A Certain Young Man – Part 1 – Asking Questions

Posted on January 25, 2024 by The Editor

Mark 14:48-52

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

And they all forsook him, and fled.

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): The question has often been asked, “Who was the ‘certain young man,’ mentioned at the end of this passage, on whom the young men laid hold, and who fled away naked?”

JOHN GILL (1697-1771): Some think this was John, the beloved disciple, and the youngest of the disciples.

J. C. RYLE: This is the view of Ambrose, Chrysostom, and Gregory.

JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): How some persons have come to dream that this was John I know not, nor is it of much importance to inquire.

JOHN GILL: Others think that it was James, the brother of our Lord.

J. C. RYLE: This is the view of Epiphanius and Jerome. But it could be neither John or James, nor any other of the twelve, because it is said immediately before that, “they all fled,” upon the taking of our Saviour, whereas this young man followed our Saviour at this time.

JOHN WESLEY (1703-1791): It does not appear that he was one of Christ’s disciples. The young men laid hold on him, who was only suspected to be Christ’s disciple: but could not touch them who really were so.

J. C. RYLE: Some think that it was the Evangelist Mark himself.

JOHN CALVIN: The chief point is to ascertain for what purpose Mark related this event.

THE EDITOR: Yes. And surely the Holy Spirit inspired Mark to record this event, because all “these things were written for our learning,” Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11. But it seems obvious to me that the starting point to learn anything of profit from this incident, necessarily must begin with whether or not this “certain young man” was Mark. Assuming that this young man wasn’t Mark, then the question is, “Alright then, what do we learn from this incident?

J. C. RYLE: Some have thought that it is related to show the real peril in which the disciples were, and to make it plain that they saved their lives only by their flight. Some have thought that the whole transaction exhibits the utter desertion of our Lord. Some have thought that Mark’s purpose in relating the event, is to show the cruelty, rage, and ferocity of those who took our Lord. They were ready to lay hands on any one who was any where near Him, and to make prisoners indiscriminately of all who even appeared to be connected with him.

JOHN CALVIN: I think that his object was, to inform us that those wicked men—as usually happens in riotous assemblies, stormed and raved without shame or modesty; which appeared from their seizing a young man who was unknown to them, and not suspected of any crime, so that he had difficulty in escaping out of their hands naked.

MATTHEW POOLE: Why Mark should record such a passage, unless it was to tell us what we must expect from the rage of persecutors?—that our own innocence should not defend us.

THE EDITOR: That’s it? We are to learn from this incident simply that persecutors rage, and they are so unreasonably indiscriminate in their fury, that they are dangerous even to innocent people? Wouldn’t all that be crystal clear from the other events of this chapter without recording this incident? No, there must be some other deeper reason for its inclusion.

JOHN GILL: Mark’s design in relating this incident is to show the rage and fury of these men, who were for sparing none that appeared to be or were thought to be the followers of Christ; so that the preservation of the disciples was entirely owing to the wonderful power of Christ.

THE EDITOR: But that lesson is completely plain without this event: when the mob arrived, Jesus asked “Whom seek ye?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. When Jesus answered, “I am,” immediately they went backward and fell to the ground. Then Christ asked them again, and receiving the same reply, He said, “I have told you that I am; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.” And the Bible clearly tells us that this was said and done, “that the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none,” John 18:4-9.

J. C. RYLE: Our Lord’s interference to secure the safety of His disciples at this crisis was a fulfillment in fact of His expression in prayer, “none of them is lost,” John 17:12.

THE EDITOR: And there are other pertinent questions about this incident that still need to be answered. If this wasn’t Mark, then how did this unknown young man come to be in the Garden of Gethsemane so late at night? And why was he naked but for a linen cloth around him?

JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): He might be one well affected to Christ, who, hearing the noise, came to see the news, and hardly escaped with the skin of his teeth.

J. C. RYLE: It is more likely that it was some good young man, who dwelt near the garden of Gethsemane, who hearing the noise and stir that was made about the taking and binding of our Saviour, did arise suddenly out of his bed to see what was the matter, and perceiving that they had cruelly taken and bound our Saviour, and were leading Him away, did follow after Him to see what would be done with Him, whereby it appears that he was a well-wisher to our Saviour.

MATTHEW POOLE: Who, being in his bed, and hearing the noise of the multitude going by his lodging with swords and staves, he got up, slipped on his night garment, and followed them, to see what the matter was; and they having apprehended Christ, he followed them.

THE EDITOR: So what is our edifying lesson to be from all that? If you hear men hurrying past your house late at night, and see they are carrying swords, staves, and torches—don’t throw a linen sheet over your naked body, and rush out into a dark garden to follow after them?

J. C. RYLE: No satisfactory answer to these questions has yet been given. The utmost that can be said of any of the explanations attempted, is, that they are conjectures and speculations.

HEINRICH BULLINGER (1504-1575): It does not interest us much to know who this young man was, and it would not bring any very great fruit to us, if we did know. If it had been useful and wholesome for us to know, the Spirit of God would not have been silent, seeing that He is often marvellously diligent in relating very minute things.

THE EDITOR: I disagree. It is not irrelevant. It’s true that the Holy Spirit is very diligent in recording details, and He always records them for a purpose. Perhaps He has inspired Mark to record this incident in this particular manner to cause us to search the Scriptures diligently to find out the answers. Next week, let’s do that searching and see what “very minute things” the Spirit of God has recorded for us. And then, if we can reasonably conclude that this young man was Mark, let’s follow that wherever it leads, and see what we can learn from it.

 

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The Duty, Comfort, & Privilege of Prayer

Posted on January 19, 2024 by The Editor

Psalm 109:4; Psalm 142:1; Psalm 84:8

I give myself unto prayer.

I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer.

WILLIAM JAY (1769-1853): David was a man of prayer. We here read of his giving himself unto prayer; that is, he made it the leading business of his life. Now in this he is an example worthy of our imitation, for prayer is the very life of religion, without which it cannot exist, much less prosper, therefore we should be found much in the exercise of it. For this purpose we may take three views of it. First, View it as a duty. Though God knows all things, and sees the end from the beginning, and works all things after the counsel of His own will, yet He hath said, “For these things I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them,” Ezekiel 36:37; thus they are commanded to “seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually,” 1 Chronicles 16:11.

ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): This is a proof of the bent of David’s mind, in the composition of this beautiful and devout psalm in 1 Chronicles 16:11. If the Reader will critically examine it, he will discover that it is a compilation from several other Psalms.

JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): “I will call upon God,” Psalm 55:16. In translating this verse I have retained the future tense of the verb, as the Psalmist does not refer to something already done, but rather excites himself to the duty of prayer, and to the exercise of hope and confidence…In the verse which follows, David engages more particularly to show perseverance in prayer. “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” He does not content himself with saying that he will pray, for many do this in a perfunctory manner, and soon become wearied with the exercise; but he resolves to display both assiduity and vehemency. From the particular mention he makes of evening, morning, and noon, we are left to infer that these must have been the stated hours of prayer amongst the godly at that period…As we are naturally indisposed for the duty of prayer, there is a danger that we may become remiss, and gradually omit it altogether, unless we restrict ourselves to a certain rule.

WILLIAM JAY: Secondly, prayer is a due acknowledgment of His nature, and our dependence upon Him, as our Benefactor, Preserver, and Governor, and “the God of our salvation, to whom belong the issues of life.”

THOMAS MANTON (1620-1677): If we did take up God in this notion, to look upon Him as a Father, it would increase our confidence and dependence upon Him. This is a sweet relation: the reality is more in God than can be in an earthly father; for He is a Father according to His essence, knowing our necessities, pardoning our sins, supplying our wants, forming and fashioning our manners, providing able guardians for us, and laying up a blessed inheritance for us in heaven. As it encourages us to pray, so it furthers our duty in prayer, that we may behave ourselves with reverence, love, and gratitude, with a child-like reverence and affection in prayer. If we expect the supplies of children, we must perform the duty of children. God will be owned as a father, not with a fellow-like familiarity, but humbly, and with an awe of His majesty.

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): “Pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly,” Matthew 6:6. Here is set forth the holy and unspeakable privilege of prayer. Here we are invited to open our minds and hearts freely unto Him who cares for us, acquainting Him with our needs and cares, making known our requests with thanksgiving.

WILLIAM JAY: How relieving is it to pour our complaints into the bosom of a friend, who does not suffer us to cry in vain, “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O ye my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me,” Job 19:21. But how much more relieving and delightful is it to make God our Friend, and, like David, to pour out our hearts before him! And this is what David himself enjoins: “Cast thy burden on the Lord, and he will sustain thee,” Psalm 55:22. He would not have us struggle and turmoil with it ourselves, but we are commanded to roll our burden on the Lord, for we can roll what we cannot heave. This is done by prayer, and each petition we offer takes off some of the load, and lays it upon Him. The apostle Paul also says, “Be careful for nothing,” Philippians 4:6. But how is this to be accomplished? This is the way: “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you,” 1 Peter 5:7.

JOHN NEWTON (1725-1807): His ear is always open to us: let who will overlook and disappoint us, He will not.

WILLIAM JAY: “It is good for me,” says David, “to draw near to God,” Psalm 73:28. What a relief does the very exercise of prayer afford! How it eases the aching heart, and binds up the broken spirit! Oh, there are times and seasons in which every refuge seems to fail us, and God is our only resource; when we look inward, and perceive nothing but decaying affections and withered hopes.

THOMAS MANTON: When we look to things below, we have many discouragements, dangers without and difficulties within: till we get above the mists of the lower world, we can see nothing of clearness and comfort; but when we can get God and our hearts together, then we can see we have a God in heaven.

A. W. PINK: Consider the privilege of prayer.

WILLIAM JAY: Thirdly, We may view it as an honour. We should deem it an honour if we had free and full access to an earthly sovereign—and is it nothing that we can have access at all times to the “blessed and only Potentate, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords”? Prayer places us nearly upon a level with the glorified spirits above, with this difference—they approach the Throne of glory, and we the Throne of grace.

JOHN NEWTON: How little does the world know of that intercourse which is carried on between heaven and earth; what petitions are daily presented, and what answers are received at a Throne of Grace! O the blessed privilege of prayer! O the wonderful love, care, attention, and power of our great Shepherd! His eye is always upon us; when our spirits are almost overwhelmed within us, He knoweth our path. When means and hope fail, when every thing looks dark upon us, still our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. To Him all things are possible; and before the exertion of His power, when He is pleased to arise and work, all hindrances give way and vanish, like a mist before the sun. And He can so manifest Himself to the soul, and cause His goodness to pass before it, that the hour of affliction shall be the golden hour of the greatest consolation. He is the fountain of life, strength, grace and comfort, and of His fulness all His children receive—but this is all hidden from the world.

 

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Seeking God’s Guidance Concerning His Providences

Posted on January 12, 2024 by The Editor

Proverbs 3:5-8

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

WILLIAM JAY (1769-1853): The particular providence of God attends the Christian in all his concerns. He goes on board a vessel, launching on the ocean of life; he gives God the command of the helm.

J. H. M. d’AUBIGNÉ (1794-1872): Like passengers standing upon the bow of a ship in mid-ocean, to us the sea appears a trackless void. But when we stand upon the stern and look back, we view an equally vast ocean already traversed, and close upon us we see a short white wake that curves away in a half-moon arc—the undeniable evidence that our ship has made a turn in the sea, and we know, without doubt, that the Captain is piloting the ship according to His chart, and in His wisdom, at the proper time, merely adjusting His course to current and wind.

THOMAS WATSON (1620-1686): The providences of God are sometimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them.

WILLIAM JAY: Thus we are enjoined to “commit all our ways unto the Lord,” and “to trust also in Him,” Psalm 37:5; and we are at the same time assured that “he will bring it to pass,” for when we “commit our works unto the Lord, the thoughts of our hearts are established,” Proverbs 16:3. Thus, also, we are enjoined to “be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to let our request be made known unto God,” Philippians 4:6. It is when we obey the apostle’s injunction that we feel the “peace of God, that passeth all understanding, keeping our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:7. “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him,” Psalm 18:30; but we may be left to charge Him foolishly, and in so doing we only display our ignorance.

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): Settle it in your mind once for all, that “the high and lofty One” makes no mistakes.

J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): He knows what He is doing. He sees the end from the beginning.

MARTIN LUTHER (1483-1546): This, therefore, is also essentially necessary and wholesome for Christians to know: that God foreknows nothing by contingency—but that He foresees, purposes, and does all things according to His immutable, eternal, and infallible will.

WILLIAM JAY: In the world, in the nation, in the church, in the family, and with regard to the concerns of every individual, He is not only doing all things, but doing all things well. Do we believe this? There is a vast difference between the reality, and our believing and acknowledging it. And what is it that keeps us from acknowledging that in all things and in all dispensations, His providence is doing all things well? First, because we judge too selfishly. We judge too carnally. What is not good for our pleasure may be good for our profit; our temporal losses maybe our spiritual gains; we may be “chastened with the righteous, that we may not be condemned with the wicked,” 1 Corinthians 11:32. Here is cause for praise and gratitude. But, oh, how we yield to flesh and blood! When everything is easy and prosperous, there is no obscurity then. No; but let a change take place, let affliction fall upon us; then, with a sad heart and sorrowful countenance, we immediately exclaim, “His way is in the sea, and his path in deep waters,” Psalm 77:19; as if it were so wonderfully mysterious that He should suffer us to be afflicted; as if God were less wise and righteous and good in the dark than in the light, in a stormy day than in a calm one.

