THE old ship Zion is nearing the end of its voyage. The haven of eternal refuge is almost in sight. The climax of the contest between good and evil is near at hand. Soon we believe we shall see Him whom we have loved coming in the clouds of heaven to seal the gift of eternal life to His faithful and to put an end to the activities of sin.
Herbert Small, Pty. Ltd.
This is not a shadowy illusion, based on human desire, feeding the anxious hearts of men with the husks of a false hope. It is the very certainty of certainties. Its foundation rests upon the irrevocable word of Him who created all that our eyes behold. The promise of our Lord’s return and His assurance of victory over sin are the very338bread of life to the hungry souls of men.
One day some will say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.” Isa. 25:9. The clash of nations and the uncontrollable drive of events show that this generation is in the grip of forces that will not yield nor slacken until the contest is ended. It is the death grip of the powers of righteousness and iniquity; and the pen that writes history today writes the fulfilment of prophecy.
IN view of these facts, the greatest blessing that can come to any soul is to receive a knowledge of God’s message for this time. They who accept it enter into the inheritance of eternity. They become joint heirs with Jesus Christ to “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away”; and they who bring to their attention this saving truth become “workers together with Him” and sharers in His joy. The “Well done,” spoken by the lips of our Saviour to those who have done this, will be the sweetest words to which human ears have ever listened. The hardships endured and the rebuffs suffered which may seem like mountains now, will seem as nothing then. Says the writer of the Epistle to the Romans:—
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. 8:18.
We sometimes are tempted to feel that we are doing considerable for the Lord’s cause, making considerable sacrifice; but when we view these “sacrifices” in the light of the accomplished victory, and see what our eternal gains are there as compared with our temporal losses here, we shall be ashamed even to mention them. God’s open-handed liberality toward us compared with our reluctance to give to the forwarding of His last great work in the earth will furnish a picture our mind’s eye will not wish to dwell upon.
GOD emptied heaven of its choicest treasure in order to make us the happy subjects of His realm. Our Saviour, in order that He might know and feel our sorrows, became a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Because we dwell in flesh that is mortal, corruptible, temptable, having in it the accumulated tendencies of centuries of sin, “He also Himself likewise took part of the same.” He “Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Matt. 8:17. This is equivalent to saying that He became one of us. In fact, the Inspired Word makes this very statement: “Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.” And here is the reason for it stated again: “For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.” Heb. 2:14-18. Wonderful provision! Wonderful fairness! Wonderful justice! Wonderful love! All this was done for our good—not that we might have no occasion to accuse Him, but that nothing might be left undone in the work of saving men and healing the wounds that sin had made in the household of God.
IT is not possible for us to go through life without feeling the infirmities of the flesh in some degree; and there are many, very many, whose pain-racked bodies are a continual testimony to them of the weakness, frailties, and infirmities of the flesh, till they wonder if God still loves and cares. But God tells us that “we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are.” And again: “In all their afflictions He was afflicted.” If we are children of God, there is no sorrow or pain which we are called to bear but Christ has felt it and bears it with us. He is the kindest physician that ever ministered to the woes and ills of humanity. He feels our infirmities and bears our diseases. Never doubt it again; but thank Him that He does know and feel and care.
HAVE we felt the pangs of hunger? He has felt them as we never have. Have we dwelt in poverty, and been spurned by the well-to-do and great of earth? Remember that the Son of God, “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” He became poor that He might make us joint-heirs with Himself in the riches of heaven and in the earth made new. The way has been opened whereby every son and daughter of this world may be taken into that wonderful and blessed partnership. He has done His part to bring that about. Let us thank Him that He has, and then go and do ours.33
If you are a tiller of the soil, remember that as year by year you have planted the seed, God has watered that seed with His rain and warmed it into germination with His sunshine. You sowed, and He multiplied the seed. You planted, and He heaped up, in your cellars and granaries, the increase that fed and clothed you, kept a roof over your head, and a pleasant couch under that roof. You sowed one and God made it thirty; you planted one and God made it fifty; you purchased sheep and cattle, and God gave you food for them, too, and they increased to your account. You laboured in sun and rain and cold to provide for your household; but God alone could make any good come out of all you did. He crowned your efforts with success, filled your ploughed land with waving grain, and your fruit trees with their bounty. There ought to be enough in this to make every tiller of the soil, every herdsman, every husbandman, every soul glad to acknowledge God’s goodness and love, and return Him thanks for the bounties He has bestowed upon man.
BUT these are the temporal things. What of those things that have to do with the great beyond? Without the knowledge of God, we are hopeless, lost. He has provided and set before us the hope of an eternal inheritance in an everlasting kingdom. We were sold under sin; He has redeemed us by His own blood. We were full of sin; He has promised to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity. Sin had burned itself into our very bones; but, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Friends have forsaken us; but He declares, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” We have been through sorrow, affliction, strife, and turmoil; but Christ’s promise is, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.” We are in constant need of help; He has filled His Book with unfailing promises of help for us in every time of trial. And when that great day of days shall come, He will take us under the wings of His protection, and hide us from everything that could do us harm.
What thanks are due Him! All we have that is justly in our keeping, came from Him; and all that Christ is heir to He has promised we shall share with Him. When we have truly thanked Him for all His great and marvellous gifts to us, we shall only have begun to understand how much there is to thank Him for. And when we have learned somewhat of that, our sacrifices and losses and gifts in this present world will occupy but a small place in our estimation. Let us put a right estimate upon things of a temporal nature, and not permit the nearness of the temporalities to blind our eyes to the true value of the eternal riches.
