SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

“And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? …Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.” (I Samuel 17:26, 45-47)

Saul and the fighting men of Israel drew up to confront the Philistine army when a Philistine champion came out of the crowd. The champion was the giant Goliath of Gath. He towered over the Israelites with his great height and struck fear into their hearts. He called to the army and demanded a champion from among their ranks to come into the valley and fight with him to decide the conflict. In ancient times, it was common practice for an army or nation to name a champion to fight one-on-one against the opposition’s champion. This was done to end the conflict quickly as well as minimize bloodshed. Instead of entire armies battling, it would just be one of two men from either side killed.

We haven’t heard of any plan by the Philistines to do this, so it seems that Goliath hatched and acted upon this plan on his own. He was breathtakingly self-assured and proud. His thought was that he was too mighty to fall. “Who could stand in my way when I’m so tall, my muscles are so big, and my breastplate is so heavy,” he probably thought.

Enter David. The son of Jesse had three older brothers who had chosen to follow Saul and the army into battle. His father tasked him with bringing food to his brothers and the rest of the Israelite army at their encampment. Upon entering, David saw the fearful state that the giant had put the military into, and in verse 26, he expresses the reason for his confidence. He says, “Who does this guy think he is, that he can oppose God’s army?” The source of his resolve was the belief that God will deliver His people, echoed many times in the Psalms.

After making this statement of confidence, word was spread to Saul, who sent for David. He then volunteers to fight the Philistine, but the King counters by claiming, rightfully, that David is just a boy while Goliath has been fighting his entire life. David then tells Saul of a lion and a bear who had attacked his flock of sheep that he had the strength to defeat. He goes on to say, “The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” (Vs. 37)

He then goes into the valley to meet Saul in battle and reaffirm his stated confidence, which we see in verses 45-47. The young boy stands firm while all the grown men in the Israelite army are shaken and afraid. His confidence doesn’t come from his strength and experience. David finds the strength to face the Giant in his God. He says, “This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand…” (Vs. 46) Goliath insulted David, sure, but He openly defied the Lord and His army; for that, he had to pay.

David could confidently strut down the hill and confront Goliath because he knew His God would see him through. This is what fuels David’s resolve. Christians should always be careful when emulating David because he was not perfect; he just served a perfect God (and, based on his writings, he agreed). But, when we face adversity, we should remember the source of David’s confidence: the strength, power, and providence of his Heavenly Father. We should find the fortitude to push forward in our God as David did so many times.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

 “…they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him…and shall be in bitterness for him…”  (Zechariah 12:10)

When sinners receive Jesus Christ, they shall look upon Him as pierced and slain: and the initial result will be bitter repentance. Of all sights, a sight of Jesus crucified is the sweetest; but at the same time, it causes bitterness. This look initiates that Godly sorrow which works repentance unto salvation.

This sight of Christ suffering and bleeding and dying for us brings bitterness, as it should; first, for not having known how Christ so loved us before – that I had been as those who “passed by” unmoved by His sacrifice. For having slighted such love is crime upon crime, of which once convicted, brings great bitterness of soul. Sin, its greatness, and its effect are seen in our own Lord’s cruel death, and this makes us deplore our guilt and His woes. When we see the wrath of God, its justice and terribleness so displayed, we tremble; and as we see His suffering as really our own it should be acknowledged with bitter tears. The hymn writer, John Newton, puts it like this:

“I saw One hanging on a tree,

In agony and blood;

He fixed His languid eyes on me,

As near His cross I stood.”

“My conscience felt and owned the guilt,

And plunged me in despair;

I saw my sins His blood had spilt,

And helped to nail Him there.”

“A second look He gave, which said,

“I freely all forgive;

This blood is for thy ransom paid,

I die that thou mayst live.”

We are reminded of the Apostle Peter, as he was warming himself at the fire of Christ’s enemies on the night of Christ’s great agony. Jesus, as He was being cruelly treated before the high priest, turned and looked at His Apostle, and Peter went out and wept bitterly. For him, it was bitter repentance, but he was forever changed. Never again would he deny his Lord. When we are tempted to dishonor our Lord, or to act in any manner that would bring shame upon our profession of Christ, let us take another look at the cross; and let us feel His eyes looking back at us. The sight of our Savior dying for our sin surely ought to cause bitter sorrow unto repentance.

We must nail our sins to the cross of Christ – fasten them upon the tree on which He suffered. Sin will begin to die within a man at the sight of Christ on the cross, for the cross of Christ accuses sin, shames the sinner, and by a unique virtue destroys the very heart of sin. We must treat sin as Christ was treated when He was made sin for us; we must lift it up and nail it to the cross; we must fasten its hands and feet by repentance, and pierce its heart by Godly sorrow. Note the lyrics of another poem, the title of which is Nails:

“I heard the crowd in Pilate’s Hall, I mark the wrathful mien;

Their shouts of “Crucify” appall, with blasphemy between,

And of that shouting multitude I feel that I am one;

And in that din of voices rude, I recognized my own.”

“I see the scourges tear His back, I see the piercing crown,

And of that crowd who smite and mock, I feel that I am one;

Around yon cross, the throng I see, mocking the Sufferer’s groan,

Yet still my voice it seems to be, as if I mocked alone.”

