but +_are_ a Kingdom, partakers of it in rule with Himself. We shall rule +and reign with Him over the earth. And because He will be "a priest +upon _His_ throne" (Zech. vi:13) we, too, will be priests. What it +all includes, what glories await us, what enjoyment with Him, what +riches and blessings, power and honor, no mind can grasp and no +tongue nor pen can describe. + +"To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen." All glory and +dominion to Him! Thou art worthy! Thou art worthy! This is the +heart's cry, which really knows Him and is devoted to Him. "Thou art +worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power." Our crowns we +cast before Thy throne. Amen and Amen. + +Reader can you add your "Amen"--your, "be it so" to all this? Do +you sing this Glory song? In a day when He, who is worthy, is but +little praised, do you praise Him thus? Do you live in the daily +enjoyment of His love? Do you give Him the pre-eminence to whom God +has given the pre-eminence in all things? Amen! And oh the happy +thought, which helps us so in these evil days, that soon He, who +loveth us, who washed us, who hath made us a Kingdom and priests, +may call us into His own glorious presence. + + + +The Firstborn. + + +"THE Firstborn" or "The Firstbegotten" is one of the names of our +blessed Lord. It is applied to Him after His resurrection from the +dead. As the Only Begotten He came into this world, the unspeakable +gift of God to a lost and ruined world; after the accomplishment of +His work on the cross He left the earth, He had created, as the +Firstborn. As the Firstbegotten He is now in the highest heaven and +as the Firstbegotten the Man of Glory He will be sent back to this +earth and rule in power and glory. Paul wrote to the Philippians "to +write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous but for +you it is safe" (Phil. iii:1). Peter's preaching in the opening +chapters of the Acts might have been called monotonous, for he knew +but one theme. The Spirit of God filling him gave but one message +and that was, the rejected Jesus of Nazareth risen from the dead. In +the Gospel of the Glory of the blessed God (1 Tim. i:11), as +revealed to the Apostle of the Gentiles we have one theme, one +abiding, ever satisfying, eternal object and that is Christ who died +for our sins, risen from the dead, as Firstborn in Glory and our +blessed union with Him. Paul who knew Him as the Firstborn so well +found it not grievous to write the same thing. Indeed the more He +knew Him the more His heart cried out "that I may know Him" (Phil. +iii:10). There is an attraction in Him which is supernatural. Every +child of God will increasingly enjoy the contemplation of this old +yet ever new and blessed theme, the Firstborn from the dead. Only in +this our hearts can find perfect rest and abiding joy. And if your +heart, dear reader, is not attracted and absorbed by Himself, it is +because there is a broken communion between you and your Lord. Oh, +return unto thy rest, my soul! The drifting masses of Christendom +have no use for such a theme. The words written in 2 Cor. iv:3-4 +find a fearful application in our time. "But if our gospel be hid, +it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this age hath +blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the +glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto +them." + +How little of the Gospel of the Glory is preached! It is not wanted. +All the present day preaching of ethics, of doing good, self +improvement and self culture is anti-christian. The preaching which leaves +out the cross of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the Glory of +Christ, differs not in the least from the ethical-philosophical +jumble of Buddhistic and other oriental heathen teachers. It +is an awful thing which is done in Christendom today, this +rejection of the Lord, the Firstborn. Some day and that soon, +God will judge those who have rejected that Gospel and deal with +them for the sin of all sins which is unbelief (John xvi:9). But our +hearts, beloved in the Lord, must turn more and more to Him and find +their delight in Him, who is the Firstbegotten. And this we shall do +now by meditating on a few Scriptures which tell us of Him. "He is +the _Firstborn_ from the dead" (Col. i:18). "Jesus Christ, who is +the faithful witness, the _Firstbegotten_ of the dead, and the +Prince of the Kings of the earth" (Rev. i:5). What blessed +declarations these are! In the first chapter of Colossians it is +fully revealed who He is, who was dead and who is alive for +evermore. Not a creature but the Creator, the one who images forth +God, because He is God. By Him were all things created, "that are in +heaven, and that are on earth, visible and invisible, thrones or +dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by +Him and for Him." And such a One made peace through the blood of His +cross. Such a One took our place on the cross of shame, tasted death +in our stead and all the billows of wrath and judgment passed over +His holy head. Because He wrought out our redemption it is complete +and perfect. Raised from the dead, not held by death but bursting +forth, leading captivity captive, He is the Firstborn and to Him +belongs all Glory and Power. "But now is Christ risen from the dead, +and become the _Firstfruits_ of them that slept" (1 Cor. xv:20). By +His glorious resurrection He became the Firstfruits. All who believe +in Him will rise too by virtue of being one with Him, who is the +Resurrection and the Life. The mighty power of God which raised Him +from the dead and seated Him in the highest place, at His own right +hand, that exceeding greatness of His power is towards us, who +believe. That power has quickened us with Christ, raised us up +together and seated us in the heavenly. In some future day that +mighty power, which raised Him so that He became the Firstfruits +will raise all the saints to meet Him in the air. + +"And again, when He bringeth in the _Firstbegotten_ into the world, +He saith, and let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. i:6). + +God will bring the Firstbegotten back to this earth again. This is a +very strong passage revealing the second coming of Christ to this +earth. The same blessed Person, who walked on this earth as man, who +is Emanuel, God with us, who died on the cross for our sins, who +became the Firstbegotten from the dead, the Firstfruits of them that +slept, He who is now as Man in Glory, the same Person, the +Firstbegotten, will be brought back to this world by the power of +God. Then worshipping angels will be His attendants and He will +bring His Saints with Him. + +"For whom He foreknew, He also did predestinate, to be conformed to +the image of His Son, that He might be the _Firstborn_ among many +brethren" (Romans viii:29). Conformed to the glorious image of God's +ever blessed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the destiny of all, who +have cast themselves as lost sinners upon Christ and have been saved +by Grace through faith. It is true even now by beholding as in a +glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same image from +glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. iii:18). +It is true if we abide in Him, we shall walk even as He walked (1 +John ii:6). The exhortation in our great salvation Epistle is, not +to be conformed to this age, but to be transformed, or as it might +be translated, transfigured (Rom. xii:2). _But_ to be fully +conformed to the image of His Son is never to be expected in this +world, where sin is ever present; When the Firstbegotten calls us +into His own presence, when the Heir of God summons His beloved +co-heirs to meet Him and to enter with Him into the blood-bought +inheritance, then each saved sinner will be conformed to the image +of Himself. Each will shine forth the excellencies of the +Firstbegotten. _We shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is._ +Hallelujah! This is why God gave up His Son, that He might be able +to lift those who are His enemies by wicked works into the Sonplace +and make them like His Son in Glory. + +"Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare +the degree; the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art my _Son_; this day +have I begotten Thee" (Ps. ii:6-7). In this prophecy He is likewise +seen as the Firstbegotten. It does not mean the eternal Son of God, +for as such He had no beginning, but the day in which He was +begotten is the third day when He was raised from the dead. Paul +gives us this truth when He spoke to the Jews in Antioch and said: +"God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath +raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, +Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee" (Acts xiii:33). Up +to this time He is not yet enthroned upon the holy hill of Zion. +When He returns as the Firstbegotten and finds the nations of the +earth not converted, but in opposition to Him (Ps. ii:1-3), He will +become the King and take His throne. + +"Also I will make Him my _Firstborn_, higher than the Kings of the +earth" (Ps. lxxxix:27). This reveals the exalted station, which He +will assume, when His blessed feet touch this earth again. He will +be the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. + +This is the Glory of the Firstborn, the loving Sinbearer who endured +the cross and despised the shame. He is the Heir of God, the Heir of +all things, the Head of all principality and power, the Head of His +redeemed people, the church. He that filleth all in all, the +Firstborn, will share His glorious title and possessions with His +redeemed. The church to which God's marvelous Grace has brought us +is the church of the _Firstborn_. (Heb. xii:23), because the +Firstborn is the Head and beginning and those who are begotten again +by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead have their portion +with the Firstborn. Oh! glorious future we have as His redeemed +people! God our Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, +by Thy Holy Spirit, keep the Glory of Thy Son, the Firstborn, before +our hearts, that we may be changed into the same image and overcome +in these dark and evil days. Amen. + + Soon shall our eyes behold Thee + With rapture, face to face; + And, resting there in glory, + We'll sing Thy pow'r and grace: + Thy beauty, Lord, and glory, + The wonders of Thy love, + Shall be the endless story + Of all Thy saints above. + + + +The Waiting Christ. + + +WAITING for the coming of the Lord is one of the blessed +characteristics of true Christianity. In the parable of the ten +virgins the three great marks of a true believer are stated by our +Lord. These are: _Separation_, indicated by the virgins having gone +forth. _Manifestation_, they had lamps, which are for the giving of +light, and _Expectation_, they went forth to meet the Bridegroom. +With five of them it was only an outward profession. The foolish +virgins are the type of such who are Christians in name only and do +not know the reality of these characteristics. The Lord knew them +not. These three characteristics are seen in Paul's first epistle to +the Thessalonians. That model assembly was composed of such members +who possessed these three things. They had turned to God from +idols (separation); they served the true and the living God +(manifestation); they waited for His Son from heaven (expectation), +1 Thess. i:9, 10. The same is revealed in the epistle to Titus. "For +the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." +That Grace accepted separates unto God. + +"Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should +live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world." This is +manifestation. The Grace of God enables us to live thus. "Looking +for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God +and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Here we have expectation. Other +similar passages could be quoted. If we divide the New Testament +Scriptures into three parts we have the same order. In the Gospels +the Grace of God in the Son of God appeared. In the Epistles we are +taught how to manifest Him by walking in the Spirit. The great New +Testament prophetic book, the Revelation, looks on towards His +Coming. And how His Coming is forgotten! How few of His people truly +wait for Him! How few pray that important and almost forgotten +prayer, Even so, Come Lord Jesus! But we must also remember that our +Lord is likewise waiting. Innumerable multitudes of disembodied +spirits who are saved by Grace are waiting in His own presence for +the moment when they will receive their resurrection bodies, which +will be when He descends from Heaven and comes into the air. The +faithful remnant of His people on earth wait for His Coming. Israel +and all creation wait for Him as well as the unseen beings in the +Heavenly. _But He Himself is waiting._ This is the testimony of the +Word of God. First it is the subject of prophecy. In the brief but +great 110th Psalm that waiting is predicted. The Christ, who is so +often seen in the Psalms and in the Prophets as King, ruling in His +earthly kingdom, whose glories in that rule are so blessedly +described, is seen in the beginning of that Psalm seated at the +right hand of God; this heavenly place will be occupied by Him till +His enemies are made His footstool. How the Holy Spirit witnessed to +this fact at once after His descent on the day of Pentecost is more +fully revealed in the second chapter of Acts. In Hebrews x:13 we +read of His waiting attitude in heaven. "But _this man_, after He +had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right +hand of God, from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His +footstool." The better word for expecting is "waiting." We may well +emphasize the word "Man." Our blessed Lord is not in the presence of +God as a Spirit Being, but He is there in the form of Man. The +blessed body He had on earth, which He gave on the cross and which +laid in the tomb could not see corruption. He was raised on the +third day. He ascended in that glorified body into heaven and He is +on the right hand of God as Man, in Him dwells the fullness of the +Godhead bodily. Just one Man is there in Glory. But oh! what it +means! He is the Head of His body, the church and in the future all +His redeemed people will possess glorified bodies, like unto His +glorious body. No wonder the enemy ever aims at the denial of the +Lord's bodily presence. From many pulpits it is declared to be "too +material." The denial of this great truth, the _Man_ in glory, is a +denial of the entire Gospel. It is at this the enemy strikes. + +As the glorified Man on the Father's throne He is waiting till His +enemies are made His footstool. This does not mean, as so many +believe and teach, that the Lord Jesus Christ is waiting till His +enemies are gradually overcome, till the church on earth succeeds in +converting the whole world. It does not mean that. His enemies will +be made His footstool in a far different way. It will be a sudden +event. All His enemies will be humbled, all things will be subjected +under His feet at the time of His second Coming. As there was an +appointed time by the Father for His first Coming, so is there an +appointed time for His second Coming, when the power of God and His +own power will triumph over all His enemies. As He is in His +redemptive work subject to the Father, therefore is He waiting for +that hour. Then the Father will bring in the firstbegotten into the +world (Heb. i:6) and He will receive the nations for His inheritance +(Psalm ii). + +He is waiting for this great event. But He is also waiting for His +co-heirs, which constitute the church. The church, His body, must be +first completed as to numbers before the hour can come in which His +enemies are made His footstool. + +He is patiently waiting for that moment. John speaks of that when he +calls himself "a companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and +_patience_ of Jesus Christ" (Rev. i:9). Centuries have come and gone +since He took that place upon the Father's throne, unseen by human +eyes, and during all this time, while the calling out of the church +proceeded, He has waited patiently. Some day His waiting will come +to an end. His church will be completed and then He Himself arises +from His seat and descends to that place in the air, where He will +meet His own, for whom His loving heart yearns so much. What a +moment that will be at last! Then His waiting as well as His +patience will be ended and He will receive His kingdom and be +crowned Lord of lords and King of kings. No longer will He then be +unseen, but His Glory will flash out of heaven and He Himself will +be manifested in Glory. Then the world can reject Him no longer but +must accept His righteous rule in which His redeemed people will +share. What child of God does not wish this to be soon, very soon. +Oh that we might cry more earnestly, more in the Spirit, yes, +incessantly, "Come Lord Jesus." + +But while He waits and the hour has not yet come we must wait as He +waits on the throne. To the Thessalonians who had listened to +teachers who judaized the blessed hope, fearing they were facing the +day of the Lord with its tribulation and wrath, the Apostle wrote: +"And the Lord direct your hearts in the love of God, and into the +patient waiting for Christ" (2 Thess. iii:5). But we must not only +wait patiently _for_ Him but also wait _with_ Him. He is the +rejected One. The world cast Him out. As the rejected One He waits +in patience for the hour of His triumph and His Glory. This place of +rejection is our greatest privilege to share. And where is He more +rejected than in that which calls itself by His Name! To bear His +reproach in these closing days of this present age is our blessed +opportunity. To suffer with Him, if not for Him, should be that for +which our hearts should long, yea, pray. And we will be glad to be +rejected with Him, to be nothing at this present time, to have +fellowship with His sufferings, if He as the patient waiting Lord is +ever before our hearts. + +At the close of the one hundred and tenth psalm stands a word, which +we should also remember. + + "He shall drink of the brook in the way, + Therefore shall He lift up the head." + +It has puzzled many readers what this saying might mean. It speaks +to our hearts of His humiliation and exaltation. One thinks at once +of the three hundred of Gideon and how they stooped down to drink. +The brook is the type of death. He drank of the brook in the way. +His way was from Glory to Glory, and between were His sufferings. +And, therefore, He shall lift up the head. Wherefore, God has highly +exalted Him. May we all, dear readers, follow in His path and suffer +with Him; ere long in His triumph and glory we shall triumph and +glory. + +"And if children then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with +Christ; if so be we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified +together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are +not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in +us" (Rom. viii:17-18). + + + +A Vision of the King. + + +ONE of the most blessed occupations for the believer is the +prayerful searching of God's holy Word to discover there new glories +and fresh beauties of Him, who is altogether lovely. Shall we ever +find out all which the written Word reveals of Himself and His +worthiness? This wonderful theme can never be exhausted. The heart +which is devoted to Him and longs through the presence and +indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be closer to the Lord, to hear and +know more of Himself, will always find something new and precious. +The Holy Spirit can do this and reveals to our hearts from the +inexhaustible Word of God the Glory of Him, whom to exalt the Spirit +has come. Much depends on how we desire just Himself. And