DECEMBER 12, 2023

 “He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.” (Psalm 147:9)

It is said by credible authorities that the raven feeds his young ones in the nest until they are well-fledged and able to fly, then he thrusts them out of the nest. He does not allow them to abide there but makes them provide their own living. As soon as the young ones are able to provide for themselves, they must fetch their own food. As they are not allowed to return to their original home, they must wander, and necessity makes for industry.

Now, when the young ravens are faced with this necessity, while yet lacking in ability, who provides for them? According to our verse, it is God their Creator who comes to their aid. Of course, it is He Who provides for all His creatures, whatever their circumstances, but the text suggests something more, some special intervention as He responds to the cry of the young, desperate raven who has only recently acquired its feathers, and who wanders for lack of food.

Lessons are to be learned from God’s creatures, especially how He provides for them, often through their own instincts and industry. Solomon sent the sluggard to study the ant. He himself took lessons from badgers, greyhounds, and even spiders. We can be sure that we need of the same lessons that others have learned from nature. Let us therefore go to the raven’s nest for some schooling.

Our blessed Lord once derived a very powerful argument from ravens, an argument that was, like our present texts, intended to cheer and comfort anxious souls. “Consider the ravens,” He said, “for they neither sow nor reap…and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” Using the Master’s logic, let us consider “the young raven when they cry,” with harsh croakings that call attention to their wants. Just like a loving mother hears the cry of her infant child when it is feeding time, God hears the cry of the young ravens. Now, let us again apply Jesus’ logic: does our heavenly Father hear the cry of ravens, while turning a deaf ear to the desperate cries of His children? Are you not much better than them?

What is it that you have been crying out to God for? Perhaps someone has been crying out for mercy but, as yet, has not received the answer. Perhaps you have been in agony for a long time, and yet have not known the way of peace. Your sin is still dragging you down, you still sit in darkness, and no light has dawned upon you. Has God forgotten to be gracious? Does He not hear your cry? Satan tells you that your case is hopeless, and God will not hear you. You must not listen to the devil. You must, instead, cry yet more vehemently than ever. Come to the cross, lay hold of it, and vow that you will never leave its shadow until you find the blessing that your soul desires. Make Jacob’s vow your own, and say, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” (Gen. 32:26)

Here, then, is the question at hand: Since God hears the young ravens when they cry, will He hear you? The answer is that He will, and the reason (at least the chief reason) is that you are much better than a raven. The raven is, after all, only a raven, an unclean bird that, should it die, along with a thousand others just like it, would cause no great gap in creation. The event would not occasion any great grief or sorrow. You, however, are an immortal soul, created in the image and likeness of God. When the raven dies, its life is over – it is no more. But when your present life is past, you will not have ceased to be. Once life was begun, and you became a living soul, you were set on a course that shall never end – a course that, unless God hears your cry, will be one of everlasting misery.

Think not that our gracious and merciful God will hear the cry of a raven and refuse to hear the cry of one who is made in His own likeness.

DECEMBER 7, 2023

 “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31)

During Jesus’ ministry, He specifically told the Twelve that men would drag them before courts and flog them but they were to teach their oppressors about Him anyway. This is precisely what Peter is doing here. Jesus also told them not to worry about what to say because the Holy Spirit would give them the right words.

Peter’s words go far beyond the Sanhedrin’s initial concern about resurrection and popularity. The Greek root word archēgos, used in the original text, can be translated as “prince,” or “captain,” or even “pioneer” or “founder.” Some translations use “author” to translate this same word in Hebrews 12:2. Peter is directly accusing the Sanhedrin of executing the One who originated the Jewish people and promised to save them, not only killing Him but defiling Him by hanging Him from a tree.

With that accusation, it’s no wonder the council can’t hear Peter’s call for repentance. God raised Jesus from the dead, and His death and resurrection provide how they can repent of their sins and receive forgiveness from God. Before too long, some of the priests will repent and follow Jesus. Right now, they can’t get over the audacious claim that the heretic they had crucified is sitting in a place of honor at God’s side.

Jesus has been exalted and raised on high, being called the “Prince.” The title “Prince” or “King” was often applied to the Messiah. It denotes that He has dominion and power, especially the power needed to give repentance and the pardon of sins. The word repentance here is equivalent to reformation or a change of life. In the text, it is said that He provides this repentance “to Israel,” but His office was not to be confined to only Jews of Israel. Other passages show that it would be extended to the Gentiles. The reasons why Jews are specified here are probably because the Messiah was long promised to the Jewish people, and His first work was there; and because Peter was addressing Jews, and how He was particularly desirous of leading them to repentance or the pardon of sin, an act which can be performed only by God.