ALEXANDER MacLAREN (1826-1910): Let us not be in too great a hurry to make sure that we have the key of the cabinet where God keeps His purposes, but content ourselves with “perhaps” when we are interpreting the often questionable ways of His providences, each of which has many meanings and many ends.

R. L. DABNEY (1820-1898): A little wisdom and experience will teach us to be very modest, in interpreting God’s purposes by His providences.

JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): We shall have profited greatly when we have learned to refrain hasty judgment.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): I believe in Divine Providence, but I do not always believe in what people speak of as Providence. When you want to do a thing, you can always find a Providence which seems to be in favour of it. It is remarkable how many ministers leave salaries of £200 a year in places where they might still have been comfortable and useful, to go where they would get £250 a year—they have said it was Providence—but it is equally remarkable how very few of them ever move from £250 to £200.

WILLIAM JAY: Where, then, is our safety, but in seeking the direction of the Lord? Let us therefore, in reference to any important removal in prospect, seek divine guidance, and turn not to the right hand nor to the left but as we see the pillar of His providence directing us—never moving without a conviction of its being right; otherwise we cannot expect peace and satisfaction.

MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): I sometimes think the whole art of the Christian life is the art of asking questions. Our danger is just to allow things to happen to us and to endure them without saying anything apart from a groan, a grumble or a complaint. The thing to do is to discover, if we can, why these things are taking place—to try to discover the explanation.

C. H. SPURGEON: To enquire of the lord, and to seek guidance at His hands, is the duty of all Christians. Our own character should teach us the duty of enquiring of the Lord. If you know yourself rightly, you know that you are very far from being wise.

WILLIAM JAY: To place ourselves under the guidance of the Almighty implies the renunciation of pride and vanity, the sacrifice of self-will, self-conceit, and self-sufficiency. It implies a willingness to have our inclinations crossed, and our fond earthly hopes destroyed. And we may feel assured of this—that man is a stranger to the thing itself, whoever he is, who views it as an easy attainment. No; such a character is not formed without strong supplications to Him who is able to keep us from falling, much striving against besetting sins, much observation upon the misery and mistakes of others—and much experience of evils to which we have found ourselves exposed when, instead of trusting in the Lord with all our heart, we have leaned to our own understanding.

A. W. PINK: Distrusting his own wisdom, we find David “enquiring of the Lord” again and again, I Samuel 23:2; 23:4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19. This is another sure mark of genuine humility: that spirit which is afraid to trust in our own knowledge, experience and powers, and seeks counsel and direction from above.

ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): “Thou shall guide me with thy counsel,” Psalm 73:24. Any sincere follower of God may use these words.

THOMAS ADAMS (1583-1656): There are many that pray David’s words, but not with David’s heart.

 

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Forward—into the New Year

Posted on January 5, 2024 by The Editor

Exodus 14:13-15

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.

WILLIAM JAY (1769-1853): To judge of this command, we have only to reflect upon the condition of the people; the army of Pharaoh was behind them, and the sea was immediately before them, and to go forward would be to advance into the sea itself; but we may observe that God’s commands are so many intimations and assurances of success. “Go forward,” saith God to Moses. Did Moses say, “What, Lord, and be drowned in the sea?” No; but they went forward, and the waters opened before them, and they passed through the sea as on dry ground.

ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): We hear not one word of Moses’ praying, and yet here the Lord asks him why he cries unto Him? From which we may learn that the heart of Moses was deeply engaged with God, though it is probable he did not articulate one word; but the language of sighs, tears, and desires is equally intelligible to God. This consideration should be a strong encouragement to every feeble, discouraged mind: Thou canst not pray, but thou canst weep; if even tears are denied thee, then thou canst sigh; and God, whose Spirit has thus convinced thee of sin, righteousness, and judgment, knows thy unutterable groaning, and reads the inexpressible wish of thy burdened soul, a wish of which Himself is the Author, and which He has breathed into thy heart with the purpose to satisfy it.

WILLIAM JAY: Now all this teaches us to do all things in religion “without murmurings and disputings,” and that nothing more becomes us than a childlike disposition, exercising implicit confidence in God, and unquestioning obedience to His commands. What He has revealed we are to believe on the authority of the Speaker. It will also apply to the dispensations of divine providence. When any of these seem to be at variance with our views, we are to remember that “all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth.”—Jacob said, “All these things are against me;” but if he had waited a little while longer, he might have said, with the apostle Paul, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”

ADAM CLARKE: “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies,” Psalm 25:10. The paths. אדהוה signifies the tracks or ruts made by the wheels of wagons by often passing over the same ground. Mercy and truth are the paths in which God constantly walks in reference to the children of men; and so frequently does He show them mercy, and so frequently does He fulfill His truth, that His paths are easily discerned—but He is more abundantly merciful to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies; those who are conformed, not only to the letter, but to the spirit of His pure religion.

THOMAS GOODWIN (1600-1679): “Unto such that keep His covenant and His testimonies.” He is never out of the road of mercy unto them. They are “mercy” in respect of aiming at our good, and “truth” in respect of fulfilling His promises and faithful carriage to us; therefore whatever befalls thee, though it be clean contrary to thy expectation, interpret it in love.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Yet this is not a general truth to be trampled upon by swine, it is a pearl for a child’s neck. Gracious souls, by faith resting upon the finished work of the Lord Jesus, keep the covenant of the Lord, and, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, they walk “in His testimonies;” these will find all things co-working for their good, but to the sinner there is no such promise. Keepers of the covenant shall be kept by the covenant; those who follow the Lord’s commands shall find the Lord’s mercy following them.

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): Some of God’s promises are general rather than specific; some are conditional, others unconditional; some are fulfilled in this life, others in the world to come. Are you fearful of the future? Afraid that when strength fails and old age comes you may be left without the necessities of life? Then let us remind you that there is no need whatever for such fears. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things”—temporal necessities—“shall be added unto you,” Matthew 6:33. “O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him,” Psalm 34:9. “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly,” Psalm 84:11. But let it be noted that these promises are conditional on obeying the preceding exhortations—your business is to give God the first place in your life, to fear, obey and honour Him in all things, and in return He guarantees your bread and water shall be sure.

C. H. SPURGEON: God will keep His promise to you; only see you to it that the way in which He conditions His engagement is carefully observed by you. Only when we fulfill the requirements of a conditional promise can we expect that promise to be fulfilled to us.