Christ +alone and the heart knowledge of Himself can satisfy the believer, +who has His life and is one Spirit with the Lord + + "O Christ Thou art enough + The heart to satisfy." + +Soon we shall see Him, whom we contemplate now in faith. Soon we +shall be in His own glorious presence and look upon that face, which +was once marred and smitten, but which now shines out Heaven's and +the Father's Glory. + +The kingly Glory of our blessed Lord is one of the great themes of +the Bible. The Man of humiliation, who here on earth walked in +dependence on God, who did His will, suffered and died is now in the +Father's presence and on the right hand of the Majesty on high. +There He sat down with His Father in His throne, waiting for the +moment when His work as the Priest and Advocate of His beloved +people on earth is accomplished, and when the Father will establish +Him as King, when He will receive the kingdom. Alas! that all this +glory, which belongs to Him and which is still future, His Kingship, +His kingly glory and rule, as it must be some day, is so unknown and +even disowned in Christendom. It is but the uncovering of the +condition of the heart of the great majority of professing +Christians. They may talk of religion, of great reform movements, of +service to mankind, world progress, but the Christ of God in all His +Glory, past, present and future, has little attraction. Far +different it is with the heart which knows Him and has given Him the +place He is worthy of, the first place. That heart delights to +meditate on all His Glory and longs for the time when He will +appear, and when at last, crowned with many crowns, He will assume +His righteous rule. Great is our joy and delight when we follow +through the Scriptures His earthly life so full of His moral Glory. +Or when we think of Him as He died for us and bore in His own body +on the tree our sins; we praise Him for His mighty Love. But what +joy to think of Him as coming at last into that which belongs to Him +the Lord of Glory, by right of redemption, when He will take +possession of this earth and claim its Satan ruled kingdoms for His +own. Then it will be true, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness +thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Then the Seraph's +song will be realized, "The whole earth is full of His Glory." + +How much the Word has to say about the King and His Glory; and we +have never yet taken hold of it with our dull hearts! Take the Book +of Psalms, for instance, that book which has been so belittled by +the destructive criticism. While we read so much in those precious +productions of the Holy Spirit of Christ's sufferings, His +humiliation, His prayers, His death, we may find there much more +about Him as King and His coming manifestation. + +The tumult of the nations, as predicted in the _Second_ Psalm, and +about to be realized in our own times, the tumult of the nations +against the Lord and His Anointed, will be silenced by the coming of +the King. "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion;" this is +what God declares. The God-man Christ Jesus, the Man, who is with +Him now is, His King. His destiny is the government of the nations, +with a rod of iron. + +The entire _Twenty-first_ Psalm tells out the Glory of the King. +Christian expositors have rarely discovered this. But Jewish +exponents always knew it. Saith a leading Jewish authority of the +middle ages: "Our old teachers have always applied this Psalm as +meaning the King Messiah." Read its stanzas: + + "The King shall joy in Thy strength, Jehovah; + And in Thy salvation, how greatly shall He rejoice. + Thou hast given Him His heart's desire, + And hast not withholden the requests of His lips. + For Thou hast met Him with the blessings of goodness; + Thou hast set a crown of pure gold on His head. + He asked Life of Thee; + Thou gavest Him length of days forever and ever. + His Glory is great through Thy salvation; + Majesty and splendor hast Thou laid upon Him. + For Thou hast made Him to be blessings forever; + Thou hast filled Him with joy by Thy countenance. + For the King confideth in Jehovah. + Through the loving kindness of the Highest + He shall not be moved." + +Then comes His future action, when He whom faith sees now crowned +with Majesty and Splendor, who rejoices in the Presence of God, +appears to execute the judgments of God. + + "Thy hand shall find out all thine enemies; + Thy right hand shall find out those that hate Thee. + Thou shalt make them as a fiery furnace + In the time of Thy presence. + Jehovah shall swallow them up in his anger, + And the fire shall devour them. + Their fruit shall Thou destroy from the earth, + And their seed from among the children of men. + For they intended evil against Thee, + They imagined a mischievous device, + Which they could not execute. + For Thou wilt make them turn their back, + Thou wilt make ready Thy bowstring against their faces. + Be Thou exalted Jehovah in Thine own strength; + We will sing and celebrate Thy power." + +And in the _Twenty-fourth_ Psalm we have prophetically that +triumphant shout, which will be heard when the King comes +back to enter His City, Jerusalem, again. + + "Lift up your heads, ye gates + And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; + And the King of Glory shall come in. + Who is this King of Glory? + Jehovah strong and mighty, + Jehovah mighty in battle." + +The _Forty-fifth_ Psalm is a song of the Beloved, touching the King. +He is described as coming in His Majesty and Splendor, how He deals +with His enemies and that He will be surrounded by His own redeemed +ones. + +The Glory and dominion of His Kingdom He will receive is described +in the _Seventy-second_ Psalm. "He shall have dominion from sea to +sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." And other +Psalms enlarge upon these glorious visions, which will all be true +when the King comes. Then Jerusalem will be a praise in the earth. +"Also I will make Him, my Firstborn, higher than the kings of the +earth" (Ps. lxxxix:27). + +And how rich are the prophets in telling us of the Glory of the King +and the glories of His kingdom. "Behold a King shall rule in +righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment" (Isaiah xxxii:1). +"Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty; they shall behold the +land that is afar off" (Isaiah xxxiii:17). "A King shall reign and +prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth" +(Jerem. xxiii:5). "And there was given Him dominion and glory, and a +kingdom, that all people, nations and languages, should serve Him; +His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, +and His Kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. vii:14). +"The King of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of thee (the earthly +Jerusalem); thou shalt not see evil any more" (Zeph. iii:15). "And +the Lord shall be King over all the earth" (Zech. xiv:6). + +These and many, many more utterances of God's blessed prophets give +us a vision of the King, of the Glory of Him, who was crowned with a +crown of thorns, the thorns of man's curse, and over whose cross it +was written, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." + +And the New Testament fully brings out the same Glory of Him as +King. He is "King of Peace" (Heb. vii:2); "King of saints" (Rev. +xv:3); "The Lord of lords and King of kings" (Rev. xvii:14). + +At last the unfulfilled message of Gabriel will be gloriously +fulfilled. "The Lord God shall give unto Him the Throne of His +father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; +and of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke i:32). + +But nowhere is He called "King of the church," nor are we authorized +as believers to address Him "Our King." He will be King, but then He +will not be our King, but we shall _be Kings with Him_. He is not +King of the church, but the Head of the Body, the church; Head and +Body together, Christ and His church, will rule and reign over the +earth. Glory to His Name! In loving tenderness He looks upon us, who +possess His life, He is not ashamed to call us "brethren," for He is +Man, the second Man, and He beholds in us those, who will ere long +share His Kingly Glory, His Kingly rule. + +Oh, Beloved readers! does it not warm our hearts! Does it not make +us feel like falling down on our faces and confess to Him our +indifference and our nothingness, and humble ourselves in the dust. +How little, oh how little we enter into all this. The Lord help us +to have through His Word and in the power of His Spirit a greater +vision of the King and our blessed, eternal lot with Him. + + They crown Him King on high; + Shall we not crown Him here, + The blessed Christ of Calvary, + To ransomed sinners dear? + + They worship Him above, + Shall we not worship too, + The Son of God, the Lord of love, + To whom all praise is due? + + Up there they see His Face, + The Lamb who once was slain, + And in a new song praise His Grace; + Shall we not join the strain? + + Yonder His servants still + Serve as their Lord commands; + Oh may we also do His will + With loving hearts and hands.--M. F. + + + +The Fellowship of His Son. + + +"GOD is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellowship of His +Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. i:9). A blessed word this is. By +nature the Corinthians were in another fellowship. The same Epistle +(vi:9-11) tells us what some of them were. Like ourselves by nature +they were in the fellowship of sin and death and in fellowship with +him, who is the author of sin and the enemy of God, Satan. But a +faithful God called them and has called us by the Gospel into the +fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. If we have obeyed the +Gospel and accepted the gift of God we are brought through the Grace +of God into the fellowship of the Son of God. All believers are in +the same fellowship, one with the Lord. + +But that is a truth and a blessed revelation far deeper than our +mind can fathom or our pen could describe. No saint has ever sounded +the depths of this wonderful call of God nor can God's saints fully +know what that fellowship all means, until the blessed day comes +when we shall see Him as He is and when joined to Him we shall be +like Him. + +And yet we can remind ourselves of the little we know and through it +encourage our hearts. Faith loves to dwell upon the blessed Person, +whom faith alone through the Spirit's power can make a living +reality. And God, the faithful God, loves to hear His children speak +much of Him, whom He loves, the Son of His Love, the Lord Jesus +Christ. + +Fellowship means to have things in common. And that is what God has +done. He has taken us through His Grace out of the fellowship in +which we are by nature, the things we have in common as enemies and +children of wrath and has called us into the fellowship of His Son. +And now called of God into this fellowship we have things in common +with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. This brings before us once more +the old story, which never grows old, but is eternally new and +becomes more blessed the more we hear it. The Son of God, He who is +the true God and the eternal Life, came to this earth and appeared +in the form of Man. "The Life was manifested; and we have seen, and +bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with +the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John i:2). And He who is +the true God and the eternal life, by whom the worlds were made, +gave Himself for our sins. He came to give His life as a ransom for +many, to make propitiation for the whole world. He who knew no sin +was made sin for us and on the Cross peace was made. There in His +own body on the tree He bore our sins. All who believe on Him, who +have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, are taken out of that in which +they are by nature and are brought into Christ. And here we can with +praising hearts and full assurance sing of our blessed position in +Him. + + Lord Jesus, are we one with Thee? + Oh height, oh depth, of love! + And crucified and dead with Thee, + Now one in heaven above. + + Such was Thy grace, that for our sake + Thou didst from heaven come down; + With us of flesh and blood partake, + And make our guilt Thine own. + + Our sins, our guilt, in love divine, + Confessed and borne by Thee; + The gall, the curse, the wrath, were Thine, + To set Thy ransomed free. + + Ascended now, in glory bright, + Life-giving Head Thou art; + Nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor height + Thy saints and Thee can part. + +But the fellowship of His Son into which the Grace of God has +brought us means more than this blessed new relation and the +positional truth that as believers we have been crucified with +Christ and that we are risen with Him. The life we possess as born +again is His own life. We possess the life of Him, who died in our +stead. Christ is our life. This means fellowship of His Son, we are +one with Him. We also possess His Spirit. The Spirit of Christ +dwelleth in us and we are "one Spirit with the Lord." + +This oneness with Christ, the fellowship of His Son, that we belong +to Him and He to us, that we have an inheritance in Him and He has +an inheritance in us, is a great truth. Like every other revealed +truth it must be a reality in our lives. We are called by God to +walk in this fellowship. We know we are in Him, and through Grace we +abide in Him. But it is also written, "He that saith he abideth in +Him ought himself also so to walk even as He walked." His own life +must be manifest. In this fellowship of His Son we have the strength +to walk as He walked, because we have His life and His Spirit. There +is no need to walk after the flesh, but we can always walk in the +Spirit and walking thus we walk as He walked. And this spiritual +walk becomes possible as our hearts dwell in faith on the fact that +we are called into the fellowship of His Son. We must have this +wonderful fact constantly before our hearts as a real thing. Then +all we do will be governed by it. + +If this is real how can we be conformed to this world? The world in +all its aspects is the enemy of God. In that fellowship we walked +once "according to the course of this world." Should we then turn +back to it and enjoy its pleasures and ambitions? If we do, we walk +in the flesh and then we do not know the joy and peace of the +fellowship of His Son, but are joyless and miserable. But if the +fact of the fellowship of God's Son is a reality in power, it will +keep us from being conformed to this world. + +We believe the Spirit of God presses this home to the consciences of +His people and calls us to a separated walk. + +And this must lead to another phase of the fellowship of His Son +Jesus Christ. It is written "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" (2 Cor. iv:10). This stands in connection with +persecution and suffering. Walking in the fellowship of His Son +Jesus Christ the Apostle had one great desire, "That I may know Him, +and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His +sufferings, being made conformable to His death" (Phil. iii:10). To +the Colossians he wrote "who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, +and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my +flesh for His body's sake, which is the church" (Col. i:24). He +suffered and bore His reproach. His heart in the enjoyment of the +fellowship desired the fellowship of His sufferings. We know little +of these because we are conformed to this world and not loyal to our +Lord and God's calling. But if we walk in conscious fellowship with +Him and are loyal to Him we too will know a little of the fellowship +of His sufferings. Then our hearts long that we may "bear His +reproach." The blessed One of God is rejected, can our hearts be +satisfied with anything less than being rejected too? Perhaps if we +were to lift up our voices now against the Christ dishonoring +things, both in doctrine and practice, which are the leading +features of the present-day religious world, we would know a little +more of this fellowship. + +Called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord means +also to share His work. We are called to serve. He was here as One +that serveth, and we are "to serve one another in love." "Whosoever +will be great among you let him be your minister; and whosoever will +be chief among you, let him be your servant" (Matt. xx:26-27). We +can be servants with Him. He is intercessor and burden-bearer and we +have a share in this likewise. + +And there is the fellowship of His Son in its eternal aspect. God's +calling is to be like His Son. "For whom He did foreknow, He also +predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might +be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans viii:29). We shall be +with Him forever and like Him. + + And is it so--I shall be like Thy Son? + Is this the grace which He for me has won? + Father of glory, (thought beyond all thought!)