His exaltation is evidence that His work was accepted and that thus a foundation is laid by which repentance is available and may be connected with pardon. Unless there was some way of “forgiveness,” sorrow for sin would be of no value, even at all. He is entrusted with all power in heaven and earth to apply His work to people or bring them to repentance. Jesus has authority in this state at God’s right hand over all that can affect the mind. He sends His ministers; He directs the events of sickness, disappointment, health, or prosperity that will influence the heart.

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DECEMBER 5, 2023

 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?” (Romans 11:33, 34)

In thus concluding the discussion of those deep and unsearchable subjects which in the former parts of this Epistle have engaged his attention, Paul most emphatically intimates the impossibility of comprehending the infinitude of the Divine attributes. But far from judging, like many, that we have nothing to do with such mysteries, he delighted to discourse on the glorious perfections of Jehovah as displayed in these doctrines. And, as they bear most directly on the state and security of Christians, he designates them in the beginning of the next chapter, “the mercies of God,” involving all blessings in store for God’s people and constituting the foundation and support of all his exhortations to practical duty.

Paul, by no means, denies that these great truths are, as the Apostle Peter noted, “hard to be understood.” On the contrary, he intimates the absolute impossibility of giving utterance to the boundless, unfathomable, incomprehensibility of the Divine attributes as manifested in God’s dealings with the children of men.

If this great Apostle, enjoying as he did such unparalleled privileges, favored with such “abundance of revelation,” and writing under the dictation of the Holy Spirt, was compelled to confess that the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God were unsearchable, how vain and idle are all the speculations and conjectures of human wisdom on the subject! The judgments of the Lord must, like their Author, be infinite, and consequently, can neither be measured nor ascertained by finite creatures further than they are revealed from the fountain of light. The wisest of men need counsel from others. The angels, we are told “desire to look into” the wonderful works of their Creator, in order to increase their knowledge, but the majesty of God stands alone in the universe. He needs no counselor. Well might the Apostle in the contemplation of the majesty of God, and the unsearchable riches of His wisdom and knowledge exclaim, “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?”

The same question was put to Job when the Lord answered him out of the whirlwind. He was in a moment humbled in the dust. “I know,” said he, “that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore I have uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.” To the same effect also the Psalmist David appeals to the Lord in the 131st Psalm, “LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.”

The Apostle, in addition to what he had declared of the unsearchableness of the Lord’s judgment, adds, as another reason why man should cease proudly to challenge the proceeding of his Maker, “Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” He thus at once declares the spring of all out knowledge, and consequently our inability to pursue our inquiries beyond the bounds of revelation. We are also reminded how utterly impossible it is for a creature to bring his Creator under obligations. How absurd must it then be to speak of the merit of our good works.

The conclusion to which the Apostle arrives by all these considerations is expressed in the last verse of the Chapter. “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

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NOVEMBER 30, 2023

 “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

The parables were teaching tools often used by Jesus to break down challenging Spiritual concepts into easily accessible terms. These were often applicable to things that the audience at the time dealt with and are still highly relevant today. Jesus uses two parables in this chapter to illustrate a state of constant readiness for His return after He has gone. His followers should be working for Him while they wait. They must not be like the foolish young women who missed a wedding feast because they forgot oil for their lamps. They must be like the servants who doubled their master’s investments while He was away. Jesus concludes with a third descriptive passage, showing how He will judge between the righteous and evil when He returns as King.

Matthew 25:14-30 compares the kingdom of heaven to three servants of a wealthy master. Each was given resources – the master’s assets – and commanded to do business with them while he was away. Two servants apply the supplied funds and double the sums the master leaves with them. They are richly rewarded when he comes back. The third servant buries the money and does nothing with it out of supposed fear of the master. The master condemns his laziness and evil, casting him out. Jesus’ servants must work diligently for Him while waiting for His return, not wasting the talents and resources they have been given.

The parable is meant to instruct Jesus’ servants on how to live while awaiting His return. The master in the story left town after giving these three servants large sums of tradable “cash.” These are counted using the measure of “talents.” A single talent might have been as much as a common laborer could earn in twenty years. Now, the master has returned, after a long time, to see what they had done with the money that He had entrusted to them.

The first servant makes his report, having used his master’s five talents to earn another five talents. The master trusted the servant with great wealth and the servant earned the equivalent wealth for his master.

Now, the master responds. He calls the man a good and faithful servant and tells him, “Well done,” rewarding him in two ways. First, he tells the servant that because he has been faithful over little, he will make him responsible for much more. Second, he welcomes the servant to share in his own personal joy. In other words, the master includes the servant in a closer connection to himself, managing more of his own estate and walking in a joyful relationship with him.

Jesus shows that those who use what He gives them to increase what is His will also be rewarded with more significant opportunities and joy when He returns. We need to use the things we’re given in order to further the kingdom of God, and therefore, we will have the right to enter into the joy of the Lord.

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