WILLIAM JAY: Secondly, in reference to the journey of the Israelites, let us consider this command in reference to ourselves, for if we are Christians, we are on our way from Egypt to Canaan, “seeking a better country, even a heavenly;” and it becomes us to be always advancing in “the way everlasting.” Christians are therefore enjoined to “go forward.” It is an awful thing when, instead of this, any go backward. The Ephesians went backward, and so were called to “repent” and do their “first works,” and to exemplify their “first love,” or lose the privileges with which they were indulged. In Bunyan’s Pilgrim Progress, Christian went back in order to find and fetch the roll which had dropped from his bosom while he slept in the arbour. It is also a sad thing for Christians, instead of going forward to be only stationary.

A. W. PINK: There is no remaining stationary in the Christian life: he who does not progress, retrogrades. He who does not diligently heed the Divine precepts, soon loses the good of the Divine promises.

WILLIAM JAY: Let us then go forward, fighting the good fight of faith. Let us take the following admonitions for our march: First, go forward with humbleness of mind; let us not go strutting into the new year as if we had been acting wisely, worthily, or meritoriously throughout the past year, but with penitent reflections upon the sins of our weekday, and our Sabbath-day sins, so that we may gratefully acknowledge that “it is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not,” Lamentations 3:22. Therefore, with gratitude in remembrance of His mercies, they have been “new every morning,” Lamentations 3:23. What preserving, supplying, supporting, and satisfying mercies have we daily received! Go forward under a sense of present aid; in opposition to our complaining and murmuring—with a firm confidence as to what may befall us in the future. His promises more than meet all our circumstances, and provide for all contingencies of futurity, for we know Who hath said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” and that “as our day so shall our strength be.”

 

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Ezra’s New Year’s Day

Posted on December 29, 2023 by The Editor

Ezra 7:6,9,10

Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him…Upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): We ought to pause over this account, short as it is, of Ezra’s character.

THOMAS GOODWIN (1600-1679): “He was a ready scribe in the law of Moses.” “Ready.”—Some read it diligent, as that which had made him ready; so you have it in Proverbs 22:29, “a man diligent in his business.”

MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): He was a man of great learning. The Jews say that he collected and collated all the copies of the law he could find, and published an accurate edition of it, with all the prophetical books, historical and poetical, that were given by divine inspiration, and so made up the canon of the Old Testament, with the addition of the prophecies and histories of his own time. If he was raised up of God, and qualified and inclined to do this, all generations have reason to bless God for him.

ROBERT HAWKER: As Ezra had dedicated himself particularly to this service, no doubt the thing was of the Lord. For as the Holy Ghost hath caused his writings to be so faithfully preserved and handed down to us, and as from their great importance in this part of the church’s history, they form so interesting a portion of God’s sacred Word, we cannot be at a loss to discover the work of the blessed Spirit accompanying all his labours with success.

ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): “A ready scribe.” The Hebrew expression does not merely signify an excellent penman, but one who was eminently skillful in expounding the law.

JOHN GILL (1697-1771):  The meaning is not that he had a quick hand in writing out copies, but was well versed in the knowledge of it; had studied it thoroughly, was well instructed in it, and abundantly qualified to teach it others.

G. CAMPBELL MORGAN (1863-1945): “Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach.” This verse should not be passed without noticing its suggestiveness for all such as are called, or feel they are called to teach. The order is, “to seek—to do—to teach.”

MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): Ezra had “prepared his heart;” he had set his mind and affections upon it, and made it his chief design and business, to search and find out the true sense and meaning, and thence to learn what sins or errors were to be reformed, and what duties were to be performed. First, he endeavours to understand God’s law and word, not for curiosity or ostentation, but in order to practice; Next, he conscientiously practices what he did understand, which made his doctrine much more effectual; then he earnestly desires and labours to instruct and edify others, that they also might know and do it.

H. A. IRONSIDE (1876-1951): Notice the order in Acts 1:1, “Of all that Jesus began both to do, and teach.” Doing should always come before teaching. If there is anything that we as servants of Christ need to keep in mind it is this: there will be no more power in our messages than there is power in our lives. It is as we live for God that we are fitted to speak for God. We are called to do, before we teach.

MATTHEW HENRY: Ezra was a man of great piety and holy zeal.

THE EDITOR: He was also a man of prayer. Read Ezra’s zealous prayer in Chapter 9, confessing the sins of the people of Jerusalem; and in Chapter 10, see the effectualness of Ezra’s prayer as demonstrated by the people’s actions, and Ezra’s further instructions to them.

MATTHEW HENRY: Thus his example confirmed his doctrine. He “prepared his heart” to do all this, or he fixed his heart. He took pains in his studies, and thoroughly furnished himself for what he designed, and then put on resolution to proceed and persevere in them.

W. J. HOCKING (1864-1953): Did he possess the faculty of perception—of discernment?

H. A. IRONSIDE: Ezra speaks of “the hand of God,” in Ezra 8:18,22,31. He was a man who seemed never to look at mere human instrumentality, but, behind the hand of man, he saw the guiding, or controlling hand of the Lord.

THE EDITOR: Ezra saw God’s glory in the “good hand of the Lord upon him,” in departing Babylon, and in the great provision that king Artaxerxes had given for his journey, and the high authority the king had bestowed upon him to fulfil God’s purposes in Jerusalem, Ezra 7:11-26. “Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me,” Ezra 7:27,28.

WILLIAM GURNALL (1617-1679): He “was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help against the enemy in way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him,” Ezra 8:22.  He hath gloried so much of that God they served, that he is ashamed the king should think now that now he was not willing to cast himself upon God’s protection. Ezra goes to fasting and prayer, Ezra 8:21. Then they take their march, and find the way all along cleared before them, Ezra 8:31.

H. A. IRONSIDE: To the man of faith, instructed in the mind of the Lord, difficulties are never insurmountable; but he will be able in holy confidence to say with Paul, “None of these things move me,” Acts 20:24. Of such a spirit was Ezra the scribe, and of such must be all who would count for God in a day of ruin.

ADAM CLARKE: Ezra and his company set off from Babylon on the first day of the first month.

JOHN GILL: The month Nisan, answering to part of our March and April; this was New Year’s day.

THE EDITOR: The first day of a New Year is surely a good time to begin any new endeavour. Especially if it be to discern what needs to be reformed, or what has been neglected, and to correct it, or to do something we have not attempted before—and to set our hearts firmly to do it. Whatever our state or condition in this past year may have been—in the New Year, let us all, like Ezra, depart from Babylonian worldliness for a more spiritual Jerusalem. In our own strength? No. Remember Ezra’s confident dependence on the strength of the Lord.