-- + In glory, to His own blest likeness brought! + + Oh, Jesus, Lord, who loved me like to Thee? + Fruit of Thy work, with Thee, too, there to see + Thy glory, Lord, while endless ages roll, + Myself the prize and travail of Thy soul. + + Yet it must be: Thy love had not its rest + Were Thy redeemed not with Thee fully blest. + That love that gives not as the world, but shares + All it possesses with its loved co-heirs. + +May the Holy Spirit hold these great truths before our hearts and in +His power may we be consciously and constantly enjoying the +fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, till we are called by +Himself to be with Him. + + + +Out of His Fulness. + + +John i:16. + + +"AND of His fulness have all we received, and grace upon grace" +(John i:16). This precious word was not spoken by John the Baptist. +It must be looked upon as an outburst of praise, similar to the one +which stands in the beginning of Revelation (Rev. i:5-6). It is the +adoring utterance of all believers acknowledging the reception of +that unfathomable and never failing grace, which flows from the +eternal fountain, the Son of God. Out of the fulness of Himself +believing sinners receive grace upon grace. His own fulness is the +source, which supplies all the need of those, who by Him believe on +God, that raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory (1 Pet. i:2). +That exhaustless fulness is always ready to sustain, to help, to +comfort, to strengthen and to fill those, who are in Christ, one +with Him. + +But what is this fulness of which we receive and receive so +abundantly? The blessed Son of God possessed in all eternity +fulness. The Holy Spirit in this chapter bears a testimony to this +fact by a great revelation. "In the beginning was the Word, and the +Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the +beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was +not anything made 'that was made.' In Him was life; and the life was +the light of men" (John i:1-4). What a wonderful revelation this is! +The Word which was in the beginning, which ever _was_ God, by whom +all was made, without whom nothing came into existence, is the Son +of God. The fulness of the Godhead was His before the world was +made, for He is God. Then we read in this chapter, "and the Word was +made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as +of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." He +came to this earth, He took on the form of man, the eternal Word was +made flesh, God manifested in the flesh. And as He walked on the +earth the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell in Him (Col. +i:19). But before we could ever receive out of His fulness grace +upon grace, the Son of God had to die. If He had not died and +accomplished the great work for which He came into the world, His +fulness would have been forever inaccessible to sinners. But He went +to the cross and finished there the great work. Christ died for us; +He who knew no sin was made sin for us. And now it is written of +Him, the glorified One, the Man in Glory. "For in Him dwelleth all +the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which +is the head of all principality and power" (Col. ii:9-10). He, who +possessed eternally all fulness, who came to this earth and in whom +the fulness of the Godhead dwelt, who died on the cross the just for +the unjust, who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the +tree, is now as Man in glory and there dwelleth in Him bodily the +fulness of the Godhead. It is all for us; we can now receive grace +upon grace, because of Him who is the Second Man, the Head of the +new creation and with whom God has made us, who believe, one. This +is the deep and yet simple Gospel. God gave His blessed Son, who was +forever one with Him, that through Him we might receive of the +fulness of the Godhead, grace upon grace. Brought to God in such a +way, washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, +and by the Spirit of our God, we are receiving all we need. We +receive it not on our merit, because we labor or agonize for it, but +we _receive of His fulness_. But who can begin to tell out what that +is, grace upon grace? Pages upon pages might be written and filled +with the good things, the spiritual blessings, the joy, the peace, +the comfort, the power and the wisdom and many other things, which +are included in "grace upon grace." And after we mentioned all these +precious things, we would have to put the pen down and confess our +insufficiency to tell out the riches, the fulness and vastness of +"grace upon grace." + +This expression brings a great cataract like Niagara to our mind. +Here we stand and behold the mighty waters rushing down. Oh! the +mighty rushing waters, who can measure them! What a vast, +inexhaustible supply! Water upon water dashing down. For ages this +has gone on. Hundreds of years, more than that, thousands of years +have witnessed the same mighty waters. Every day, every hour, every +minute, every second, every fraction of a second--incessantly +mighty rushing waters upon waters! + +In the same way there is pouring forth out of His fulness, the +fulness of the Lord in Glory--grace upon grace. There is an +unlimited, inexhaustible supply of the water of life from Him who is +the life. For ages the saints of God, saved by grace, have received +grace upon grace. A never ceasing stream of grace has been flowing +forth and it has not impoverished the marvellous eternal supply. +Still it flows undiminished--still there is grace upon grace. Yea +it is grace upon grace by which God's people live. Every hour, every +minute, every second, every moment it is His grace, grace upon grace +which keeps us, surrounds us, flows upon us and overshadows us. And +the more we take and enjoy the more we learn to sing. + + More and more, more and more, + _Always_ more to follow! + Oh, His matchless, boundless _Grace_, + Still there's more to follow! + +Will it ever stop? No, never! We shall keep on singing in all +eternity "still there's more to follow!--still there's more to +follow." Hallelujah! "That in the ages to come He might show the +_exceeding_ riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through +Christ Jesus" (Eph. ii:7). _Always more to follow!_ Still there's +MORE to follow. All Praise to Him who died to have it so for us poor +lost sinners, whose lot should have been, as it is the lot of all +who reject this marvellous grace--always more to follow--in +eternal darkness and despair. + +And how simple it is to receive "of His fulness grace upon grace." +Look at this never ceasing spring of pure water, it never fails. You +approach it a weary, thirsty, dustladen traveler. You need to be +refreshed. You need the cooling drink. You need washing. What then +is necessary? Oh! to fill your cup. Just to take for it is for you. +And so this wonderful grace which flows out of His fulness. It is +for you, just come and take. Fill your cup, fill it again! Drink oh +drink! "Of His fulness have all we received, grace upon grace." + + + +The Twenty-second Psalm. + + +The Cross of Christ. + + +THE Twenty-second Psalm contains a most remarkable prophecy. The +human instrument through whom this prophecy was given is King David. +The Psalm does not contain the experience of the King, though he +passed through great sufferings, yet the sufferings he speaks of in +this Psalm are not his own. They are the sufferings of Christ. It is +written in the New Testament that the prophets searched and enquired +diligently about the coming salvation. The Spirit of Christ, which +was in them testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter +i:10-11). David was a prophet, and in this great prophecy the Spirit +of Christ testified of the sufferings of Him, who is both David's +Lord and David's son. + +The book of Psalms, so rich and full of Himself, so inexhaustible in +description of our ever blessed Lord, is divided into five books, +which correspond to the five books with which the Bible begins, the +Pentateuch. The first book (Psalm i-xli) contains some of the great +prophecies about the Christ of God; these prophecies are in the +so-called messianic Psalms. Perfect and divine is the order in which +they are revealed. _Son of God_--The Second Psalm. _Son of Man_ +--The Eighth Psalm. _Obedient One_--The Sixteenth Psalm. _Obedient +unto Death_, the Death of the Cross--The Twenty-second Psalm. +_Highly exalted by God_--Revealed in each of these Psalms. This is +the order in which the Holy Spirit describes the path of the Lord in +Phil. ii:6-11. How perfect the Word of God is! + +The Twenty-second Psalm, the center of the first part of the book of +Psalms, the Genesis portion, corresponds to the twenty-second +chapter in the book of Genesis. There we see Isaac bound upon the +altar having been led there and put upon the altar by his Father +while he opened not his mouth. Here we behold the true Isaac on the +cross. Everything in this Psalm speaks of our blessed Lord; in the +first part of His sufferings, in the second part of His Glory and +exaltation. + +And we must not overlook the two Hebrew words the Holy Spirit has +put over this Psalm: _Aijeleth Shahar_. The margin tells us they +mean "the hind of the morning." This has a beautiful, though hidden +meaning. Some have thought of the innocent suffering of a wounded +hind and the dawn of the morning brings relief. They have applied +this to the death and resurrection (in the morning dawn) of the +Lord. But the meaning is better still. The oldest Jewish traditions +give us the key. They take the expression "Aijeleth Shahar" to mean +the Shechina, the glory cloud, which was visible among His people +and they speak of "the hind of the morning" as being the dawning of +redemption. The dawning of the morning is compared by them with the +horns of the hind, on account of the rays of light appearing like +horns. According to their tradition the lamb was offered as the +sacrifice in the morning as soon as the watcher on the pinnacle of +the temple cried out "Behold the first rays of morning shine forth." + +But what pen can describe the predictions and the fulfilment of His +sufferings, the sufferings of the Holy One! Here we behold what it +cost Him to redeem us. Here we have the full description of what His +atoning work meant. Here we see the full meaning of the sin-offering. + +Well may we bow our heads and hearts here and worship as we gaze +upon this picture. The opening word of the Psalm expresses the +consummation of all the sufferings of Christ, that word which came +from the darkness, which surrounded the cross and in which we are +face to face with the unsearchable depths of His atoning work. "My +God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me." He who was ever with the +Father, one with Him in all eternity, who could say on earth "I am +not alone" was left alone. He was forsaken of God. But more than +that. Jehovah bruised Him; He put Him to grief. The spotless One +bore the wrath of God alone. It was then that He who knew no sin was +made sin for us. How significant it is then that the Holy Spirit +puts that word of the Lord Jesus Christ before the predictions of +His physical sufferings. They tell us what our redemption cost Him +--the awful price, forsaken of God. The Psalm also emphasizes what +man under the terrible instigation of Satan did unto Him. We glance +at some of these sufferings as expressed by His own Spirit. + +"But I am a worm, and not man; a reproach of men, and despised of +the people" (verse 6). This is His own complaint. No longer a man +but writhing on the ground like a worm, the substitute of sinners, +thus the Holy One felt when He was numbered among the transgressors. +The Hebrew word "worm", means the small insect, the coccus, from +which the scarlet color is obtained by death of this worm, that +color which was used in connection with the tabernacle. Thus He died +as our substitute that our sins though they are as scarlet might be +white as snow. Men reproached Him; His own people despised and +rejected Him. Then we read how He was mocked and scoffed at. They +"laugh me to scorn," they "shoot out the lip," they "shake the +head." The very language of the leaders of the people as they +surrounded the cross is given by the Spirit of God. "He trusted on +the Lord that He would deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him" +(verse 7). What depths of the depravity of the human heart they +reveal! And in all this, while He suffered thus from man His sole +trust was in God (verses 9-10). His whole life was to trust in the +Lord to lean upon Him, till that moment came when God could no +longer know Him as His own, when the sword, the sword of judgment +awoke against the Man, the fellow, the companion of the Lord of +hosts (Zech. xiii:7). What that sword did to Him is expressed by the +cry of the forsaken One. + +And what else do we find here? We can follow the whole story of the +cross in the first part of this Psalm. His enemies are described, +the bulls and the ravening and roaring lion.--"I am poured out like +water."--"All my bones are out of joint."--"My heart is like wax; +it is melted in the midst of my bowels." Like fire melteth wax so +His heart melted in the fire of wrath against sin. The strength of +the mighty One, who fainteth not and knows no weariness, failed. His +tongue cleaves to His jaws. "Dogs" and "the assembly of the wicked" +--Gentiles and Jews were there. "They pierced my hands and feet;" +crucifixion, unknown among the Jews when David lived, is here +predicted by the Holy Spirit. "I may tell all my bones" as well as +the words "all my bones are out of joint" refer to His suffering on +the cross. Then after they hung the Prince of Glory at that cross we +read "they look and stare upon Me" (verse 17). "They parted my +garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." What man did to +Him, what He suffered from man and from Satan's power is here +described. Yet it was God who bruised Him. Concerning man the +sufferer spoke what "they" did unto Him; but He also addresses God +"THOU hast brought me into the dust of death." + +And thus He suffered and died for us. Our sins were laid upon Him +and He bore them in His own body on the tree. At what an infinite +cost we have been redeemed! What a price has been paid! The Father +did not spare His only begotten Son, but delivered Him up for us +all. The Son of God, was made sin for us, smitten, stricken and +forsaken of God. + + Jehovah bade His sword awake-- + O Christ, it woke 'gainst thee! + Thy blood the flaming blade must slake; + Thy heart its sheath must be-- + All for my sake, my peace to make; + Now sleeps that sword for me. + + The Holy God did hide His face-- + O Christ, 'twas hid from thee! + Dumb darkness wrapt thy soul a space-- + The darkness due to me. + But now that face of radiant grace + Shines forth in light on me. + +Wonderful Love! But how unable we are to realize adequately these +blessed facts! How little after all we think of these marvellous +things and how weak is our devotion to that blessed, loving Lord, +who loved us thus! + +And what do we behold about us? An ever increasing darkness; a +turning away from the blessed Gospel of the Son of God as it centers +in the Cross; a greater rejection and neglection of the great +salvation which God has so graciously provided in the great +sacrifice. It is fearful to see the enemies of the cross increasing +and rushing on to their coming doom. What is to be our attitude? It +is for us to glory more and more in the cross of Christ. We must +exalt and magnify the Person and Work of our blessed Lord as never +before. The more He is rejected by the world, His blessed work on +the cross disowned in such latter day delusions as the new theology, +Christian Science and the numerous other systems, the more we must +give Him the pre-eminence. + +But it means also for us if we are faithful to Him the fellowship of +His sufferings. God has called us into the fellowship of His Son +Jesus Christ our Lord. This includes the fellowship of His +sufferings. Never, of course, suffering from God as He did. But as +He is rejected and despised so are we called to share His rejection +and take upon us His reproach. He suffered without the gate and the +Word exhorts us "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the +camp, bearing His reproach." In these last days we must like Moses +"esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of +Egypt (the world)." And if we are faithful to Him, if we walk in +_separation from the world_, including the great "religious world" +with its Christ and the Cross rejecting schemes and tendencies, we +shall know something of the reproach of Christ and the fellowship of +His sufferings. Oh! that we might know more of that in these easy +going days. Such a precious Word of God as contained in 1 Peter +iv:13-14 ought to make us long for bearing His reproach and for +sufferings with Him. "But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of +Christ's sufferings that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be +glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of +Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth +upon you; on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is +glorified." + +Be true to Christ and to the cross of Christ. Live out the doctrine +of the cross "crucified with Christ"--dead to the things here +below, then you will have some suffering from the side of men and +Satan as well. + +And what will be the awful judgment for the multitudes, the ever +increasing multitudes who reject the Cross of Christ, who are either +opposing it by their ethical gospel, to whom the preaching of the +cross is foolishness, or who are indifferent? The Holy Spirit has +told us that where the Gospel, the Cross of Christ is rejected or +perverted the Anathema, the curse of God must follow (Gal. i:9; 1 +Corinth. xvi:22). Well has one said "Distance from God was the +climax of the Lamb's dying sorrow." It is a fearful solemn thought +that the world while with heedless selfconfidence it still pursues +its way, is no nearer now to God than Jesus was when, under the +burden of the world's iniquity, He cried, "My God, my God, why hast +Thou forsaken me?" How solemn this is! May we learn to say more +fully with Paul, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the +cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto +me, and I unto the world." + + +The Glory of Christ. + + +The first twenty-one verses of this Psalm describe the sufferings of +Christ. This part closes with an appeal to Jehovah for deliverance. +"But be thou not far from me, O Lord; O my strength, haste thee to +help me. * * * Save me from the lion's mouth." Then comes the joyful +statement that He has been heard. The answer He received to His cry +is resurrection. We find therefore that the second part of this +great Psalm, which reveals so fully the Cross of Christ, is taken up +with the Glory of the forsaken One. God raised Him from the dead, +and so we hear at once in this Psalm the notes of triumph coming +from the lips of Him who is dead and now liveth. His triumph and His +Glory are revealed. All for whom He died, the Church, Israel, the +ends of the earth, the nations are mentioned. He is seen in the +midst of the church as well as in the midst of the future great +congregation. All the ends of the earth are yet to remember and turn +unto the Lord. The nations will come to worship before Him; His will +be the Kingdom, He will rule among the nations. But we must look at +some of these precious predictions a little closer. We need to +consider them as much as the Sufferings, the Cross of Christ. + +The day of His Resurrection is first mentioned. + +"I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren + +"In the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee." + +It is a joyous word which stands at the head of the glory section of +this Psalm. Raised from the dead He met His own with an "All hail" +--rejoice. In the Gospel of John we see Him meeting her who sought +the living One among the dead and telling her "Go and tell my +brethren." How literally this prediction has been fulfilled. And +what He tells her of "my Father and your Father, my God and your +God" declares that intimate relationship which is the result of His +death on the cross. Brought through Him to God, we are Sons of God +and Heirs of God. "He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified +are all of one, therefore He is not ashamed to call them brethren" +(Heb. ii:11). Precious truth! He owns us as brethren. He is the +Firstborn among many brethren. The congregation mentioned here is +the church. In the midst of the church His praise is heard (Heb. +ii:12). It is true the church is not revealed in the Old Testament +but it is anticipated. And as we, saved by Grace, in possession of +His life, approach God in His worthy Name His own voice is heard; He +is the leader of our prayers and our praises. That new and intimate +relationship brought about by His atoning death at the cross is +mentioned first. He gave Himself for the church (Eph. v:25). In the +next place we hear Israel praising Him. "All ye the seed of Jacob +glorify Him; and reverence Him all ye the seed of Israel." They who +rejected Him, His people who despised Him and had such a part in the +suffering of Christ, now own Him. They acknowledge Him, whom they +thought afflicted of God, as having been heard of God. + +That time will come when He returns in power and glory, when Israel +will see the Man in Glory, the First begotten coming in the clouds +of Heaven. Then they will realize the full truth of Isaiah liii. The +blessed Lord will then have the travail of His soul and be +satisfied. But there is more glory still for Him. + +A _great_ congregation is mentioned; there too His praises will be +heard. