Jesus: God's Elect (Part 4)

"Behold, My Servant, Mine Elect in Whom My Soul delighteth" (Isa 42:1)

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord has chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth” (Deut 14:2). Those chosen by God are removed from among the common people and are separated unto God. They have been called to a work that has not been given to any other. They are peculiar as compared to others and they are a people specifically devoted unto God. They have been selected for a determined purpose of God. 

Israel was chosen by God as the people through whom He would send Christ. Even Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar were chosen a special instruments to do God’s works and be vessels through which He would manifest His own purpose and accomplish it. But Jesus is the primary Elect One and is altogether Holy. He is separate from sinners (which is the rest of humanity). His work would not and could not be given to another for none other had power to accomplished it. 

Election is in Order to a Work. The Levites were chosen “… out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord” (Deut 18:5). A work needed to be done and they were chosen to do it. From among them there would be ministers in the sanctuary to offer up sacrifices, specific families selected to set up and break down the tabernacle, and those chosen to carry the holy things throughout the wilderness. All who were chosen were then required to be faithful stewards of their election in order for the work to be accomplished.

Similarly, Solomon was chosen to build the temple of God in Jerusalem and also exhorted to make sure it was accomplished. His father said to him, “Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it” (1 Chr 28:10). Finishing the work is what it means to make your calling and election sure. If you have been chosen to a task and a ministry, your completion of it is your surety to your election. He calls in righteousness and makes no mistakes. So consider this brethren, the Lord has “chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Th 2:13). Do the things that accompany salvation and “ye shall never fall” (2 Pet 1:10).

Now behold, God’s Elect has a ministry and He shall not fail. He will faithfully carry out His ministry for He always does the things that please the Father. In a sense, the eternal purpose of God depends on Jesus’ ability to make His calling and election sure. He has finished His work in the earth and He will finish His work from the right hand of God. He is Faithful and True. “I have laid help upon One that is mighty; I have exalted One chosen out of the people. I have found David My Servant; with My holy oil have I anointed Him; with Whom My hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen Him…” (Ps 89:19ff). Jesus has been called to the work of salvation. He is the Savior. God is delighted in His choice.

Election to Leadership. “…and have chosen David to be over My people Israel” (2 Chr 6:6). “I have made a covenant with My Chosen, I have sworn unto David My Servant, ‘Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up Thy throne to all generations” (Ps 89:3-4). As depicted in the kings of old and primarily David, the man after God’s own heart, Jesus has been chosen to be over the kingdom of God. He is leading, warring, providing, and building. His kingdom is advancing, peace is increasing, glory is abounding, and strongholds are being overthrown. We will never be without direction as long as we follow the Lamb and give heed to His voice. The bounds of our habitation and details of every day life are determined by God, experienced by us, and overseen by the Chief Steward. While we may not know those things in advance we do know that the Lord will be with us. For we have been called into fellowship with Him. 

The Habitation of God is Chosen by God. God doesn’t just reside anywhere. In times past He had chosen a land to place His name and sanctuary for a house. “But I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name might be there” (2 Chr 6:6). Now He resides in His Son. He is our refuge, strength, and high tower. All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him in bodily form. With that being the case, those who are in Jesus are in the covenant of God and in fellowship of the Godhead - "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Men, have then become a spiritual house, a habitation of God through the Spirit. 

Jesus embodied this while on the earth and now that He has been glorified, He has sent the Spirit that He might be with us forever. Never again do men need to be as sheep without a shepherd for the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls is with us and He will not leave us nor forsake us. He shall leads us in paths of righteousness, feed us in green pastures and takes us to still waters. God has chosen Him to be this for us.

Chosen as the One Foundation of God’s Building. Jesus is unique. He is the only one upon Whom all the work of God can rest. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 3:11). God has laid “in Zion a Chief Cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded” ( 1 Pet 4:6). 

Men have been brought into fellowship with Deity and the work of salvation because they have been place upon a good foundation. Furthermore, they have been influenced and empowered by that foundation. Jesus is the Living Stone that has given life to the rest of the stones. We have come to Him, “as unto a Living Stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5). Jesus makes the participation of man stable and right. The only reason we have part in the ministry of reconciliation is because the Foundation upon which we build and stand is a Solid Rock that will not allow us to fall. 

God chose a Man to save man. He had to be like unto His brethren but better than them. He had to be able to touch them but with His touch, heal them. He needed to walk among them while remaining undefiled and incorruptible. He needed to be a living stone that gave life to the otherwise dead stones. And He is. Jesus is God's Elect and therefore, salvation is sure to all them that have Him.

Jesus: God's Elect (Part 3)

"Behold, Mine Servant, Whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in Whom My soul delighteth" (Isa 42:1)

The Revelation of Election is by the Actions of the Elect. 

How are men able to recognize those whom God has chosen. Primarily, how are men to recognize the Elect One of God? It is by the record that God has given AND by the works of the elect. In other words, God will declare whom He has chosen and then what they do will be evidence of this election. This is true of Christ and this is true of anyone else chosen by God.  

The Works of the Messiah. Being God's Elect according to Isaiah 42 meant being the Messiah. God's Elect would be His Anointed One; the One who would save Israel. He was promised to come and was understood to be the King of the Jews that would deliver the people from their enemies. Many of Jesus' day perceived that this Messiah would come and deliver them from tyrannical Roman rule. They failed to recognize that sin and death were their greatest enemies, not the Romans. So when Jesus came declaring that He was the Son of God, their Messiah and at the same time refused to fight with the sword, they rejected His testimony and the testimonies of others. They rejected Jesus because, in their minds, His works did not accord with His profession. 