ROBERT HAWKER: Dear Lord! grant me grace to be unceasingly enquiring after Thee in the Word of Thy truth.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Be as Ezra was, when having once made a resolve, he resolved to abide by it at all hazard. Pluck up courage and say within yourselves: Now will I prove that promise true, “He shall cover thee with His feathers and under His wings shall thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler,” Psalm 91:4.

 

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An Angelic Song of Grace & Glory, Peace & Goodwill

Posted on December 22, 2023 by The Editor

Luke 2:8-14

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): The term, “behold,” always marks the importance of that to which it is prefixed. But here the precise view in which the tidings claim our attention is distinctly specified: They are a matter of exceeding joy—and universal joy.

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): Christ was sent to manifest the Father, and with a message of grace to this sinful world.

MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): The nativity of our Saviour was published first by one angel, but it must be celebrated by a multitude of angels, who appear praising God.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): The angels sang something which men could understand—something which men ought to understand—something which will make men much better if they will understand it. The angels were singing about Jesus who was born in the manger. We must look upon their song as being built upon this foundation. They sang of Christ and the salvation which He came into this world to work out. And what they said of this salvation was this—they said first, that it gave glory to God.

J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): Now is come the highest degree of glory to God, by the appearing of His Son Jesus Christ in the world. He, by His life and death on the cross, will glorify God’s attributes—justice, holiness, mercy, and wisdom—as they never were glorified before. Creation glorified God, but not so much as redemption.

C. H. SPURGEON: If salvation glorifies God, glorifies Him in the highest degree and makes the highest creatures praise Him, this may be added—that doctrine which glorifies man in salvation cannot be the Gospel. For salvation glorifies God. The angels were no Arminians—they sang, “Glory to God in the highest.” They believe in no doctrine which uncrowns Christ and puts the crown upon the head of mortals. They believe in no system of faith which makes salvation dependent upon the creature and which really gives the creature the praise. For what is it less than for a man to save himself, if the whole dependence of salvation rests upon his own free will? No, my Brethren—the glad tidings that made the angels sing are those that put God first, God last, God in the midst, and God without end in the salvation of His creatures—it puts the crown wholly alone upon the head of Him that saves without a helper.

MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): Let God have the honour of this work: “Glory to God in the highest—Whose kindness and love designed this favour, and Whose wisdom contrived it in such a way as that one divine attribute should not be glorified at the expense of another.

ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): Yes! the whole glory is God’s; because it is all founded in God; carried on in God; completed in God; and man is but the receiver of the mercies. Oh! that this was well understood by men!

CHARLES SIMEON: Who is there that does not need the merit of His atonement and the efficacy of His grace? And who is there to whom they are not freely offered? There is not one on earth who can be saved without them; nor is there one, however abandoned, who may not, by a believing application to the Saviour, be interested in them. Well therefore may they be called good tidings “to all people;” since they are so to all of every age, and of every description: and well may the prophet call on the whole creation to shout for joy—“Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel,” Isaiah 44:23.

C. H. SPURGEON: Secondly, it gave peace to man.

J. C. RYLE: Now is come to earth the peace of God which passeth all understanding—the perfect peace between a holy God and sinful man, which Christ was to purchase with His own blood—the peace which is offered freely to all mankind—the peace which, once admitted into the heart, makes men live at peace one with another, and will one day overspread the whole world.

H. A. IRONSIDE (1876-1951): It seems strange, doesn’t it?—to hear those words ringing down through the ages, when you think of the awful condition which prevails in the earth today. Look where you will, there is no peace. Look at the lands abroad; there is war. Look over our own land; there is strife between Capital and Labour, and between different groups. There is misery and wretchedness everywhere—unrest on every hand. Yet the angel said, “Peace, goodwill toward men.”

C. H. SPURGEON: I do not see God honoured. I see heathen bowing down before their idols. I mark the Romanist casting himself before his relics and the ugly figures of his images. I look about me and I see tyranny lording it over the bodies and souls of men. I see God forgotten. I see a worldly race pursuing mammon…I see ambition riding like Nimrod over the land, God forgotten, His name dishonoured. I hear the cannon’s horrid roar—not yet have they turned the sword into a plowshare and the spear into a pruning hook! War still reigns. Is this all that the angels sang about? And while I see wars to the ends of the earth, am I to believe that this was all the angels expected? Ah, no, Brethren. The angels’ song is big with prophecy—Christ the Lord will come again, and when He comes, He shall cast the idols from their thrones. He shall dash down every heresy and every shape of idolatry. He shall reign from pole to pole with illimitable sway. He shall reign, when like a scroll, yonder blue heavens have passed away.

CHARLES SIMEON: And “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564):  This was done to confirm our faith as truly as that of the shepherds. Among men, the testimony of “two or three witnesses,” is sufficient to remove all doubt. But here is a heavenly host, with one consent and one voice bearing testimony to the Son of God. What then would be our obstinacy, if we refused to join with the choir of angels, in singing the praises of our salvation, which is in Christ?

ALEXANDER MacLAREN (1826-1910): It was fitting that angel voices should attend such an event, whether men gave heed to them or not; because, recorded, their song has helped a world to understand the nature and meaning of that birth. The glory died off the hillside quickly, and the music of the song scarcely lingered longer in the ears of its first hearers; but its notes echo still in all lands, and every generation turns to them with wonder and hope.

C. H. SPURGEON: When the angels sang this there was an echo through the long aisles of a glorious future. That echo was—“Hallelujah! Christ the Lord God Omnipotent shall reign.” I will say no more, except to wish everyone of you, the happiest Christmas you ever had.

CHARLES SIMEON: Make it a season of holy joy; a very anticipation of heaven itself.

 

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The Star of Christ, and His Stars, in Prophecy

Posted on December 15, 2023 by The Editor

Matthew 2:1-9

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): Observe here how Jews and Gentiles compare notes about Jesus Christ. The Gentiles know the time of his birth by a star; the Jews know the place of it by the scriptures, Micah 5:2; and so they are capable of informing one another. Note: It would contribute much to the increase of knowledge if we did thus mutually communicate what we know. Men grow rich by bartering and exchanging; so if we have knowledge to communicate to others, they will be ready to communicate to us; thus many shall discourse, shall “run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased,” Daniel 12:4.

ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): As to what is here called a star, some make it a meteor, others a luminous appearance like an Aurora Borealis; others a comet! There is no doubt, the appearance was very striking.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): It was probably not a star in the sense in which we use the word: that is a planet, or a fixed star; but a meteoric brightness, which moved in the sky, and so guided the wise men.

THE EDITOR: Why think it implausible for God to create a new star to mark the incarnate birth of His Son, the most unique birth in history—and then move it about according to His own purpose? Nothing is too hard for the Creator of the universe; in Genesis 1:26, the creation of all the stars is worded almost as if it was a minor afterthought: “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.”