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn unto the +Lord. Nations will worship before Him. + + "For the Kingdom is Jehovah's + And He ruleth among the nations" (verse 28). + +The great congregation are the nations of the millennial age. Then +the ends of the earth will remember Him while He ruleth among the +nations. What Glory awaits Him! Now we behold Him, who was made a +little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned +with glory and honor. It is a spiritual vision; we see Him there by +faith. But a little while longer and He will appear in the Glory of +His Father bringing His co-heirs with Him, the Son bringing many +sons to glory, the sons He is not ashamed to call brethren, for whom +He was forsaken on the cross. What a procession of triumph and glory +that will be when the Heavens open and He is coming forth, bringing +His church with Him! What will be His Glory when Israel at last owns +Him and nations submit under His rule, when His visible Glory will +cover the earth as the waters cover the sea! All hail! Oh blessed, +blessed Lord! + +And we do need to consider all these precious predictions, so +numerous in the Scriptures, the prophecies of His Glory. The God of +this age Satan is unfolding the glories of this present age which is +almost at the end, with a skilful master hand. He knows how to blind +the eyes not only of those who believe not, but of many who are +Christians. He makes everything so attractive and many of God's +people have fallen into his snares. We need to look through the Word +of God upon the brightness of His Glory, the glorious things to +come, so that our eyes may be blinded to the miserable playthings of +the dust, which the fire of God's vengeance will ere long consume. +We need these glorious visions of the great realities so that we can +go forward with joyfulness to suffer, be rejected of men and bear +the bright and blessed testimony, the Father expects from His +beloved children. Take up the watchword of the last days! _True to +Christ--all in Christ--all for Christ--Onward to Glory._ Soon He +will call us into His glorious presence. + +"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not +worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" +(Rom. viii:18). + +"For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh a far +more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. v:17). + + Oh what will be the day when won at last + The last long weary battle, we shall come + To those eternal gates the King hath passed, + Returning from our exile to our Home; + When earth's last dust is washed from off our feet; + The last sweat from our brows is wiped away; + The hopes that made our pilgrim journey sweet + All met around us, realized that day! + + Oh what will be the day, when we shall stand + Irradiate with God's eternal light; + First tread as sinless saints the sinless land, + No shade nor stain upon our garments white; + No fear, no shame upon our faces then, + No mark of sin--oh joy beyond all thought! + A son of God, a free-born citizen + Of that bright city where the curse is not! + + + +The Exalted One. + + +Hebrews i. + + +SOME thirty-five years ago, when the so-called "Higher Criticism" +had begun its destructive work, a believer living in England, +predicted that within thirty years the storm would gather over one +sacred head. How this has come true! Satan's work of undermining the +authority of the Bible, a pernicious work still going on, is but the +preliminary to an attack of the Person of Christ. To-day as never +before the glorious Person of our Lord is being belittled in the +camp of Christendom. This is done not only in the out and out +denials of His Deity but also in more subtle ways. It is for us who +"deny not His Name" (Revel. iii:8), whose desire is to exalt Him, +ever to remind ourselves of the Blessed One and His Glory. At this +time we desire to look briefly at the teachings of the first chapter +in Hebrews. + +This chapter is divided into two parts. In the first part we find +another great description of our adorable Lord, and in the second a +description of His exaltation. The beginning of the chapter gives us +that solid assurance that God has spoken and that the Old Testament +is His Word. "God having spoken in many parts and in many ways +formerly to the fathers in the prophets, at the end of these days +has spoken to us in (the person of the) Son." The Old Testament +Scriptures are the inspired Word of God; at last God spake in Son, +as it is in the Greek. The Old Testament announced that God would +speak in the person of the Son. For this reason it is impossible to +deny the authority of the Old Testament without denying the +authority of Lord Jesus Christ. The written and the living Word +stand and fall together. + +This is followed by a description of Himself. Seven things are +mentioned concerning our Lord. 1. Heir of all Things. 2. By whom +He made the worlds. 3. The Brightness of God's Glory. 4. The +Express image of His Person. 5. The Upholder of all Things. 6. +He has purged our sins. 7. He sat down at the right hand of the +Majesty on high. What wonderful seven things these are! Oh that we +would meditate more on each, how it would strengthen our faith and +deepen our fellowship with Him. It would give us victory when the +hosts of the enemy press upon us. Our defeat is the result of losing +sight of the object of our faith, Christ. + +We also can divide the description of our Lord in the first chapter +of Hebrews into three parts. 1. He is the Son of God in eternity; +One with the Father, essentially and absolutely God. This is found +in these great statements "By whom He made the worlds; who being the +brightness of His Glory and the express image of His person, and +upholding all things by the Word of His power." This could never be +said of a creature of God. Our Lord is the Creator Himself, the +express image of the person of God, the one who upholds all things. +What it all means! What a Lord we have! All this harmonizes with the +description of His Person in Colossians. + +2. He is the Son of God in incarnation. This is found in the +following sentence "When He had Himself purged out sins" or as it is +literally "Having made by Himself the purification of sins." For +this great purpose He entered His own world. The mighty Creator, the +eternal Son of God, the Holy One is our Redeemer. As Son of God He +walked on the earth in the Spirit of holiness, the holy, spotless +One, God manifested in the flesh. And this wonderful Being was made +Sin for us, went as the willing sacrifice to the cross. Oh what a +record! "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who +when reviled, reviled not again: when suffering threatened not; . . +. . . . . who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, . . . . +by whose stripes ye have been healed." What a foundation for our +faith, what assurance! He Himself has accomplished the work for us +and has made peace in the blood of His cross. He only could do it. + +3. The Son of God in resurrection. "He sat down on the right hand of +the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels as He +hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." And +in verse 2 we read "Whom He (God) hath appointed heir to all +things." + +All this is spoken of Him who had died on the cross and who raised +from the dead as glorified Man is at the right hand of the majesty +on high. What He is in that resurrection Glory we shall be with Him. +His Love does not stop short of this. The Glory the Father gave to +Him, He has given to us. He is the image of the invisible God, +because He is God. His redeemed people shall be transformed into His +image, that He might be the first born among many brethren. What a +thought this is! We shall image Him forth in all eternity, as He +images the invisible God. Into what depths we gaze! + +Then in the second part of this chapter we find a description of His +exaltation and Glory. The Holy Spirit shows this marvelous theme +from His Word. He quotes from seven Psalms, that book which is one +of the most attacked in the present day. The Holy Spirit gives us a +key in these quotations how we should look for Christ in the Psalms. +What wickedness in face of such Scriptures to deny the messianic +prophecies contained in the Psalms. The Psalms quoted are the +following: "The ii; lxxxix (2 Sam. vii:14); xcvii; civ; xlv; cii and +cx." They reveal His Glory and in what His future Glory will exist. +And we shall share that exaltation with Him. We are destined to be +His Co-heirs. We shall rule with Him and shall be priests with Him. +He is higher than the angels in His resurrection Glory. He was made +a little lower than the angels that He could take us with Himself +into that place above the angels. All Glory and Praise to His Holy +Name. We worship and adore Thee, Thou Son of God, our Saviour and +Lord! What Glory awaits us! What dignity is ours! Oh, child of God, +you need just this one thing, to know Him better, to have the Holy +Spirit make Christ and the things of Christ, the future Glory more +real to your souls. Let Him do it. And soon we shall be with Him. + + Lamb of God, Thy faithful promise + Says, "Behold, I quickly come;" + And our hearts, to Thine responsive, + Cry, "come, Lord, and take us home." + Oh, the rapture that awaits us + When we meet Thee in the air, + And with Thee ascend in triumph, + All Thy deepest joys to share! + + + +A Glorious Vision. + + +THE Epistle to the Hebrews, this profound and blessed portion of the +Holy Scriptures, unfolds a most wonderful vision of the Person, the +Glory and the great Redemption work of our adorable Lord. The +portion of the Epistle which is the richest in this respect is the +Second Chapter. Here is a vista for the eyes of faith which is +sublime. Our Lord in His Person, in His humiliation and exaltation, +in His suffering and glory, stands out in a way which makes the +believing heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory. What +He has accomplished for us, His present place in Glory and +intercessory work, His future and dominion over the earth, all are +mentioned by the Holy Spirit in this brief chapter. His humiliation +by incarnation is mentioned in these words "Thou madest Him a little +lower than the angels." "Forasmuch, then as the children are +partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of +the same." And He is the One "by whom are all things" (verse 10). + +His suffering and death and its blessed results are given in this +chapter. "By the grace of God He should taste death for every man." +"That through death He might destroy him that had the power of +death, that is the devil." He made "reconciliation for sins of the +people." + +We read of the gracious relations into which all believing sinners +are brought in virtue of His work on the cross. "For both He that +sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which +cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." It is that blessed, +deep, eternal relationship of being One with Him and One with God. +Then we find here His presence as Man in Glory. "But we see Jesus, +who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of +death crowned with glory and honor." + +In that attitude He is now "the merciful and faithful high Priest." +"For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to +succor them that are tempted." + +The ultimate result of His work is also stated. He is "bringing many +sons unto glory." And that glory will be His own glory. Not only now +but in that future day of glory He will declare "Behold I and the +children, which God hath given me." + +Furthermore we have the fact of His earthly dominion, that He is to +have possession of the earth. "The world to come," that is the +habitable earth, not heaven, is to be put in subjection under Him. +"Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet." All these +blessed truths are stated in this chapter of Hebrews. + +In regard to a subdued earth we read: "But now we see not yet all +things put under Him." That was true when the Holy Spirit penned +these words. This is still true and it will be true until the Father +bringeth in the First begotten into the world, when not alone all +the angels of God will worship Him (Heb. i:6), but when God will +make His enemies the footstool of His blessed feet (Psalm cx:1). + +However this coming triumph for Him who was made a little lower than +the angels is not the glorious vision of this chapter. It is time by +faith we may behold the glorious consummation as revealed in the +prophetic Word, but here another vision for our present rejoicing +and present help is put before us. While we see not yet all things +put under His feet "we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than +the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor." + +This is the great vision for the present. This is what the Holy +Spirit wants us to behold more than anything else. Of Stephen it is +written: "He being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly +into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the +right hand of God" (Acts vii:55). And whenever the Holy Spirit fills +us He will direct the vision of the eyes of our heart to Him who was +made a little lower than the angels and who is now in heaven crowned +with glory and honor. And only the _power_ of the Holy Spirit +filling us can make this great fact and vision a reality. + +But what does this glorious vision mean to _us?_ What does it teach +us? Oh, much more than the weak pen of the writer can tell out. + +The blessed One who is there crowned with glory and honor is the One +who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of +death; He bore our sins on the cross and died for us. What a +blessed, blessed proof then it is, as we behold Him there, that our +sins are completely and forever gone! + +But more than that. In seeing Him there we behold ourselves. The +deliverer of our souls at the right hand of God, the second man, +crowned with glory and honor, is the pattern and forerunner of all +who belong to Him and whom He is not ashamed to call brethren. Grace +has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the +heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Eph. ii:5, 6). + +Our eternal destiny, beloved in the Lord, is to be like Him, with +Him and to share His marvelous inheritance as His co-heirs. That +glorious vision is the evidence of our coming glory, when we shall +be transformed into His image that He might be the firstborn among +many brethren. As we gaze in the Spirit on Him who is crowned with +glory and honor we can see ourselves. + +And as the age darkens, as the Laodicean state becomes more +prevalent, temptations and snares increase, the enemy's powers and +activities more marked, we need to open our eyes and hearts wider, +to take in the vision of our blessed head in Glory. Only in this way +can we be kept in these evil days. The only way of spiritual +progress, spiritual enjoyment, spiritual worship is to "behold as in +a glass the glory of the Lord," and beholding that glorious vision +we "are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by +the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. vii:18). + +This glorious vision will keep us in the place of separation. It +will make us heavenly-minded and produce in our lives the practical +results of the cross of Christ "crucified unto the world and the +world crucified unto me." Why do real Christians, who know the truth +and even know and speak of His Second Coming go along with the world +and delight in its ways? It is because the heart is departed from +Christ and has lost sight of the blessed and glorious vision. Years +ago a saint of God, who is now present with the Lord, made the +following statement: + +"It sometimes happens that Christians have got so far away from +Christ in heart, that they become engrossed in the affairs of this +life, and some can even visit and enjoy the poor empty, tinselled +shows of this world's vanity. What could be more lamentable? They +forget that _death's stamp_ is deeply graven on everything this side +of resurrection. But such actions clearly prove that the heart must +have been away from Christ for some time." + +Reader! if this means you return unto thy rest. Arise now and seek +His face and behold your Saviour, who was made a little lower than +the angels crowned with glory and honor. + +May all our hearts, dear children of God, cry out with him, who knew +Him so well, the prisoner of the Lord "That I may know _Him_, and +the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, +being made conformable unto His death" (Phil. iii:10). Soon we shall +know Him and all His glory. + + I see a Man at God's right hand, + Upon the throne of God, + And there in seven-fold light I see + The seven-fold sprinkled blood; + I look upon that glorious Man, + On that blood-sprinkled throne; + I know that He sits there for me, + The glory is my own. + + The heart of God flows forth in love, + A deep eternal stream; + Through that beloved Son it flows + To me as unto Him. + And, looking on His face, I know-- + Weak, worthless, though I be-- + How deep, how measureless, how sweet, + That love of God to me. + + + +My Brethren. + + +OUR Lord Jesus Christ calls those for whom He died and who have +believed on Him "_My Brethren_." What a word it is! The Brethren of +the Man in Glory! Brethren of Him who is at the right hand of God, +the upholder and heir of all things! Pause for a moment, dear +reader. Let your heart lay hold anew of this wonderful message of +God's Grace; Brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ! What depths of love +and grace these words contain! What heights of glory they promise to +us, who were bought by His own precious blood! His Brethren now; His +Brethren forever. One with Him, one with His Father and His God. +Sharers of His life, sharers of His Spirit, sharers of His glory and +His inheritance. Blessed, glorious truth, He calls us His Brethren. + +It is in the twenty-second Psalm where we find this truth revealed +prophetically for the first time. That Psalm begins, as we have seen +before, with the utterance of the deepest distress. It closes with +the shout of victory and of triumph. He who was forsaken of God on +the cross, the blessed sin bearer, has received glory. In the midst +of the congregation, His redeemed people, He praises God, who has +delivered Him and who gave Him Glory. In God's own time, in the +coming day of His visible manifestation, all the ends of the world +shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the +nations shall worship before Him. Then the Kingdom will be the +Lord's. + +He who suffered on the cross was heard "from the horns of the +unicorn" (Ps. xxii:21). Resurrection was the answer from God; the +power of God raised Him from the dead. At once, after the great work +had been accomplished, there follows the triumphant declaration of +Him whose voice had cried so bitterly in death, "I will declare Thy +Name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I +praise Thee." And blessed was the fulfilment on that day of joy, +when the tomb was empty and He had come forth, the risen Christ. To +Mary Magdalene He said on that glorious resurrection morning, "But +go and tell _my brethren_, and say unto them, I ascend unto my +Father and your Father, and to my God and your God" (John xx:17). +What joy must then have filled His loving heart. From His gracious +lips there bursts forth a message such as He never gave to His own +before His resurrection. + +The great work on the cross had been accomplished, sin had been put +away by the sacrifice of Himself. The Only Begotten of the Father, +God's holy Son, one with God, became Man; then passing through +death, in which He fully glorified God, God raised Him from the +dead. And now He gives the blessed results of His own work for those +who believe on Him. He has brought us into the same relationship +with His Father and His God, which He Himself holds, as the Man +Christ Jesus, raised from the dead. His Father, the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ, is our Father; His God is our God. And again we +pause as we write this. Let our hearts repeat it: "My Father, your +Father; my God, your God." He has brought us into fellowship with +His Father; He has brought us to God and the place He has with the +Father and with God, is the place God's fathomless Grace has given +to us. How little our hearts take it in! How little reality we +possess of all this! And yet He wants us to enjoy it as He enjoys +the fulness of joy in His Father's and His God's own presence. May +the Holy Spirit work in us unhindered, that through His power we may +lay hold in faith of this mighty truth and have it as a _practical +power_ in our daily lives. My Father, your Father; my God, your