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| A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver |
The ordained end of salvation, when the tabernacle of God is with men, will be a blessed condition for all involved. Not only will we receive God as our exceeding great reward; not only will receive bodies fit for our heavenly habitation; not only will we partake of the fullness of joy, but we ourselves will be a blessing to Deity. Christ will receive us as His bride on that day. In accord with the Father's promise to His Son the faithful God will give Jesus the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession” (Ps 2:8). For not only will Jesus have raised up the tribes of Jacob there will be an innumerable company of men from every tribe and tongue and kindred and people present on account of this Light that shined in their hearts. And God will not be left without an inheritance either: for we shall be His people and He shall be all in all.
God, Our God and We, His People. “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My people” (Lev 26:12). “And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart” (Jer 24:7). “And ye shall be My people, and I will be your God” (Jer 30:22). “That the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but they may be My people, and I may be their God,” saith the Lord God (Ezek 14:11). “Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols,, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; so shall they be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezek 37:23). “My tabernacle also shall be with them; yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Ezek 37:27). “Yet the number of children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ‘Ye are not My people,’ there is shall be said unto them, ‘Ye are the sons of the living God’” (Hos 1:10). Redemption and salvation are mutually beneficial. We receive a God and God receives a people, in righteousness and truth.
CONCLUSION
This truth revealed by God is very encouraging and provoking to life Godward. It is good and right for us to think of ourselves in terms of "the redeemed" of the Lord. We belong to God. This will help us in our fight of faith. It will help us reason appropriately concerning our present experience. “For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor 6:20). “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men” (1 Cor 7:23). We look forward to the redemption of our body (Rom 8:23) and until then, though groaning within ourselves, we are kept by the power of God and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
We have been purchased by God and yet while in this flesh we find ourselves enslaved, to some degree, to another. We are bound by this vile body. We are currently absent from the Lord. Until what has been purposed for us is completely ours we are found wanting. But be of good cheer, brethren, our final redemption is coming! "Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Lk 21:28).