JOHN GILL (1697-1771): It seems to be properly a star—a new and an unusual one, such as had never been seen, nor observed before; and is called His star, the star of the king born, because it appeared on His account, and was the sign of His birth, Who is “the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star,” Revelation 22:16. This they saw when they were in the east, in their own country; and according to the best observations they were able to make, it was in that part of the heavens right over the land of Judea; from whence they concluded that the king of the Jews was born; but the question is, how they should hereby know and be assured that such a person was born?

MATTHEW HENRY: Some think that this star put them in mind of Balaam’s prophecy. Balaam came from “the mountains of the east,” Numbers 23:7; and was one of their “wise men.”

ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): Some have thought these were men who practiced magic, like Balaam. It is remarkable this man prophesied of a star that should come out of Jacob.

JOHN GILL: There is a prophecy of Balaam’s which is thus expressed, “there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel,” Numbers 24:17, which is owned by some Jewish writers to be a prophecy of the Messiah; though the star there mentioned is considered by them as one of the Messiah’s titles.

CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): Whether they had heard of Balaam’s prophecy, we do not know. An expectation of a ruler to spring out of Israel was certainly far extended in the world.

MATTHEW HENRY: The general expectation entertained at that time in those eastern parts was of some great prince to appear. Tacitus, in his history takes notice of it; Suetonius also, in the life of Vespasian, speaks of it; so that this extraordinary phenomenon was construed as pointing to that king. These wise men had seen an extraordinary star, which they took to be an indication of an extraordinary person born in the land of Judea, over which land this star was seen to hover—this differed so much from anything that was common, that they concluded it to signify something uncommon.

MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): Although an extraordinary star appeared, which might let them know that God had produced, or was producing so extraordinary a work of providence in the world; yet without a supernatural interpreter they could not have made so true and particular interpretation of it, as upon the sight of it to have come with such confidence to Jerusalem, affirming that there was a King of the Jews born, and that this was His star, a light which God had put forth to direct that part of the world to the true Messiah. All guesses at the nature of this star, and the means how the wise men came to know that the King of the Jews was born upon the sight of it, and its motion, are great uncertainties; God undoubtedly revealed the thing unto them, and caused this extraordinary star, as at first to appear to confirm what He told them.

C. H. SPURGEON: They do not appear to have seen its light after they set out on their journey; it directed them to the region of Judaea so they came to the capital city, Jerusalem. God may sometimes send us stars, bright lights of joy, to guide us on our way; He may also take them away again, and then we must walk by faith.

CHARLES SIMEON: As soon as they went forth from Herod, the star, which had at first appeared to them in the East, became visible to them again, and went and “stood over the very house where the young child was,” Matthew 2:9. God withheld the miraculous appearance of the star when it was not necessary; and renewed it only when it was wanted to confirm the faith of the wise men—which the indifference of the Jews might have caused to waver.

THE EDITOR: Can I venture a further observation? When Jesus appears again in His glory, “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is,” 1 John 3:2; as believers belonging to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, Galatians 3:29; therefore, we are part of that innumerable multitude, as God promised Abraham, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be,” Genesis 15:5. Until that day, like those eminent wise men, we also have things to do by faith in His Word.

Hear Christ’s admonition: “that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star,” Revelation 2:25-28—He will give us of Himself, and we “also shall reign with Him,” 2 Timothy 2:12. Thus we have “a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed—until the day dawn, and the day star arises in our hearts,” 2 Peter 1:19. Remember also the angel’s promise to Daniel, “they that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever,” Daniel 12:3.

 

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The Right Kind of Singing

Posted on December 8, 2023 by The Editor

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): A learned divine, a little while ago, discovered that no hymn ought to be sung unless it was distinctly directed and addressed to God, and was intended to be full of praise throughout. Well, we do have some remarkably wise men nowadays—at least, in their own estimation—but it appears that the Apostle Paul thought that “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” were to be used for instruction and admonition as well as for the praises of God!—Several of these psalms have little or no praise in them, and were not addressed directly to the Most High, and yet were to be sung in public worship.

THE EDITOR: In my last post, I did say that “Songs of worship should be directed primarily to God, not to man’s attention.” But remember that I was speaking about the worship services of many contemporary churches, where an excessive instrumentality, certain unsuitable musical genres, and inappropriate lyrics are used which are not conducive to godly edification, or to a reverent spirit of worship. I don’t deny that psalms, hymns and spiritual songs can teach doctrine and Christian experience. But notice how Paul frames his instruction: on one hand, he says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,” which shows us how our musical lyrics ought to be tempered; and on the other hand, he says that our singing, with grace in our hearts, is to be directed primarily “to the Lord.”

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the Lord,” Exodus 15:1. And what did they sing about? Their song was entirely about Jehovah. They not only sang unto the Lord, but they sang about Him! It was all concerning Himself, and nothing about themselves. The word “Lord” occurs no less than twelve times within eighteen verses! The pronouns “He,” “Him,” “Thy,” “Thou,” and “Thee” are found thirty-three times!

C. H. SPURGEON: This is the very first of those sacred songs preserved in Scripture and, in some respects, it is first in merit as well as in time…The first verse of this song, Exodus 15:2, was quoted by David. I think you will find it in almost the same words three times in the Psalms, but especially in in Psalm 118:14, you have the exact words, “The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” As if the Holy Spirit, when He furnished David with his noblest minstrelsy, could not excel the earlier strains of Moses. Isaiah himself, in Chapter 12, has the same words—“Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.” It is evident that this patriotic song was interwoven with the life of Israel and that when good and gracious men would express themselves in praise at their very best, they fell back upon this Song of Moses and they sang unto the Lord who had triumphed gloriously!

A. W. PINK: How significant and how searching is this! How entirely different from modern hymnology! Many hymns of the past fifty years—if “hymns” they deserve to be called, are full of maudlin sentimentality, instead of Divine adoration. They announce our love to God instead of His for us. They recount our experiences, instead of His mercies. They tell more of human attainments, instead of Christ’s Atonement—a sad index of our low state of spirituality in the churches; while the jingling tunes to which they are set, and the irreverent speed at which they are sung, witness only too plainly unto the low state of present-day religion. Christian singing has been carnalized both in its conception and its execution.

C. H. SPURGEON: The world is very pleased with singing of a certain sort. Tuneful airs are tacked on to trashy words. What foolishness we hear in the popular songs of the day! I have been quite unable to understand the sense when the sound has jingled in my ears.

J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): Really good hymn writers are exceedingly rare.

ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): I think it important to remark on what the Apostle says, concerning psalms, and hymns, and spiritual Songs, that he evidently means, all such, as are in the Word of God. It is not to be supposed, that the Holy Ghost prohibits the use of all others. But it is to be supposed, that the Spirit draws a strong line of distinction between the psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs of the inspired writings of Holy Scripture; and the uninspired songs, or hymns, of the most godly men whatever. We may speak to ourselves, and to one another in words, which tend to godly edification. But when we speak to the Lord, we cannot be too careful to use the Lord’s own words. By the Psalms, are meant those which go under the general name of David’s Psalms, though some of them were written by other persons. By Hymns, are meant such as are also scriptural. Jesus sung an hymn, it is said, before He went to the garden. And we have many spiritual songs in the word of God. The Song of Moses, Deborah, Hannah, etc. are of this kind.

MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): By “hymns” may be meant such others as were confined to matter of praise, as those of Zacharias, Simeon, etc. “Spiritual songs” may contain a greater variety of matter—doctrinal, prophetical, historical, etc. Observe here, the singing of psalms and hymns is a gospel ordinance: it is an ordinance of God, and appointed for His glory.

J. C. RYLE: Good hymns are an immense blessing to the Church of Christ. They suit all, both rich and poor. There is an elevating, stirring, soothing, spiritualizing effect about a thoroughly good hymn, which nothing else can produce. It sticks in men’s memories.

C. H. SPURGEON: To my mind, there is no teaching that is likely to be more useful than that which is accompanied by the right kind of singing! When I am preaching, I often find a verse of a hymn the very best thing I can quote, and I have not the shadow of a doubt that, frequently, a verse of sacred poetry has struck a man who has been altogether missed by the rest of the sermon. Think how compactly the truth of God can be taught by means of “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” and how likely it is to be remembered when the very measure, and rhyme, and rhythm help the memory to treasure up the message! I shall never forget what repentance is while I can say—“Repentance is to leave,

The sins I loved before,

And show that I in earnest grieve,

By doing so no more.”

C. H. MACKINTOSH (1820-1896): Are not “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” divinely recognized? And, if so, for what are they designed? Is it not as a vehicle for the worship of Christians?

C. H. SPURGEON: Do you think, dear Friends, we sing enough? I do not think we do.

JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): In our deepest miseries let us sing cheerfully, as Paul and Silas in the dungeon―as did many martyrs in the flames, and as Luther did in a great conflict with the devil.

 

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Worship Music

Posted on December 1, 2023 by The Editor

Psalm 104:1; Psalm 103:1-5

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): What is worship? Praise? Yea, more; it is adoration flowing forth from a heart which is fully assured of the excellency of Him before whom it bows, expressing its profoundest gratitude for His unspeakable Gift.

WILLIAM KELLY (1821-1906): What is worship but thanksgiving and praise? Thanksgiving for what God has done in Christ and gives freely to us who believe; praise for what we know by His Word and Spirit He is, not only to us, but in Himself—His majesty, holiness, truth, goodness, mercy, love, and delight in us, the eternal self-existing One, now revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Some say God is best praised in silence—others that He is best honored with flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and I know not what kinds of music!

C. H. MACKINTOSH (1820-1896): The subject to which you call attention to is deeply important—the great use that Satan is making of music in this day. It is indeed quite common to hear the statement, “It was music that led her into the world.” And this of the young, who once professed to belong to Christ.

THE EDITOR: This has proven true for many young people during the last century, especially during the 1960’s. Many famous singers of that era’s so-called “soul” music came out of black Gospel churches—Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye were singers whose fathers were Christian pastors; Otis Redding was the son of a deacon; and the musical talents and tastes of many others, both then and now, have lured them openly into the world, or into a worldly religiosity where they pursue worldly ambitions inside a church.

H. A. IRONSIDE (1876-1951): There was a young lady with great musical ability preparing to go on the concert stage when the Lord saved her. She said, “You know I have made an amazing discovery. My love for music is coming between my soul and Christ.” That young woman, for eight years, would not touch a musical instrument for fear she would become so absorbed that she would not enjoy the things of God. But the time came when she said, “Although I can’t enjoy music for its own sake, I can use it as a vehicle to bless the souls of people.” She gave her talent to Christ, and He used it in attracting people to hear the gospel.

THE EDITOR: Music and singing used to attract sinners to hear the Gospel preaching of the Word that they might be saved, is a different thing than singing in worship to God during a church service. Songs of worship should be directed primarily to God, not to man’s attention.

STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1628-1680): This is God’s music—“Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” Ephesians 5:19. Singing and all other acts of worship are outward, but the spiritual melody is “by grace in the heart,” Colossians 3:16—this renders it a spiritual worship; for it is an effect of the fullness of the spirit in the soul, as “filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18. The overflowing of the Spirit in the heart, setting the soul of a believer thus to make a spiritual melody to God, shows that something higher is put in tune in the heart.

H. A. IRONSIDE: We cannot all make melody on an instrument, but every believer’s heart is like a harp. As the Spirit of God breathes over the heartstrings, real melody goes up to the ear of God.

C. H. MACKINTOSH: What then, is the Christian’s path as to music?

MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): Music in its various forms raises the problem of an element of entertainment insinuating itself…I have even taken part myself in a religious conference, where at the commencement of every service, there was forty minutes of Xylophone solos, organ solos, people singing.

C. H. SPURGEON: It is overwhelming to my spirit to see the growing worldliness of the church.

THE EDITOR: The concept of a “worship team” reflects that worldly spirit. Its phraseology sounds like a football special team taking the field for the opening kick-off; and isn’t that a “worship” team’s function in a church? The eyes focus on those on stage, not God. It often resembles a rock and roll concert with a band of drums, electric guitars, keyboards, and singers—all of them making as much amplified noise as possible.

C. H. MACKINTOSH: And is not true spiritual worship lost, whether in the strains of the organ, or the noise of the drum and horn?

THE EDITOR: The sole appropriate function of musical instrumentality is keep a congregation in tune. It is always wrong when the music overwhelms the voices of the congregation, or becomes the focus of attention. Does the singer’s musical expression, instead of the words of the lyrics, draw one’s attention towards God, or towards the singer? Is it really worshipping God, or is it more often only a form of self-expression and religious entertainment?

H. A. IRONSIDE: One reason the spirituality of the church is at a low ebb today is because people are so careless about the music that occupies their minds. They are so ready to drop from the high and holy state that should characterize those that are filled with the Spirit of God.

C. H. SPURGEON: Is it so difficult, then, to know what kind of worship God will accept? Here is a test for you to tell whether a thing is true or not: Does it glorify God?