God +and Christ, who loved me and gave Himself for me, Christ, who loveth +us, is with His Father and His God. In such relationship, brought to +the Father and to God through the Lord Jesus Christ and kept there +by His own Grace and Power, how happy we should be. + +And because we possess now in virtue of Christ's work this blessed +relationship, He owns us joyfully as His brethren. Hebrews ii:11-12 +puts this more fully before our hearts: "For both He that +sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one; for which +cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Saying, I will +declare Thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I +sing praise unto Thee." The Lord Jesus Christ is He that sanctifieth +and they that are sanctified by His great work and are in Him, are +believing sinners, reconciled to God by His blood. Both He that +sanctifieth and we are all of One and this One is God, the Father. +Therefore He is not ashamed to call them brethren. It is true we +possess this relationship with the Man in Glory, the Lord Jesus +Christ, because we are born of God. We have eternal life, His own +life, and that makes us One with Him. But this is not the truth in +view here. It is the truth that He has identified Himself with us +and through His death and resurrection we are identified with Him. +And what it means "in the midst of the church will I sing praises +unto Thee" we shall not follow at this time. + +But let us keep it before our hearts a little while longer. The Lord +of Glory calls us "My Brethren." He who is there in the Father's +house, in the Father's presence and on the Father's throne is not +ashamed to call us brethren. He knows all about us. He knows all the +depths of sin in which we are by nature; that by nature we were +enemies by wicked works and children of wrath, but He took it all +upon Himself and has taken it out of the way and now He looks upon +us and all who have accepted Him by personal faith as being one with +Him and one with His Father; therefore He is not ashamed to call us +brethren. What a comfort it should be to our hearts! What joy it +should create in our souls! He Himself received from God, His +heart's desire and the request of His lips (Ps. xxi:2). And all His +desire and request was in our behalf, that He might bring us, His +many sons, to glory. And now He rejoices in us, for we are His +inheritance. He wants us to rejoice in Him and with Him in an +unspeakable joy and full of glory. Our souls entering into all this +and rejoicing with Him in His salvation, enjoying the comfort of it; +this honors Him and honors God. + +It should end the discouragement and unbelief from which we so often +suffer. Though we are weak and erring, imperfect in all our ways, +yet He is not ashamed to call us brethren. Such a fellowship and +relation into which we are brought once and, for all by the Son of +God, should, if accepted in faith, dispel any doubt about ourselves +and free us from all gloom and discouragement. Alas! how dull we are +not to enter fully into the joy and comfort Grace has bestowed upon +us! + +And then think of the dignity and honor which is ours. Sons of God +with Him; Heirs of God with Him; one with Him, perfectly identified +with the blessed One in God's presence. Therefore He is not ashamed +to call us brethren. To walk worthy of the Lord is our calling; and +worthy of the Lord we shall walk if we have the great fact of our +fellowship with the Son of God as a reality before our souls. It is +a sad state to speak theoretically of our position in Christ, to +know all this with our intellects and not to manifest it in our +lives and show forth the excellencies of Him, who has called us from +darkness into his marvellous light. + +He is not ashamed to call us brethren. It should strengthen the love +for the brethren. Love one another. The weakest, the most imperfect +believer, that one who appears to us so unlovable and so ignorant, +is nevertheless owned by him. Just let us remember in looking upon +all believers, that he is not ashamed to call them brethren, that no +matter where they belong, what their knowledge in the Scriptures +might be, they belong to Christ, and are equally beloved of God. How +we need it in a day when Satan goes about dividing the people of +God. Love for the brethren, a deep, real heart love, will possess us +as our hearts feed upon the fact of our oneness with him and with +His Father and His God. + +He is not ashamed to call them brethren. It will be an incentive to +witness for Him. Dishonored as He is, it falls upon us to honor Him +by our personal witness. While in the Father's presence He sings and +is the leader of the praises of His people, we must sing of Him here +and utter His praise on earth. He is not ashamed of us; _how could +we ever be ashamed of Him?_ What an honor to speak His worth, to +tell out, though in feeble way, His glory and exalt His name. And +yet we must beware of an unscriptural familiarity with Him, which +the Holy Spirit does not sanction in the Scriptures. We must not +address Him, as it is so often done, as "my brother," or other +sentimental terms, which our pen is reluctant to repeat. In all this +we must not forget His dignity and glory. While He thus identified +Himself with us and is not ashamed to call us brethren, He is +nevertheless the holy Son of God, the Lord of all. As such we must +adore and worship Him. Some blessed day we shall be just like Him. +We are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that +He might be the first born among many brethren (Rom. viii:29). That +will be in the glorious day when we shall meet Him face to face. "We +know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall +see Him as He is" (John iii:2). What it all will mean? What day of +joy and triumph for Him, when He stands as the leader of all whom +the Father has given unto Him, when all according to His prayer will +be the sharers of His Glory. Then He will be glorified in His saints +for they will bear His image and reflect His glory. What a destiny! +Like Him and with Him. And this future of perfect conformity to the +Lord Jesus Christ and possession of the wonderful inheritance, +which, in its riches we cannot grasp now with out finite minds, is +rapidly approaching. How soon it may burst upon us! + +Oh, friends, beloved in the Lord! Do we all enjoy this now in faith? +Is it so that the Lord Jesus Christ becomes daily more real and +precious to us? Do we live in the power of all this? + + + +The Patience of Christ. + + +"BUT the Lord direct your hearts into the Love of God and into the +_Patience of Christ_" (2 Thess. iii:5). With these words Paul +exhorted the Thessalonian believers. They had many trials and +difficulties. They suffered persecutions and were troubled. False +alarms had affected their patience of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. +The inspired exhortation puts before their hearts the Patience of +Christ. Comfort and joy, encouragement and peace, would surely come +to their hearts and strengthen them, if they remembered and entered +into the Patience of Christ. + +And who can describe or speak fully and worthily of the Patience of +our blessed Lord! It includes so much. All His moral Glory and +Divine perfections are concealed and revealed in this Word. The word +patience has a wide meaning. It means more than we generally express +by it. Submission, endurance in meekness, waiting in faith, +quietness, contentment, composure, forebearance, suffering in +calmness, calmness in suffering; all and more is contained in the +one word, Patience. And such patience in all its fulness and +perfection the Son of God exhibited in His earthly life. Whenever we +look in the Gospels, we behold this calm, quiet, restful patience. +His whole life here on earth is but a continued record of patience. +In patience His childhood was spent, and when in His twelfth year +the Glory of His Deity flashed forth we read "He went down with +them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them." In patience, +He whose mighty power had called the universe in existence, toiled +on, content in Nazareth, submissive to the Father, till after many +years the day would come, when the work He had come to do should be +begun and finished. To describe that Patience during His public +ministry from Nazareth, where He had been brought up, to Golgotha, +would necessitate a close scrutiny of every step of the way, every +act and every utterance which came from His holy lips. What +discoveries of His Grace and moral Glory we make, if under the +guidance of His Spirit we meditate on His life here below. Humility +and submission under God, patient waiting on Him, utter absence of +all haste, perfect calmness of soul and every other characteristic +of perfect patience, we can trace constantly in that wonderful life. +What patience is revealed in the forty days in the wilderness, when +He hungered and was with the wild beasts (Mark i:13). When Satan +tempted Him and asked for stones to be made bread, He exhibited +still His patience. In His service, that marvellous service rendered +by the perfect servant, no ambitiousness or ostentatiousness can +ever be discovered. He pleased not Himself but Him who sent Him. He +was constantly going about doing the Father's will. His kindness and +love were rewarded by rejection and insults, yet no complaint or +murmur ever came from His lips. He was always trusting in God, +perfectly calm, perfectly satisfied. + +And how His patience shines out in dealing with men. What patience +He had with His disciples and how He bore with them in love. They +were slow learners. What patience and tenderness in his conversation +with her, whom He had sought, the woman at Samaria's well. And +greatest above all His patience in suffering. He endured the cross. +When He was reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He +threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth +righteously. (1 Pet. ii:23). He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, +yet He opened not His mouth; He was brought as a lamb to the +slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so He opened +not His mouth. All the buffetings, shame, dishonors, griefs, pains +and sorrows He patiently endured. Oh! the patience of Christ, who +for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame! + +And into this patience of Christ our hearts are to be directed. It +is to be the object of our contemplation and to be followed by us, +who belong to Him. The patience of Christ must be manifested in our +lives. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also +suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His +steps. His humility, submissiveness, contentment, calmness, patience +in endurance, in doing and suffering the will of God, must be +reproduced in our lives. But how little we know of it in reality. +Impatience is the leading characteristic of the closing days of this +present evil age. It is alas! but too prominently seen among God's +people who are influenced by the present day currents. How little +true waiting on the Lord and for the Lord is practiced! How much +reaching out after the things which are but for a moment and which +will soon perish! In consequence there is but little enjoyment of +that which is the glorious and eternal portion of the Saints of God. +How great the haste and hurry of present day life! How little +quietness and contentment! In suffering and loss, murmurings, +fault-finding and words of forced resignation are more frequently heard +than joyful songs of praise. Unrest instead of rest, discontent +instead of contentment, anxiety instead of simple trust, self +exaltation instead of self abnegation, ambitiousness instead of +lowliness of mind are found on all sides among those who name the +name of Christ and who carry His Life in their hearts. And why? Your +heart, dear reader, is so often out of touch with Christ. You lose +sight of Him. His Spirit is grieved and in consequence there is +failure and the impatience of the flesh. Return, oh my soul, unto +thy rest! Direct, O Lord, our hearts into the Patience of Christ. + +The Patience of Christ. He is still the patient Christ. Rejected by +the world He has taken His place upon the Father's throne. There He +waits until His enemies are made His footstool. Long ago, in our +human reckoning, He entered there. Long ago the Father said to Him, +"Ask of Me and I will give Thee the heathen for thine inheritance, +and the uttermost part of the earth for Thy possession" (Ps. ii:8). +Up to now He has not yet asked the Father. When He asks it will mean +judgment for this world. In infinite patience He has waited and +waited in the presence of God. And all this time He has carried on +His work as the Priest and Advocate of His people who live on earth. +With what tenderness and patience He has dealt with all who lived in +the past centuries. His mighty power kept them and now they are at +home with Him. The same patience He manifests towards us. How often +we have failed Him and walked in the flesh instead of walking in the +Spirit. We came to Him and confessed and then we found Him so loving +towards us. But ere long we failed again and in His loving patience +His arms were again around us. And thus a hundred times. He changeth +not. He is the same loving, patient Lord towards His own in Glory as +He was on earth. "He shall not be discouraged," the prophet +declared. Even so His Patience knows no discouragement. + +In all the dishonor done to His holy, worthy Name, He endures +patiently. He is silent to all what is done by His enemies. The +Patience of Christ. May the Lord grant us His Patience. John said to +himself, "I am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the +kingdom and _patience_ of Jesus Christ" (Rev. i:9). To that kingdom +and Patience of Jesus Christ of which John speaks of belonging we +belong. The martyrs belonged to it. Afflictions, persecutions and +sufferings were their part. They are ours. In humility, in +endurance, unflinching courage, in the patience of Christ, let us +suffer with Him, share His reproach until His Glory is revealed. + + + +He Shall Not Keep Silent. + + +THE heavens have long been silent. It is one of the leading +characteristics of this present age, the closed, the silent heavens. +But they will not be silent forever. "Our God shall come and shall +not keep silence" (Ps. i:3). In His divine Patience the Lord has +been at the right hand of God for nearly two thousand years. He will +not occupy that place forever. It is not His permanent station to be +upon the Father's throne. He has the promise of His own throne, +which He as the King-Priest must occupy. Nearly two thousand years +have gone since He passed through the heavens and during that time +He has been rejected by the world. Every possible dishonor, insult +and shame has been heaped upon His holy head through the +instrumentality of the enemy, the devil. Never before has the +rejection of the Man in Glory been so pronounced, so radical, so +blasphemous as now. Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ are +constantly seized by an unspeakable grief on account of these awful +denials of the Christ of God and an horror as well. And still He +patiently waits. But He will not always wait. His Patience will some +day be exhausted. He will pray His unprayed prayer in Glory and ask +of the Father the nations and the uttermost parts of the earth. The +Father will then send the Firstborn back to this earth. When He +comes in visible Glory to this earth it will mean the day of +vengeance. The vengeance of God will fall upon His enemies. All the +Christ rejecters, the wicked men and women who received not the love +of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, the enemies of +the cross of Christ, though they lived amiable lives (one of Satan's +pet phrases), will meet Him not as the patient lamb, but the Judge, +the lion of the tribe of Judah. What will it be when His Patience is +ended? What will it be when the kingdom and the Patience of Jesus +Christ give way to the kingdom and Glory of Jesus Christ? Rapidly +the day is nearing when the Lord Jesus Christ will be completely +rejected. As long as the true church is still here this complete +rejection is an impossibility. But the church will some day leave +this earth. Then conditions are ripe for the complete rejection of +the Christ and the reception of Antichrist who will then appear. And +when the beast is worshipped (Rev. xiii) and the world defies God +and His anointed as never before, when the nations of apostate +Christendom stand in battle array (Rev. xix:19), then He will come +as the King whose patience is ended and claim His Kingdom. What will +it mean when His Patience is ended? Who can describe it? What +judgments will fall then upon a wicked world and be meted out upon +the enemies of Christ? The day of vengeance is rapidly approaching. +It is the day of vengeance for the world. It is the day of the Glory +of Christ. It is the day of the Glory of the Saints. It is the day +of your Glory as a believer. + +Let us suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Let +us be patient as long as He is patient. "Be ye also patient; +establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. +Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned; +behold the Judge standeth before the door" (James v:8, 9). + +In His Patience pray for the unsaved. Preach the Gospel, give out +the Gospel, send the Gospel, give for the Gospel, live the Gospel. A +little while longer and His patience will end. + + Trusting in the Lord thy God, + Onward go. + Holding fast His faithful word, + Onward go. + Not denying His worthy name, + Though it brings reproach and shame, + Spreading still His wondrous fame, + Onward go. + + Has He said the end is near? + Onward go. + Serving Him with holy fear, + Onward go. + Christ thy portion, Christ thy stay-- + Heavenly bread upon the way, + Leading on to glorious day-- + Onward go. + + + +The Love of Christ. + + +THE Patience of Christ was recently the object of our meditation in +these pages. Blessed and inexhaustible it is. And now a still +greater theme is before our hearts. The Love of Christ. The heart +almost shrinks from attempting to write on the matchless, +unfathomable love of our blessed and adorable Lord. All the Saints +of God who have spoken and written on the Love of Christ have never +told out its fulness and vastness, its heights and its depths. "The +Love of Christ which passeth knowledge" (Ephesians iii:19). And yet +we _do_ know the Love of Christ. While we cannot fully grasp that +mighty, eternal Love our hearts can enjoy it and we can ever know +more of it. And He Himself whose Love is set upon us wants us to +drink constantly of the ocean of His never-changing Love and receive +new tokens, new glimpses of it. Surely His own blessed Spirit, +though one feels so insufficient for such an object, will guide us +in our meditation. He is with us and in us to glorify Him and take +of the things of Christ to show them unto us. The Love of Christ, +the Holy Spirit ever longs to make known and to impart to our poor +and feeble hearts. + +The Love of our Lord is an eternal Love. It is not a thing of time. +It antedates the foundation of the world. + + "His gracious eye surveyed us + Ere stars were seen above." + +He as the Son of God in the bosom of God was the object of Love. +"Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John xvii: +24). And then He knew us and His Love was even then set upon us, +before we ever were in existence. He knew our sinfulness, our +enmity, our vileness, and in Love which passeth knowledge He looked +forward to the time, when He would manifest this Love to us His +fallen creatures. