THE wall in our illustration, battlemented and turreted, is a portion of the northern wall of modern Jerusalem. The portal in the wall is also modern. It is called the Damascus Gate. It is the end of Damascus Street, which runs from the center of the town to the northern wall, separating the “Christian” portion of the city from the Mohammedan quarter.
THE view of our illustration seems to be from the north, outside the wall. About a dozen sheep, meekly following their shepherd, three foot persons, broken walls, and scattered stone—all speak eloquently of departed glory. Jerusalem that is, is in bondage with her children. No promises to Israel will be effectual to restore her greatness when the faith of Israel is wanting. No lineal flesh-and-blood descendants will again reign on David’s throne, who are not born again. No human wall so high or strong but will crumble when the righteousness of God again shakes the earth.
THE condition of Israel’s continuance as a nation, according to the flesh, is thus set forth by the prophet:—
“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, can not I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in Mine hand, O house of Israel.
“At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
“And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in My sight, that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.” Jer. 18:5-10.
The above words are specially addressed to Israel, tho they are just as applicable to other nations; for “God is no respecter of persons.” Israel’s planting and building and permanent establishment depended upon the nation’s being in harmony with God and His eternal purposes. And when God’s purpose was rejected by that nation, the plucking up, the pulling down, and the destruction inevitably followed.
THE descendants of Jacob, like the people of to-day, possessed the belief—born of desire and fostered by national pride—that Israel as a nation should stand forever; that irrespective of character or condition it would be so. It was because of this that the opposite was stated so emphatically by John the Baptist and Jesus. Said the former to them: “Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance; and think ‘not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father;’ for I ‘say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto2‘Abraham. And even now is the ax laid unto the root of the trees; ‘every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, ‘and cast into the fire.’” Matt. 3:8-10. How more conclusively could be stated the only conditions on which the Jews could continue God’s people!
OUR Lord carries it farther still. He tells the Jews that, tho descended from Abraham, they were not even Abraham’s children in truth. They said: “We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man.” Jesus said to them: “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant [of sin] abideth not in the house forever, but the Son abideth ever.” But they say again, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus replied: “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. . . . Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” John 8:32-44.
BE not deceived. The true children are the children of character. The true Israel are the prevalers with God. The true seed of Abraham are those of the faith of Abraham, whether Jew or Gentile. The true Jerusalem is the new Jerusalem above, the mother of us all. No national ordinances, no human descent, no city wall, no boundary line of earth, no human creed, constitutes separation unto God. The mightiest wall which can be built around any soul of earth is the favor of God, vouchsafed to every soul who will yield to Him, obedient to His law through Jesus Christ. Walls of cities in this sin-cursed earth often prove traps of destruction to those who vainly trust in their seeming security. But those whose names are written in the glorious city above shall call her “walls Salvation, and her gates Praise.”
THE lesson is obvious, dear soul, whoever you are. God’s law is the law of thy life. Transgressed, it is inevitable death. Observed by faith in Christ Jesus, it is strength and salvation. May these few reflections, as we pause by the perishing wall of stone and the Damascus Gate, lead us to put our trust, not in the human, but in the Lord Jehovah, in whom is “everlasting strength.”