“Twas I that shed the sacred blood, I nailed Him to the tree,

I crucified the Christ of God, I joined the mockery,

Yet not the less that blood avails to cleanse away my sin,

And not the less that cross prevails to give me peace within.”

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:8-10)

Paul transitions here from discussing what is owed to human authorities, including respect and honor, to what is owed to everyone.  The command to owe no one anything should not necessarily be read as a command to Christians to never borrow money for any reason. The Greek sense is that we should not let any debt remain outstanding. That may be understood as a requirement to always pay what we owe promptly according to whatever agreement we have made with the lender. Or, put another way, to not live lives of constant dependency, borrowing, or unreliability.

Paul’s concern here is not primarily about financial debts, but about our eternal obligation as Christians to love others, including our neighbors. He seems to suggest that the debt of love is one we will never fully repay. Our journey of ‘paying’ love to each other will never truly end.

So, how does our continuous payment of love fulfill the law? Paul is echoing the two greatest commandments of Jesus, to love God and our neighbors (Mark 12:29–31). He demonstrates that Christlike love has the power to inspire us to keep all the other commands in the law.

As an example of the entire law, Paul lists four of the Ten Commandments, those forbidding adultery, murder, stealing, and coveting. Paul then adds the statement, “…and any other command.” This shows that he has in mind all the commands in the law, especially those about human relationships. All those commands can be summed up in “love,” from the command to love your neighbor as you love yourself. You cannot love someone and murder them, cheat on them, steal from them, or covet their belongings. In this way, if we obey the command to love our neighbors, we will fulfill all the other commands by default.

We should note that Paul is not teaching that if we succeed in loving others, we will obtain God’s righteousness on our own. Nor is Paul’s command suggesting that anything that displeases or bothers another is, by definition, unloving. For example, Christians are commanded to speak the truth in love; truths such as the reality of our sins are sometimes hard to hear. Paul means that acts of love – in and of themselves – are not a source of harm. When we act for others’ best interests, we do nothing to harm them.
The last five of the Ten Commandments are all encapsulated in this royal law, “…thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Leviticus 19:18) This command is not to be taken lightly. It requires us to love our neighbor with the same sincerity that we love ourselves. Those who love their neighbor as themselves will naturally desire the welfare of others. This is the foundation of the golden rule of doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Love is not just a passive feeling, but a living, active principle of obedience to the entire law. Let us not only avoid causing harm to others, but actively seek to be helpful in every station of life.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

 “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12)

What would you think of a farmer who allowed his finest fields to lie fallow year after year? Yet men neglect their souls; and besides being unprofitable, these inward fields become grown over with weeds and full of thorns and thistles. Men and women see to everything else about their life – all of the temporal parts of their being, and yet the eternal, never-dying soul goes unattended. It is treated as if it is of little worth, while in truth, it is greater in value than the entire world. (Mark 8:36)

It is the Lord who calls you to stop neglecting this field, which is the very essence of your being. God set man apart from all other creatures, by breathing His life into his nostrils, making man a living soul. He made man a self-conscious, thinking being, which shall never cease to be. Someone quipped, “I’ve gotten myself into life, and I cannot get out of it.” That quote expresses a vital fact: the soul of man shall never die. Surely the soul should be our first priority. Yet men seem to invariably put the soul last. It is God Himself Who must call out the horrible slight.

While Christ calls, it is not too late to repent and correct the potentially deadly neglect. But, someone may say, “Is there not a day in which the door of grace may be shut?” Though that may be true, there is not a day in which a sinner ought not to come. Rather than wondering if the day of acceptance might be over, better to say, “The day of my submission is not over, so Lord, I come.”

Turning to the text, let us regard attentively the argument that the Lord Himself uses: “For it is time to seek the LORD.” This is the way that God reasons with those who neglect their soul’s salvation.

When is it time to seek the Lord? “It is time.” In the very first hour of responsibility, it is none too soon. At the present, it is late but not too late. “It is time.” When once the conscience is awakened, by whatever means of providence, in that instant “it is time.” When God’s Spirit is especially at work, then know that this is the day, “it is time.” “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)

What is the peculiar duty that it is time to perform? “It is time to seek the Lord.” You are to draw nigh unto God; seeking Him in worship and prayer. “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek his face evermore.” (Ps. 105:4) To seek Him is to ask pardon from Him for your sins through the atonement of Jesus Christ. “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon him while he is near.” (Isa. 55:6) It is to obtain the blessing connected with the new birth. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” (John 1:12) It is to seek His Kingdom and the God-honoring life that it entails. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” (Matt. 6:33)

How long is this seeking of the Lord to be done? You must keep seeking, “Until he come and rain righteousness upon you.” The seeking must continue until the blessing of righteousness is obtained: “till he come.” Seek the Lord until the blessing is plenteously received: “Until he come and rain righteousness;” until the soul is saturated.

Suppose there is a pause between your seeking and the blessing coming: what then? Keep on seeking. Do not look elsewhere for your soul’s need. Remember Peter’s words: “To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Notice, the text says “Until he come;” not “perhaps He will come.” If you seek Him sincerely, He will come. “He that shall come will come.” (Heb. 10:37)