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is +high I cannot attain unto it" (Psalm cxxxix:6). + +It was Love which brought Him down from the Glory, which He had with +God. What Love to come into this dark, sin-cursed world, a world +full of enemies. What Love to leave that bright and glorious home +and appear as man, made of a woman entering this world He had called +into existence. And there was no room for Him in the inn. It passeth +knowledge. + +And then that life, which He lived on earth, was lived in that +mighty Love. + + "A love that led Thee here below + To tread a lonely path in grace, + To pass through sorrow, grief and woe, + The portion of a ruin'd race." + +What Love we see in Him, in every step of that lonely path! What +compassion, what tenderness in every action in every word we +discover, ever new and fresh, in that blessed life of God's +unspeakable gift. Wherever we look we behold that Love. Loving +compassion rested upon the multitudes; with Love He compassed the +poor, the sinful, the oppressed, the heartsick and the outcast. Love +carried the weak and failing men, who had believed on him, His +disciples. A blessed word it is, which stands in the beginning of +the thirteenth chapter in the Gospel of John. "Having loved His own +which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." His Love for +His own was expressed by serving them. He pleased not Himself but +had come to minister. He then girded Himself and began to wash the +disciples' feet. What humiliation! Yet it was the fruit of Love. All +He did was born of Love. His was on earth a constant, a never-tiring, +an enduring Love. All the selfishness of His disciples could +not quench that Love. Nothing could quench His Love for His own. +Nothing will ever quench it. Peter denied Him. "And the Lord turned +and looked upon Peter" (Luke xxii:61). Was it a look of reproach? +Was it a frown of displeasure which Peter saw in that beloved face? +Far from it. Love in its divine perfection shone out of the eyes of +the Son of God. And after His resurrection that Love was still the +same. There was no reproach connected with the restoration of Peter +to service. In the greatest tenderness and Love He committed to His +disciple, who had so shamefully denied Him, the lambs and sheep so +dear to His own loving heart. + +Again we say, that Love passeth knowledge. How could man's +imagination and invention ever have produced such a loving Person as +our Lord, revealing the perfection of divine Love! + +But there is greater Love than the Love which we behold in His +blessed Life on earth. The greater Love is manifested when He laid +down His life. He came into the world to die, to be the propitiation +for our sins. He came to take our place on the cross. He came to +drink the cup of wrath in our stead and suffer the awful penalty of +our sins. + +"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_." + +God in Love gave thus His Son, and He gave Himself in Love. From +shame to shame, from suffering to suffering, from pain to pain and +agony to agony that Love went on to plunge into the deepest sorrow, +to reach at last the place where His loving lips had to cry "My God, +My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" + + "To death of shame Thy love did reach, + God's holy judgment then to bear; + Ah, Lord, what human tongue can teach + _Or tell the love that brought Thee there_." + +Ah! what human tongue can teach or tell the Love that brought Thee +there! It passeth knowledge. But with loving, praising hearts, in +worship and adoration we can look up to that cross on which the +Prince of Glory died and say with Paul, "He loved me, He gave +Himself for me." And again we join with the innumerable hosts of His +own redeemed in the Glory song. "Unto Him that loveth us and washed +us from our sins in His own blood and hath made us Kings and priests +unto God and His Father, to Him be Glory and dominion forever. +Amen." And beloved reader, that Love which knew you and us all +before we ever existed, that Love which came from Glory for you, +that Love which went into the jaws of death, endured the cross and +despised the shame, that Love which gave so willingly, gave as we +can never give, that Love is still the same. It changes not. His +Love knows no fluctuations. That perfect Love cannot grow cold or +indifferent. We all had our first love; when first we saw Him with +the eyes of faith, how our hearts were enraptured. How soon that +Love began to grow cold and decreased instead of increased. Then our +walk and service became affected for thus it must ever be when the +heart is not responding to His Love and not in living, loving touch +with Himself. Oh! the weeks and months and years of our Christian +experience spent without the full enjoyment of His Love and +Presence. But has this changed His Love? Has our unfaithfulness, our +waywardness, our failure and backsliding affected His Love? No. He +is the same loving Lord, the same loving Christ who has borne us and +yearned over us, who has prayed for us and kept us. Whenever we turn +to Him with broken hearts, confessing our sins, when in shame we +hide our faces and tell Him all our failures, we find Him still the +same loving Lord as He was when His loving eyes rested upon Peter. +Oh! how He must love us! How He must love us, with that Love which +passeth knowledge. What treasures that Love contains! Exhaustless it +is ever flowing full and free towards His own. + +How it must grieve Him to see us so indifferent, neither hot nor +cold. How it must grieve Him that we enjoy this Love so little that +we permit that Love so little to serve us and give Him so little +opportunity to manifest His mighty Love towards us. Alas! We even +mistrust that Love. When suffering and loss overtake us, when +instead of prosperity adversity is our lot, we doubt that Love. +Fears and anxieties are nothing less than an impeachment of the +Love, which passeth knowledge. His Love will never fail. He will see +us safe home. Let the forces of the enemy roar, let trials and +troubles come, His Love will keep us. His Love is our eternal +portion. + +"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor +principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, +nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to +separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our +Lord." + +And soon He will have us with Himself. The church He loved, for +which He gave Himself, the church He sanctified by the washing of +water, this church He will present to Himself a glorious church +(Eph. v:24-27). Even while on earth He made known His loving +purpose, for He prayed, "The Glory, which Thou hast given me I have +given to them." + +It is His Love which will make us sharers of His own Glory and +Inheritance. What that Love will do then! How we shall drink deeper +of that Love, than we ever could drink here! Oh the depths of the +Love to be fathomed in all eternity! Oh the length and breadth and +height to be measured! It can never, no never be exhausted. + +O, child of God, is not thy poor wandering heart beginning to be +warmed? Is the warmth of His Love, the Love of Christ refreshing +your soul? Thank God for it. It is but a demonstration of His Love. +And do we not want more of it? Do we not need it? + +All our indifference, our cold heartedness, our prayerlessness, our +self indulgences, our inactivity and all else which mars our +Christian lives, is because we do not have the Love of Christ before +our hearts. If we were constantly enjoying His Love and this mighty +Love would constrain us, what self-sacrificing lives we would live! +How we would love one another and in love serve one another. What +peace there would be among those of like precious faith. With a +better heart knowledge of the Love of Christ, what joy would be ours +in all trials and suffering and with what boldness we would approach +the throne of Grace and make constant use of our God-given +privilege, prayer. + +The Love of Christ would lead us on and on in love for souls, in +service untiring, and yet the same Love too will make us long and +pray for His coming. Oh God our Father, grant unto us all and to all +Thy people throughout this world a greater, a deeper, a more real +knowledge of the Love of thine ever blessed Son, the Love of Christ, +and fill us through it with all the fulness of God. Amen. + + + +The Joy of the Lord. + + +IT is written "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Every child of +God knows in some measure what it is to rejoice in the Lord. The +Lord Jesus Christ must ever be the sole object of the believer's +joy, and as eyes and heart look upon Him, we, too, like "the +strangers scattered abroad" to whom Peter wrote shall "rejoice with +joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet. i:8). But it is upon our +heart to meditate with our beloved readers on the joy of our +adorable Lord, as his own personal joy. The Blessed One when His +feet walked on the earth spoke not only of "My Peace," but He also +spoke of "My Joy." While He imparts peace and joy and is the peace +and joy of our hearts, He also possesses His own Peace and His own +Joy. + +"The Joy of the Lord." There was a time "when the morning stars sang +together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job xxxviii:7). +It was in the beginning when the heavens and the earth were created +by Him, who is before all things and by whom all things consist, the +Son of God. With what joy He must have beheld what was called into +existence by Him and for Him (Col. i:16). But even before the +foundation of the world He had joy. With God, in the bosom of the +Father Love, Glory and Joy were His eternal portion. All was known +to Him from the beginning. The fall of Satan, the fall of man +through Satan, the entrance of sin with all its results, the cost +price of redemption, the suffering in the flesh on the cross for the +redemption of the creature, the multitudes, whom no man can number, +redeemed through His work, believing in Him, brought to God, united +with Him, Sons and Heirs with Him, the ultimate victory over all +enemies, so that God would be "all in all"--all was known to Him. + +What joy must have filled Him when at His incarnation He announced, +"Lo I come to do Thy will O God" (Heb. x:5, 6). And then He came and +took upon Himself the form of a servant, the first word the heavenly +messenger spoke, sent to the virgin to announce the incarnation, was +a word of joy. Never before had Gabriel been sent with such a +message. "Hail" our English version has it; but the greeting means +"Joy" or "Oh the joy!" And the angel later announced "good tidings +of great joy." And that blessed life which was lived upon earth to +the Glory of God, was a life which knew joy. All along the way from +Bethlehem to Golgotha He had joy before His heart. It is true He +wept, He had sufferings, He was tempted, He was ill-treated, cast +out, maligned, accused of evil and rejected, but joy filled His +heart. His God and Father was His joy, yea, His exceeding joy. To do +His will, who had sent Him was His constant joy. His joy was to walk +in confidence, in dependence on Him. His Father's love and delight, +which rested upon Him were His joy. "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? +and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee" (Ps. +lxxiii:25). This beautiful word must have been His constant +declaration; and that is joy. "I have set the Lord always before me" +(Ps. xvi:8) is another utterance of God's Spirit concerning the holy +life of God's well beloved Son. And that meant joy. The seventy He +had sent forth had returned again with joy, because the demons were +subject unto them. That is sinful man in carnal rejoicing! some +power manifested, some great success fills our proud hearts with +joy. But His words told them of a different joy. They were not to +rejoice that the spirits submitted to them, but that their names +were written in heaven. "In that hour Jesus _rejoiced_ in spirit, +and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that +Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and +hast revealed them to babes; even so Father; for so it seemed good +in Thy sight. All things are delivered to Me of My Father; and no +man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, +but the Son, and to whom the Son will reveal Him" (Luke x:21, 22). +Thus _He_ rejoiced. In the parable of the treasure in the field He +speaks of His joy. The man who has found the treasure, for joy +thereof goeth and selleth all he hath, and buyeth that field ( Matt. +xiii:44). The man in the parable is the Lord Himself and the field +is the world. With joy He gave up all and came down here to buy us +back. And all His suffering from man and from Satan, the +persecutions He suffered from His own people to whom He came were +borne by Him with joy. He told out His own blessed character in the +beatitudes and in speaking of those who are reviled and persecuted, +He said, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." Thus He must have borne +it all with joy. And then the cross. The cross in which He who knew +no sin was made sin for us. He was troubled in His holy soul when He +looked towards the cross (John xii:27). In the garden He saw the +cross. "And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His +sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the +ground" (Luke xii:44). And yet it is written "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" (Heb. xii:2). All +the suffering put upon Him by man, acting under satanic impulses and +the shame connected with the cross, He despised, the cross itself He +could not despise, but He endured that. The joy was that He saw and +knew the full and glorious result of all His work He had come to do. +He saw then the travail of His soul and was satisfied. But in that +cross there was that suffering, which is unfathomable. God's own +hand rested upon Him. All His sorrowful complaints as predicted by +His own Spirit were then fulfilled. "_Thou_ hast laid me in the dust +of death." "All _Thy_ waves and billows go over me." "_Thine_ hand +has pressed me sore." "_Thy_ wrath lieth hard upon me." "_Thy_ +fierce wrath goeth over me." "_Thou_ hast laid me in the lowest +pit." Thus He suffered from God--smitten and afflicted of God. It +pleased the Lord to bruise Him. Then from that cross there came that +loud and triumphant cry when He gave His life "It is finished!" Oh! +what joy must have filled then His soul, when He knew the work is +done, all is accomplished. And with equal joy God answered the cry +of His well beloved Son, when He rent the veil from top to bottom. + +The risen Lord in meeting His disciples greeted them, with the +greeting of joy, which Gabriel had used. "All Hail"--literally, _Oh +the joy!_ (Matt. xxviii:9.) What joy must then have filled His +loving heart as He met His own again. Oh the joy! thus they had +mocked Him when they crowned Him with a crown of thorns and bowed +the knee and in derision shouted "All hail"--"Rejoice"--"King of +the Jews." But in the resurrection He shouts "Oh the Joy!" The +victory is won. Satan, Sin, Death and the Grave are vanquished. And +what joy is His now! What joy will be His ere long! With a shout He +went up (Ps. xlvii:5). What a joy when He passed through the heavens +and as the glorified man He entered the Holy of Holies! What a joy +when the Father had the well beloved with Him again, and He took His +seat at His own right hand. What joy for Him and the heavens when +Glory and Honor was put upon Him and He was proclaimed throughout +the depths of the universe as Heir of all things! What joy! All +power in heaven and on earth is His. Oh the joy! as sinners are +saved by Grace, whom He redeemed by His blood. And as His body is +building He rejoiceth as the bridegroom over the bride. In +unspeakable joy He carrieth on His loving, tender, priestly work in +behalf of those for whom He died. His joy and delight, as well as +His love and His power is with them, who are His. + +But there is greater joy in the future for Him, the Man in Glory. +Though even now He _is_ "anointed with the oil of gladness above all +His fellows." His joy will increase and be full in the future. +Another glad shout will be heard when he leaves the Father's throne +and descends into the air. A shout of triumph and joy it will be, +which will open the graves of the Saints, which will summon those +who remain to meet Him in the air. Oh the joy at last the travail of +His soul will be brought into His presence. Oh the joy! He will have +us then and we will be with Him. With _exceeding joy_ He will +present us faultless before the presence of His Glory (Jud. 24). In +joy and a glorious triumph He will bring many sons to glory. What +joy it will be when He leads forth from heaven's glorious mansions, +those who are "God's workmanship created by Christ Jesus!" Then all +the world will know and angels shout once more for joy in the full +and glorious revelation of the new creation. + +Oh! the Joy for Him! when Israel cries out "Blessed is He that +cometh in the name of the Lord!" Oh the joy! when creation sings her +songs of praise to Him, whose pierced hands have removed the curse. +Oh! the joy! when nations hear war no more but sing the worth of the +King of Kings and lay their gifts at His feet. + +If we could measure all which was accomplished on Calvary's cross, +then we could also measure His joy, the joy of the Lord. + +Reader! If you are saved by Grace, one with the Lord, then all this +is yours. The joy in the Lord and the joy of the Lord is to be your +portion now and in the day of His joy and glory. Murmuring, +discouraged, tempted, complaining, bereaved, downhearted, +halfhearted child of God, ponder over these words. Let God's Spirit +lead you into them. The joy of the Lord is to be your portion. It +will dispel your gloom. It will end your discouragement. It will +give you songs in the night. It will lift you into a holy walk. The +joy of the Lord can do this. He wants you to possess His joy. "These +things have I spoken unto you, and that your joy might be full" +(John xv:11). Let the Holy Spirit, who is given to you of God, make +the Lord Jesus Christ a greater reality in your life. Let the joy of +the Lord be your joy. Rejoice in God, the God and Father of our Lord +Jesus Christ. Let your joy be to do His will. Accept all from His +hands. Rejoice in all things. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again +I say, Rejoice" (Phil. iv:4). Rejoice and glory in tribulation. +"Count it all joy when ye fall in divers temptations" (James i:2). +Having Christ, brought nigh to God, a perfect access into His +presence, yea the right to come with boldness, a rejoicing and +praising spirit should be manifested by us. + +And look at the joy which is set before us. How it ought to lift us +over all the present day trials and temptations and give us victory +over the cares and anxieties, the pleasures and deceitful riches of +this present evil and fast closing age. "Enter thou into the joy of +_Thy_ Lord." This _is_ our blessed and glorious future. We shall +share His future joy as we shall share His glory. And it is but a +little while longer and weeping, which endured for the night, will +give way to the _joy of the morning_. + + + +"This Same Jesus." + + +"AND He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His +hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, +He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they +worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were +continually in the temple, praising and blessing God" (Luke xxiv:50-53). +Something else is reported in the first chapter in the book of +Acts in connection with the Return of our blessed Lord to the +Father. "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went +up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, +Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? _This same +Jesus_, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in +like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven". (Acts i:10-11). +This blessed message must have been the reason why they returned to +Jerusalem with _great_ joy. Instead of tears and sorrow at that +parting there was joy, because they knew and believed that He who +had said "I will come again and receive you unto myself," this same +Jesus would come for them. What a blessed truth it is that the same +Jesus, the same Lord who walked on earth, who spoke such words of +infinite love and tenderness, who wept, healed the sick, raised the +dead and commanded the demons, who calmed the storm, who had gone to +the cross to die that awful death in our stead--that this same +Jesus, raised from the dead, is now in the presence of God for us +and our Advocate with the Father. It is the same loving, tender, +caring, mighty Lord and Saviour, who is there and this same Jesus, +not another, will come again. The reality of this filled the +disciples with joy. They knew He had left them, they knew He lived +and that He would come again. This knowledge gave them power to +witness and to walk in holiness. The reality of this fills still the +believing heart with joy and leads as well as keeps in the blessed +faith life of fellowship with Himself, into which we have been +called by the Grace of God. The heart of the believer under the +control of the Holy Spirit has but one desire. It is to know Him and +know Him better. Other desires for blessings may come up, but that +life which is in the believer ever reaches out after Himself who is +our life. "That I may know Him" was the passion of that wonderful +man, who knew Him so well (Phil. iii:10). And it is just heart +knowledge of this same Jesus in His loveliness, His patience, His +power, His glory, in all His blessed fullness, which we need the +most and through this all other needs are met. + +Look up then in faith, child of God, He who is altogether lovely, +whose perfect ways of love and grace, were so blessedly made known +in His life down here, this same Jesus, with all the tenderness of +infinite love, the love that never grows cold, is with the Father. +Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, to-day and forever. The disciples +heard Him pray His great prayer before He went to the cross (John +xvii). As they listened to His words addressed to the Father, they +learned as never before, how dear they all were to Him. How He loved +them, cared for them, what He had done for them, would continue to +do and what their future would be. And whenever we read these words +in His high priestly prayer, we can hear Him still pray. We know +that love for us cannot change; that prayer to keep does not fail; +that concern, so deep and gracious, in all who belong to Him is +unchanged, for it is "this same Jesus," who intercedes for us, whose +loving eyes watch our going in and our going out, our walk down +here. + +Oh! for the reality of this! This same blessed Lord is with us, for +us, above us. We can count on His unchanging love. We can count on +His power. The reality of the Person of our exalted Lord keeps us +down here. Oh, draw near, beloved reader, for it is your privilege, +your calling, to know Him and to enjoy Him. His heart is never +satisfied unless you drink deep of His love and you lie in blessed +dependence at His feet. Have you failed Him? Are days, weeks, +perhaps months of wandering your past, days in which you grieved +Him? Return, oh return! it is "this same Jesus" who at the lake of +Tiberias so tenderly restored Peter and who waits for thy return. + +And "this same Jesus" comes again. If the joy was so great when He +left, because the heavenly messengers gave the good news that this +same Jesus is coming again, what will be the joy when he _does_ +come! He comes as Saviour, which is the meaning of His blessed name. +"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the +Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our body of +humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body" +(Phil. iii:20-21). The glorious appearing of the great God and our +Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us, will some day take +place. And when He comes into the air and gives the shout, He will +be "this same Jesus." When we are caught up in clouds to meet Him in +the air we shall meet _Him_, the same blessed Person, who walked on +this earth, who died on the cross, who in His unchanging love kept +and carried us and called us home. We shall see Him as He is. He +comes, this same Jesus, to take us to be with Him. What will be His +joy then when all His blood-washed, redeemed people are at last with +Him! Then this same Jesus who bore our sins in His own body on the +tree will bestow upon us His glory, the glory the Father has given +Him. + +Reader! Is it even now before you such a living reality, this same +Jesus--is coming again; coming to take us all into the Father's +house with its many mansions, to the place whose portals were opened +with His own blood! And how soon it may be that we shall see Him and +be with Him! + +If an angelic message were brought to-day to all Christians, we said +recently in a meeting, and that message would state in terms +unmistakably, one week more and the Lord Jesus Christ comes, one +week more and we shall see Him; what would be the result? We can +imagine the eagerness with which all would begin to serve and reach +out after the unsaved; what self-denials and boldness we would +behold! How all the earthly things, the childish things, the +playthings of the dust, would lose their attractiveness. Then +heaven's glory would break upon us. But such a message is not +promised to us. It is nowhere said that it will take place. No angel +will come to announce the time when "this same Jesus" comes to call +us home. The fact is God has told us in His Word, that His ever +blessed Son will come and that He will come suddenly. He may come +_to-day_. He may call us home before another morning comes. And if +we believe it we shall walk in expectation and in separation. The +Lord graciously revive the blessed Hope in our hearts and through it +make us holy in our lives, zealous for the Gospel, untiring in +service and loving towards all the Saints. + + + +The Wondrous Cross. + + +WHO can tell out the story of the cross! There was a time when we +thought we knew much of it; but oh! the depths, the wonderful depths +of the cross and the work accomplished there, which constantly break +in upon the heart, as one meditates on the cross. One who knew the +cross, whose eyes were filled with all its glory, because He beheld +Him, who hung on the cross, in highest glory has told us "But God +forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus +Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the +world." Crucified unto the world. Dead to the world and to sin are +the blessed effects of the cross. + +Some time ago while remembering the Lord on the Lord's Day we sang a +familiar hymn: + + When we survey the wondrous cross + On which the Lord of glory died, + Our richest gain we count but loss, + And pour contempt on all our pride. + +How true!--contempt must be poured on all our pride when one +beholds that sight, the cross on which the Lord of glory died. But +is it so, "and pour contempt on all our pride?" + +And when we sang the second verse its truth came home still more to +the conscience: + + Forbid it, Lord, that we should boast, + Save in the death of Christ, our God; + All the vain things that charm us most, + We'd sacrifice them to His blood. + +How true! If such a one died to deliver us out of this present evil +age then the vain things that charm us most, not the sinful things, +must be relinquished. But is it really so--all the vain things that +charm us most--we'd sacrifice them to His blood? + + There from His head, His hands, His feet, + Sorrow and love flowed mingled down; + Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, + Or thorns compose so rich a crown? + Were the whole realm of nature ours, + That were an off'ring far too small; + Love that transcends our highest powers + Demands our soul, our life, our all. + +And then once more the heart said, How true! Marvelous sight the +Lord of Glory on that cross for me! Forsaken of God, paying the +penalty of my sins, drinking the cup of wrath, untasted by me. Such +love surely demands our soul, our life, our all. But is it so? How +often we sing these blessed truths and our lives are strangers to +them. God grant that we may live out the truth of the cross in our +lives. May the deliverance, the victory, the power of His cross be +manifested in our lives. Dead to the world and the world dead to me. + + + +His Legacy. + + +BLESSED and ever precious are the words, which came from the lips of +our loving Lord, before he went to the cross. His own were gathered +around Him; before He ever comforted them and poured out His loving +heart, He manifested that love by serving them. He arose from the +supper, laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. +What a sight the Son of God girded! "After that He poureth water +into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe +them with the towel wherewith he was girded" (John xiii:5). It was a +great symbolical action. He who stooped so low to wash the feet of +His sinful creatures is the same who declared in the Old Testament +"Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with +thine iniquities" (Isaiah xliii:24). The washing typifies the +service our beloved Lord renders to His saints in cleansing them +from defilement; it is "the washing of water by the Word." And thus +He continues in loving service till at last all His redeemed people +are brought home into the presence of the throne and "the sea of +glass like unto crystal" (Rev. iv:6) where no more defilement is +possible and no more washing is needed. + +Many and blessed are the words, which then flowed from His lips, +after Judas had gone out into the dark night. Only He could speak +thus. Thousands upon thousands, countless multitudes have been fed +upon His gracious, comforting words and have been strengthened and +upheld. Their careful and refreshing power is undiminished. Like +Himself His Words are eternal and inexhaustible. The Father's house +with its many mansions, the fact of His personal return, the gift of +the other Comforter, who came to abide with and in His own, the +promises concerning prayer and assurance that the Father Himself +loves them and many other precious truths were spoken by Him ere He +left the world to go to the Father. At that time He gave His blessed +legacy. "_Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you_" (John +xiv:27). And the last word He spoke to His disciples before He +uttered that marvelous high priestly prayer, contains also the +assurance of peace. "These things have I spoken unto you, that _in +Me_ ye might have _peace_. In the world ye shall have tribulation; +but be of good cheer I have overcome the world" (John xvi:33). + +The adorable Lord came to this poor sin cursed earth, a world of +sinners and enemies of God by wicked works to make peace. The great +work of reconciliation was effected on the cross. By His death on +the cross the enemies of God, believing in Him, became reconciled to +God. He made peace through the blood of His cross (Col. i:20). As +believing sinners we are justified and _have_ peace with God through +our Lord Jesus Christ. Not our walk or service, not our faith or +repentance or anything we have done or are doing is the ground of +peace with God, but what Christ has done for us. Yea He Himself is +our peace. And because _He_ is our peace, it is a peace which can +never be undone or unsettled. + + Oh, the peace forever flowing + From God's thoughts of His own Son! + Oh, the peace of simply knowing + On the cross that all was done! + + Peace with God, the blood in heaven + Speaks of pardon now to me: + Peace with God! the Lord is risen! + Righteousness now counts me free. + +When all was finished, the mighty victory over sin, Satan, death and +the grave had been gained, when every foe had been met and fully +conquered, the blessed victor appeared in the midst of His beloved +disciples. It was on "the same day" the day when He arose, when the +mighty power of God opened the grave, on the same day, He suddenly +stood in their midst. The doors were shut. The disciples were full +of fears and doubts. Thomas was not there at all. All at once their +eyes beheld Him once more who had been crucified, had died and was +buried. "Peace be unto you!" This heavenly greeting came from His +lips and soothed their sorrows, cleared their doubts and dispelled +their fears. And He who stood thus in their midst was the same whom +Gideon had seen and who answered His fears with "Peace be unto you; +fear not" (Judges vi:23). Jehovah is peace; He is our peace. On the +glad and glorious resurrection day the gracious Lord appeared in +their midst and proclaimed peace to them. But He also showed them +His hands and His side. The marks of the nails and of the spear were +seen there. They are the evidences of His death for His people. But +He who was dead is risen and lives evermore. Ah! that is peace! The +Christ who died for our sins, who is risen and is in God's own +presence is our peace. Would we enjoy that peace in a greater sense +and have it more real, then let us just have Himself, the Person as +the object of our hearts. "Then were the disciples glad, when they +saw the Lord." Nothing could make them glad aside from the Lord +Himself. Alas! that some of God's people try to find joy and peace +in their service, experiences, knowledge of truth. Dear souls, it is +the Lord only, who gives us peace and gladness. + +But the blessed legacy of our Lord is not so much the peace with +God, as it is "His own peace." The peace which He possessed while on +earth, that peace like a majestic river, ever flowing on in silence +with not a moment's interruption. His own peace, He bequeathed to +His own. What a peace was His! What restfulness the divinely +reported scenes of that blessed life breathe! We have written before +on His patience, His joy and His love, the love which passeth +knowledge. How much might be written too on "His peace." But not +half could ever be told. What calmness we see wherever we look. The +threatening multitudes did not disturb Him, nor did the fierce storm +on the Galilean sea; peacefully He rested in sleep, while the angry +waves tossed the little ship aside and the terror-stricken disciples +awoke Him. They cried "Lord, save us; we perish." And then His eyes +opened and in loving tenderness He said unto them, "Why are ye so +fearful, O ye of little faith?" _Then_ He arose and rebuked the +winds and the sea and there was a great calm. Ah! poor human heart! +how canst thou ever doubt with such a Lord at thy side! + +And this peace which was His constant portion, was the result of a +constant communion with God. His meat and drink was to do the will +of Him that sent Him. That calm, unruffled peace was the fruit of +His constant trust in God and dependence on Him. And this peace He +wants us to enjoy. In a world full of tribulation, anxiety and care, +a world full of increasing evils, conflicts and sufferings, He wants +us to have His own peace. The enjoyment of this peace of our Lord +Jesus Christ depends on our communion with God and the realization +of our union with Him. On that blessed evening of the resurrection +day the Lord spoke a second time, "Peace be unto you." Why should He +repeat the same greeting? The words which follow explain this. "As +my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John xx:22). As +Christians saved by grace and in Christ we are sent by Him as He was +sent by the Father. As we realize this and walk under Him, as we set +the Lord always before our eyes and our life's aim is to do _His_ +will and not our own, to please Him and not ourselves, to serve Him +and not man, to let Him plan and not we ourselves, to be nothing +instead of something, to be in the dust instead of exalted, then +shall we enjoy His legacy "His own peace." He wants us to have it. +He wants us to be kept in perfect peace. Are we willing to have it? +And what else honors our absent Lord more than a life which +manifests His peace. What pleases the Father more than to behold His +children reminding Him by their lives of dependence and peace, the +result of the rest of faith, of His own blessed Son. And the Holy +Spirit, who produces all this in us will ever lead us on in the +fuller enjoyment of the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. + +We must expect in the coming days greater tests of faith, greater +conflicts, greater trials. It cannot be otherwise in these perilous +times. We must not expect anything else. But He can and will keep +us. "Thou wilt keep him in _perfect peace_, whose mind is stayed on +Thee, because He trusteth in Thee." And ere long the God of peace +will bruise Satan completely under our feet. What joy--oh what joy +awaits us when we shall see Him face to face, who is our peace. + + "They that trust Him wholly + Find Him wholly true." + "Our God is able." + + + +What have I to Do With idols? + + +MUCH is said in reproof of Ephraim by the prophet Hosea. All the +wicked dealings and defilement of Ephraim is uncovered--and the +Lord said: "I will be unto Ephraim as a lion." Again Jehovah said: +"Ephraim is like a cake not turned." "Ephraim is like a silly dove +without heart." "Ephraim hath made many altars to sin." "Ephraim is +joined to idols, let him alone." But all reproof and chastisement +did not bring Ephraim back. Nothing seemed to be able to draw +Ephraim's heart away from the idols. At the close of the Prophet +Hosea, however, Ephraim is made to speak and a significant word it +is. "Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I +have heard Him, and observed Him; I am like a green fir tree. From +me is thy fruit found" (xiv:8). + +A familiar yet blessed truth is contained in this statement. Ephraim +dealt with by judgments after the severe rebukes of the Lord could +not let go the idols. Joined to idols, the Lord said, "Let him +alone." But the day was to come when Ephraim would willingly forsake +all idols and cry out, "What have I any more to do with idols?" And +what brought about Ephraim's conversion? Ephraim heard Him and +observed Him. The sight of the Lord, His love and tenderness, His +patience and kindness beheld in faith, was enough for Ephraim to +forsake all idols and cleave to Him alone. Thus Ephraim became like +a green fir tree. + +And this is still true to-day. There is no other way to be separated +from idols and walk wholly with the Lord than Ephraim's way. Why are +God's people joined to idols? Why are Christians half-hearted, +conformed to this present evil age, given to covetousness, which is +idolatry (Col. iii:5)? There is but one answer. Our hearts do not +listen to that blessed voice, which delights to speak to those who +belong to Him. Our eyes do not look upon Him in all His glory and +beauty. We lose sight of Him who is altogether lovely. Our minds +instead of being occupied with the things of Christ are centered +upon earthly things. Our thoughts are so little brought into +captivity to the obedience of Christ and are controlled by our own +imaginations and the spirit of the times. There is no other way of +being delivered from idols, from everything which would draw us +away from Himself and all which hinders from giving to Him the +pre-eminence. That way is heart occupation with our Lord, conscious +communion with Him through His Word in the power of His Spirit. We +must hear Him, we must observe Him. Then He appears to our hearts in +all His lowliness, in all His majesty and glory, and that vision +will be enough to disgust us with the playthings of the dust and He +will become the supreme object of our lives. There is no other way +to practical holiness than hearing Him and observing Him. + + Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him? + Is not thine a captured