THE EDITOR: That test also applies to the musical genres used in worship. Some are totally inappropriate. “Rock and roll,” by its nature and cadence, excites a spirit of fleshy sensuality and sentimental emotion, sometimes as if one was singing to a boyfriend—it demonstrates no filial fear of God in true reverence and praise. So also, the salient spirit of “rap” music is gangster criminality, angry rebellion, and nihilistic anarchy, as opposed to a spirit of worship in thanksgiving and praise. The spirit of modern worldly ‘worship’ savours of primitive fleshy paganism, with a “worship team” pounding drums, and people wailing repetitive choruses, while they sway to an incessant backbeat around a flaming bonfire of emotional fervour.

A. W. PINK: The music which they produce is earthly not heavenly, human not Divine, fleshly not spiritual, temporal not eternal.

D. L. MOODY (1837-1899): The trouble is, we have let down the standard.

R. BEACON (circa 1886): There is no true worship apart from holiness, reverence and godly fear.

JOHN NEWTON (1725-1807): Do the professed lovers of sacred music, in this enlightened age, generally live as if they really believed that “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth?” Rather, do not most of them live as they might do, if they were sure of the contrary?

A. W. PINK: The more spiritual our worship, the less attractive to the flesh will it be. How far astray we have gone! Modern “worship” is chiefly designed to render it pleasing to the flesh: a ‘bright and attractive service,’ with beautiful surroundings, sensuous music, and entertaining talks. O that we all would heed that pointed word in Psalm 89:7, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him”—how different things would be.

 

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The Gospel of Jesus Christ in Three Prophetic Signs – Part 3

Posted on November 24, 2023 by The Editor

Exodus 4:8,9; Exodus 4:29-31

And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): God’s works have a voice to speak to us, which we must diligently observe.

C. H. MACKINTOSH (1820-1896): Moses had said, “the people will not believe me.” But the question was not, as to whether they would believe him, but whether they would believe God.

A. W. PINK (1886-1952): The “elders” are always to be viewed as the representatives of the people—unto them Aaron recited all that Jehovah had said unto Moses, and Moses performed the two signs. The result was precisely as God had fore-announced in Exodus 3:18; the Lord had declared they would, and so it came to pass. They believed Moses was sent of God, and that he would be their deliverer. Believing this, they bowed their heads and worshipped, adoring the goodness of God, and expressing their thankfulness for His notice of them in their distress.

THE EDITOR: But wait. It appears to me that Aaron not only acted as Moses’ spokesman to the elders according God’s appointment, Exodus 4:14-16—but that it was also Aaron who did those first two signs before them.

JOHN GILL (1697-1771): Not Aaron, but Moses “did the signs.”

THE EDITOR: I disagree. The direct sense of verse 30 is quite plain: “And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.”

MATTHEW POOLE: Aaron did the signs as Moses’ minister, or by the command and direction of Moses.

THE EDITOR: Yes. And under Moses’ direction, it was also Aaron who performed this sign unto Pharaoh: “The LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,  When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent,” Exodus 7:8,9.

And when Pharaoh didn’t believe that first sign, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in righteous judgment, verse 13. God’s voice in the sign accomplished the purpose for which He had sent it, in accordance with how people believe or reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “to the one it is the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life,” 2 Corinthians 2:16.

Notice that Pharaoh never saw the second sign, concerning the leprosy; surely that’s instructive—when a man rejects Christ’s death and resurrection, he cannot see his own natural heart as it really is, nor does he have a new heart born in the Spirit. Judgment now took hold on Pharaoh; at God’s command, Moses directed Aaron “to stretch out the rod of God over the waters, and turn them to blood,” Exodus 7:15-21.

C. H. MACKINTOSH: This was a solemn and most expressive figure of the consequence of refusing to bow to the divine testimony.

THOMAS COKE (1747-1814): There is great beauty in the expression, “the voice of the sign”—Words and signs had been hitherto unavailing with Pharaoh: Moses therefore is now commanded to stretch the awful rod of punishment over him; and to threaten him with such severe plagues, as should cause him to acknowledge Jehovah—of Whom Pharaoh had said so tauntingly, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice?” Exodus 5:2.

MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): The Egyptians had stained the river with the blood of the Hebrew’s children, and now God made that river all bloody. Thus He “gave them blood to drink, for they were worthy,” Revelation 16:6…The very sight of such vast rolling streams of blood—pure blood no doubt, florid and high-coloured—could not but strike a horror upon people.

THE EDITOR: The Lord had said unto Moses, “See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet,” Exodus 7:1. Now, note the exact wording of what was to be said to Pharaoh: “Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river and they shall be turned to blood,” Exodus 7:17. Here God takes ownership of the “rod of God;” yet this judgment is to be displayed by Aaron’s prophetic hand, the same man God that later appointed as the high priest to enter the holy place on the Day of Atonement, Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16. So also, on the final Day of Judgment, Jesus will judge those who reject His atonement for sin. Listen to Christ’s warning, that the Father “hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” John 5:22. And God “hath commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead,” Acts 17:30,31.

A. W. PINK: The water turned into blood speaks of life giving place to death. It anticipates “the second death,” that eternal death—“the lake of fire,” which awaits every Christ rejecter.

THE EDITOR: In that day, the entire unbelieving world will realize that Jesus Christ is not only God’s appointed Priest and Prophet, but the King Who will stretch out the “rod of God” upon them in judgment—“He shall rule them with a rod of iron,” Revelation 19:15. “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel,” Psalm 2:9.

H. A. IRONSIDE (1876-1951): In Revelation 16:4, we read, “the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.” Thus the very sources of life are destroyed, as in Egypt when the river itself became blood.

THOMAS COKE: It is to be remembered, that none of these plagues affected the Israelites.

C. H. MACKINTOSH: It was, first, to be a sign to Israel, and afterwards a plague upon Egypt.

A. W. PINK: It therefore tells of the consequences of refusing to believe what the other signs so plainly bore witness to. If man rejects the testimony of God’s Word that he is under the dominion of Satan and is depraved by nature, and refuses the One Who alone can deliver from the one, and cleanse from the other, nothing but Divine judgment awaits him.

JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): God’s signs have a voice, and words. They speak not only to our eyes, but to our ears.

MATTHEW POOLE: “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear,” is an “epiphonema,” or a conclusion of a speech, by which Christ often shuts up grave and weighty discourses. “Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it,” Micah 6:9.

A. W. PINK: Be warned, unsaved reader. Flee to Christ for refuge, ere the storm of Divine wrath overtakes thee.

C. H. MACKINTOSH: Still, the door is open; still, in boundless grace, the forgiveness of sins is preached to thee. But, oh, beware—in righteousness, and no longer mercy, God may then harden thy heart, as He in righteousness hardened the defiant Pharaoh. Is it nothing that thou perish forever in everlasting fire?

THE EDITOR: “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him,” Psalm 2:12.

 

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