heart? + "Chief among ten thousand" own Him, + Joyful choose the better part. + + Idols once they won thee, charmed thee, + Lovely things of time and sense; + Gilded, thus does sin disarm thee, + Honey'd lest thou turn thee thence. + + What has stript the seeming beauty + From the idols of the earth? + Not the sense of right or duty, + But the sight of peerless worth. + + Not the crushing of those idols, + With its bitter void and smart, + But the beaming of His beauty, + The unveiling of His heart. + + Who extinguishes their taper + Till they hail the rising sun? + Who discards the garb of winter + Till the summer has begun? + + 'Tis that look that melted Peter, + 'Tis that face that Stephen saw, + 'Tis that heart that wept with Mary. + Can alone from idols draw-- + + Draw, and win, and _fill completely_, + Till the cup o'erflow the brim; + What have we to do with idols, + Who have companied with Him? + +Reader! Gaze afresh in that lovely face of transcendent beauty. +Think of His great love for you, His never-changing love, His +eternal love. Follow the dictates of that new nature Grace has given +to you and have the Lord constantly before your eyes and heart. +Anything less will lead you to idols. What have I to do any more +with idols? I have heard Him and observed Him. + + + +The Never Changing One. + + +"JESUS Christ the same yesterday, and to-day and forever" (Heb. +xiii:8). Blessed truth and precious assurance for us poor, weak +creatures, yea, among all His creatures the most changing; _He_ +changeth not. "For I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. iii:6). "Of +old hast Thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are +the work of Thy hands. They shall all perish, but Thou shalt endure: +yea all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt +Thou change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, +and Thy years shall have no end" (Psalm cii:25-27 and Heb. i:10-12). +The above blessed statement puts Him before our hearts as the +unchanging Son of God, the solid rock of ages. It is a verse which +is like Himself, infinite, inexhaustible. Our adorable Lord is here +mentioned as having a past, a present and a future, a yesterday, +to-day and a forever. This Epistle at the close of which we find this +word gives us a definition of the yesterday, the today and the +forever of the Son of God. He is the true God; He had never the +beginning of days, a yesterday, a past without a beginning. By Him +the worlds were made. He is the effulgence of His glory and the +expression of His substance (Heb. i:3). His yesterday is Eternity; +His goings forth are from old, from everlasting (Micah v:2). And in +that yesterday, in the bosom of the Father, the great plan of +redemption was blessedly known. Oh! what a love that knew all and +was ever ready to give all to carry out that wonderful scheme. +"Wherefore coming into the world, He says, sacrifice and offering +Thou willedst not; but Thou hast prepared me a body. Thou hadst no +pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said, Lo, +I come, in the roll of the book it is written of me, to do, O God, +Thy will" (Heb. x:5-7). And then He came to manifest the eternal +love of God. He came in the form of a servant; He, whose yesterday +is eternity, was made a little lower than the angles (Heb. ii:9). +And while on earth He was the same as in eternity. He showed His +power as the Creator, over nature, disease and death. Though in +humiliation, the Son of God had Glory, yet it was hidden. How +blessed it is to trace His way while on earth and what love, mercy, +patience, meekness, humility, peace and much more we find here. And +then His great work of redemption. It behooved Him in all things to +be made like unto "His brethren, that He might be a merciful and +faithful high priest in things relating to God to make propitiation +for the sins of the people (Heb. ii:7). Who in the days of His flesh +having offered up both supplications and entreaties to Him, who was +able to save Him out of death; with strong crying and tears (having +been heard because of His piety); though He were Son yet learned +obedience from the things He suffered; and having been perfected, +became to all of them that obey Him, author of eternal salvation" +(v:7-10). In His yesterday He made purification of sins; He put away +sin by sacrificing Himself. He fulfilled the eternal will of God, by +which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body +of Jesus Christ once for all. + +And this Epistle likewise speaks of His "today," the Present of +Himself. His "to-day" began with the opened tomb, that blessed, +glorious resurrection morn. He is the great shepherd of the sheep +brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ (xiii:20). He is +the appointed heir of all things, on the right hand of the majesty +on high, taking a place so much better than the angels, as He +inherits a name more excellent than they (Heb. i:3-5). He is +addressed by God as high priest according to the order of +Melchisedec (v:10). We gaze into the opened heavens and we see Jesus +who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of +death, crowned with glory and honor (ii:9). Now a summary of the +things of which we are speaking is: We have such a one high priest +who has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in +the heavens; minister of the holy places and the true tabernacle, +which the Lord has pitched and not man (vii:1). He has a priesthood +unchangeable. Whence also He is able to save to the uttermost those +who approach by Him to God, always living to intercede for them +(viii:25). For the Christ is not entered into holy places made with +hands, figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in +the presence of God for us (ix:24). But, He having offered one +sacrifice for sins, sat down in perpetuity at the right hand of God, +waiting from henceforth until His enemies are made His footstool +(x:12). Such and much more is His "to-day." All power in heaven and +on earth is given to Him. + +His "forever" will begin when He leaves the Father's throne and when +He is brought into the world again, when all things are to be +subjected under His feet and He will be in the fullest exercise of +His Melchisedec priesthood, a priest upon His throne. And in all, +yesterday, in the days of His humiliation, to-day upon the Father's +throne as our advocate and priest, in His glorious future, upon His +own throne He is the same, the mighty Jehovah, who changeth not, the +Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. He is the unmovable +rock, no storms, no changes can move the rock upon which we stand, +and though heaven and earth pass away neither He, the living, +eternal Word, nor His written Word will change. + +His power, His grace, His love, His patience, is kindness, His +sympathy is ever the same towards His own beloved people, who have +trusted in Him and share His life. Having loved His own, who are in +the world, and loved them to the end (John xiii:1); and that end is +eternity. In the beginning of the last book of the Bible, we hear +the voice of the Holy Spirit in the church, worshipping Him, in that +matchless outburst "Unto Him that loved us and has washed us from +our sins in His own blood." But it does not say "loved," but it +reads "Unto Him that _loveth_ us." The love He has for His own is an +abiding, an unchanging love. Oh to think more of that love, that +changeless love, which passeth knowledge! And how true it is what a +saint has sung long ago: + + "Oh! I am weary of my love, + That doth so little t'wards Thee move; + Yet do I constantly groan, + To know the depth of all Thine own. + + That groan, sweet Spirit, is from Thee, + Nor self-begotten e'er can be; + No natural heart, oh Lord, of mine + Could long to lose itself in Thine. + + O love of loves, for me that died; + The love of Jesus crucified! + Who lowly took His part with me, + That I as _one_ with Him might be. + + Loved, and for ever on Thy throne + Adored, and loved, Thou changeless One; + Thou wilt thro' one eternal day, + The height and depth of all display." + + Meanwhile, Thou precious, wondrous Lamb + Content--at least with this I am, + To count my love too mean to own, + And know but Thine--"_Thy love alone_." + +And yet how often we doubt that love and by fear, when we have come +short or fallen in sin, insult that mighty changeless love. How +often, too, when trials are upon us and we suffer, we lose sight of +Him, the unchanging One, who loves His own to the end, and deep down +in the heart there is unrest, anxiety, as if some evil could come +upon us. Our weakness, our imperfections, our failures and our sins +do not change His love and His grace. + +As He was yesterday with His own and kept them, carried them, was +their strength, their help, their refuge and their safe hiding +place, their peace and their comfort, so is He to-day, so will He be +forever. And in faith we can bring it stiller nearer to our hearts. +He is for each the same loving, sympathizing, caring, interested +Saviour, Friend and Lord. He who helped you yesterday, whose love +was about you in the past, who has not left you since He found you +for a single moment, is the same to-day, and will never be anything +less. He will keep each member of His body, He will carry, He will +lead onward, and with His unchanging love and power deal with each, +as it pleases Him. Oh that we might cast ourselves more upon Him and +spend the remainder of our days here (how few indeed!) in a more +utter dependence upon Him, trusting Him, the changeless One. Oh for +a closer walk with Him in these evil days and to taste more of His +love, His unchanging love. How happy, restful, without care and +anxiety God's people _might_ be if only their hearts were fixed upon +Him who is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. Alas! how often +the things seen are more real to us as the real things, the things +unseen. What a joy it ought to be to our hearts to follow Him now, +to learn over and over again that He is the same, who changeth not, +to find His power and strength as of old manifested in behalf of His +beloved people. + + + +Be of Good Cheer. + + +"BE of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matthew xiv:27). + +"Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God believe also in +Me. In my father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I +would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to +prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto +myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John xiv:1-3). + +"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world +giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let +it be afraid" (John xiv:27). + +"In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I +have overcome the world" (John xvi:33). + +"Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me +where I am" (John xvii:24). + +"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age" (Matthew +xxviii:20). + +"He hath said I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews +xiii:5). + +"Fear not, I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth and was +dead and behold I am alive forevermore, amen; and I have the keys of +hades and of death" (Rev. i:17, 18). + +"Behold I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man +take thy crown" (Rev. iii:11). + +"Surely I come quickly. Amen" (Rev. xxii.20). + +These precious words of comfort and cheer came from His loving heart +and lips. May we take hold of them. How well it is to remember His +words and Himself. How worthy He is; the mighty, the loving, the +adorable Lord! How He loveth us His own, how He careth for us, is +mindful of us and carrieth us, no heart can fully understand, no pen +describe. How He came from heaven's glory long ago, how He the One, +who was rich, became poor for our sakes and died on the cross, that +we might share eternal riches and glory with Him, is the old story, +which never grows old. It is as fresh and new to the believing heart +as it ever has been. And He who bought us with His own blood, loveth +and carrieth us His poor, weak and sinning people with such love and +infinite patience. The past years of our Christian lives, so all of +us must confess, have been filled with many failures. But as we come +to Him with our failures, our sins, our burdens, we find Him the +same loving, tender Saviour. Ah! who can measure the depths of His +love! He will never cease loving those, who have accepted him as +their Saviour and whom He has accepted as His own. In His gracious +hands we are and all His people. The hands which were pierced for us +on the cross are over us and about us. They carry us, guide us, hold +us and keep us. We are His and nothing can separate us from Him in +time and in eternity. With a joyful heart we can say "I am my +Beloved's and His desire is toward me." + + O Lord! 'tis sweet the thought + That Thou art mine! + But brighter still the joy + That I am Thine. + +Oh, dear Christian readers, how happy we might be if only all this +were constantly real to our hearts and our minds were occupied with +that blessed, glorious One. What joy and blessing we will have, if +we walk closer with the Lord and live that life to which we have +been called, live by the faith of the Son of God. + +And the words He left us are just like Himself, Love, Hope and +Comfort. There is nothing to fear for one who is in Him. He would +have His beloved people free from all fear, anxiety and care. Twice +He has told us "Let not your heart be troubled." "Fear not!" "Be not +afraid!" How much these words mean if we consider Him who spoke +them. They must calm every fear and lift the trusting child of God +over all the dark and difficult things on the way. The blessed words +we have quoted are the never failing comfort for His people till +they are gathered in His own presence. + +The greatest anodyne, however, He has given to us, the anodyne for +all pains and sorrows, griefs and perplexities is the blessed Hope. +"I will come again and receive you unto myself" was spoken long ago, +and yet it is still unfulfilled. Almost the last petition of His +great high-priestly prayer is the petition to have His own with +Himself in the Father's house. "Father, I will that they also, whom +Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." This prayer is still +unanswered. "Behold I come quickly" are His own words in the third +chapter of Revelation, words so full of meaning for us, exhorting us +to hold fast what we have. And in the very end of the Book, almost +the last word of the Bible is the last word He ever spoke. "_Surely_ +I come quickly. Amen." He has not spoken again after this last +utterance, so full of assurance. The next time His blessed voice +will speak will be when He comes into the air and gives the mighty +shout (1 Thess. iv:16) which will call the saints from their graves +and ourselves from earth's sorrow together with them to meet Him in +the air. That blessed Hope is the great anodyne, the soothing as +well as inspiring truth of the Bible, which stands next to and in +closest relation with the Gospel. That blessed Hope is an imminent +Hope. How cheerless it would be to think that the Lord cannot come +for many years, that He cannot fulfill His blessed promise. How +cheerless, yea, how depressing and discouraging it would be if it +were true that the true believers must pass through the great +tribulation, suffer under Antichrist, taste of the wrath, which will +then be poured out. Such an expectation would not be a blessed Hope, +but a depressing outlook. But blessed be God this is not the +teaching of the Word, but only the invention of man. We are not to +wait for the apostasy, the great tribulation, great earthquakes and +disasters, but for Himself. He may come at any time and call us into +His presence. To wait daily for Him is the true Christian attitude, +which is a mighty power in the Christian life, walk and service. How +we shall be weaned away from the passing things of this age, how we +shall look upon all in its true light and be faithful witnesses for +our Lord, if we walk in this daily expectation of meeting Him. And +this we need. The Lord Jesus Christ must become more real to our +hearts. Our fellowship with Him, our trust in Him, our walk in Him, +our waiting for Him, all must become more real. The Holy Spirit in +His power will accomplish this in our lives. In the awful darkness, +which is settling upon this age, only such can abide faithful who +cling closer to the Lord and who wait for His coming. The Lord grant +this to all His people. + + He'll come again, + And prove our hope not vain; + We wait the moment, oh, so fair; + To rise and meet Him in the air; + His heart, His home, His throne to share-- + O wondrous love! + + + +Make Haste. + + +THE little book called Solomon's Song, in the Hebrew "the Song of +Songs," because it exalts and describes the Bridegroom, closes with +that longing cry, "Make Haste my Beloved." How this applies +dispensationally we do not follow here. It is the same desire for +Himself, which is found almost the last thing in the Bible, the +great prayer, "Even so come Lord Jesus." The soul which knows Him, +follows closely after Him, and gets daily more of Himself will ever +long for Him and for His Coming. The desire and prayer will arise +many times each day from such a heart, "Make Haste my Beloved" +--"Even so, come Lord Jesus." The Holy Spirit ungrieved and unhindered +in the believer will not alone produce this desire, but keep it +alive in the soul and make it more intense. One may hold the Second +Coming of Christ in a mere intellectual way; there is no profit in +that. The blessed Hope must have its seat in the heart and +affection. It is therefore a good test of our spiritual state. If +our hearts are crying more for Him, longing to be with the Beloved, +and we daily sigh for Himself to come and take us home, we are then +certainly walking in the Spirit. Such a desire will also lead us +into holiness of life and true service for Him. And as we look about +us at the condition of things, surely only the Coming of our Lord +appears to be the remedy. Nothing less than that event can arrest +the dreadful conditions and bring the long promised deliverance. +"The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until +now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first +fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, +waiting for the adoption, the redemption of the body" (Rom. viii:22-23). +What a day it will be when at last He descends into the air to +call His own, His Beloved together! What a day it will be when +together with those who are raised from their graves we shall be +caught up in clouds to meet HIM in the sky! What a day when He +purges the earth by fire and comes with all His Saints to reign. +Make haste! Even so, come Lord Jesus! + + Lord Jesus, come! + And take Thy people home; + That all Thy flock, so scattered here, + With Thee in glory may appear. + Lord Jesus, come! + "Soon the day-dawn will be breaking + And the shadows flee away; + Now, by faith, in joy and gladness, + I await the coming day, + For I know my soul is safely + Hidden in His wounded side; + And anon He sweetly tells me + I shall soon be satisfied. + + Lo! He tells me _now_ His secret, + Cheering with His heavenly smile; + Telling me, in love's low whisper, + It is but 'a little while;' + Yes, for soon, to brightest glory, + He will fetch away His bride; + Then I'll shine in His own likeness, + And be ever satisfied!" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lord of Glory, by Arno Gaebelein + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LORD OF GLORY *** + +***** This file should be named 29557.txt or 29557.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/5/5/29557/ + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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