Yet, the prophets did speak of what God's Elect would do. Consider the record of Isaiah 42:

• He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles (v1)
• He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street (v2)
• A bruised reed shall He not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench (v3)
• He shall bring forth judgment unto truth (v3)
• He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth (v4)
• He will be given as a covenant of the people (v6)
• He will be a light of the Gentiles (v6)
• He will open blind eyes and bring out prisoners from the prison (v7)

His Own Received Him Not. The Jews' mocking of Jesus revealed that they knew that God’s elect would be the Messiah but it also revealed that they did not know how the Messiah would save them. They called on Him to perform that which they thought the Messiah should do. “…He saved others,” they said, “let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God” (Lk 23:35). They rejected Isaiah's prophecy that God's servant would bare the sin of many and pour out His soul unto death (Isa 53:12).

They even rejected the testimony of Christ's forerunner. John testified of Jesus’ election: that He was the Christ. His message was "Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." Though, the appropriate response from the people was to rejoice in John’s light and believe, the majority of the religious elite of that day rejected John's testimony. However, Jesus said that John’s testimony was not all. The Father hath borne witness of Jesus (Jn 5:37). Moses wrote of Him (Jn 5:46). The Scriptures themselves are "they which testify of" Jesus (Jn 5:39). Yet Jesus said there was another.

“I have greater witness than that of John, for the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me" (Jn 5:36).

Jesus is revealed as the Elect of God by His works. When pressed, “How long dost Thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly (Jn 10:24), Jesus said, “I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me” (Jn 10:25). His election was made sure and shown to be true and right by His ability to save to put away sin, lay down His life, take it up again, save men to the uttermost, and at last bring all things into subjection under His feet thus defeating every foe. His works testify of His election.

The Scriptures, the testimony of John, the Witness of God Himself, the work of the Holy Spirit and the works of Jesus all reveal that Jesus is the Chosen of God, the Christ that saves the world. As men behold this truth and it presses upon their spirits they will cling unto Him with purpose of heart and He will show Himself to be a mighty Savior. As Jesus also declared: their response to His election is a revelation of their election. “But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (Jn 10:26-27). Believe in Jesus. Make your calling and election sure. 

Jesus: God's Elect (Part 2)

"Behold, My Servant, Whom I uphold, Mine Elect in Whom My soul delighteth" (Isa 42:1)

SAINTS OF OLD WERE ELECTED TO MANIFEST GOD'S ELECT

When God said, “Behold, Mine Elect” He was pointing His finger at Jesus and declaring that all the hope of man would be upon Him and He would be victorious. “Look for Him, believe in Him, trust in Him, lay hold of Him, He is the covenant to the people. He is My Chosen One.” Prior to the incarnation of Christ God chose vessels through which He would prepare future generations for the recognition and reception of the His Elect. We must have this perspective to have an appropriate understanding of "election" in the kingdom of God.

All those chosen by God are chosen in view of Jesus. Men are chosen based upon God's eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus and their connectedness with Jesus Himself. Think about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David, Solomon, the prophets and priests. They were all chosen, NOT because they were superior to their contemporaries, but because of the role they would play in what God had purposed to do in Christ. God introduced us to these men so that they could introduce us to Jesus. For those who were looking for the Messiah, there would be a sort of familiarity with Him upon even their first encounter. God was preparing men to receive His Son. 

Matthew, therefore introduces Jesus to the world in these terms: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Mt 1:1). Anyone familiar with the Divine record has become intimately acquainted with both David and Abraham. God's choice of these men and the promises given to them were all in view of the Servant of God, Whom God would manifest in the fullness of time.  To Abraham it was said, "in thy Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen 22:18). To David it was said, "behold, a son shall be born to the, who shall be a man of rest...He shall build an house for My name; and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever" (1 Chr 22:9-10). Of course, Solomon was the immediate fulfillment of this word but no doubt, Jesus is the "body" of this "shadow."

Philip introduced Nathanael to Jesus in these terms: "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write" (Jn 1:45). God chose Moses and the prophets and Israel was very familiar with them. But Moses and the prophets were not the focus of God's choice. They were chosen to speak about the coming Messiah; the Chosen One of God. And so the people of God gave attention to the word of the prophets and the patriarchs and were then acquainted with the promise of a coming King who would rule over Israel as both king and priest; a Prophet who would tell them all things (Jn 4:25); a Savior who would take away their sins. Philip and Nathanael were both acquainted with God's election of Moses and the prophets and as a result they were looking for this One.

To the two on the road to Emmaus, Jesus introduced Himself by beginning at Moses and all the prophets and expounding unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Lk 24:47). The gospel of Christ brings to light that all the Scriptures are really speaking about Jesus. This is what Jesus was doing with these two men. He was helping them make the connection with their knowledge of Moses and the prophets and Himself being the substance of those ministries. Paul testified that this too was his purpose in ministering the word of God.

"...according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest...by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." (Romans 16:25-26)

The mystery of God in Christ is made known by the opening up of the scriptures of the prophets. They testified of Christ both in their lives and in their words.

Time would fail us if we sought to numerate all of the prophecies of Jesus but the point here is that God's election of other men is not because of those other men...it is because of Christ. Men are not primarily chosen by God to save to His people but to shine the spotlight of revelation upon the Savior of all men. The saints of old were chosen of God to manifest the Chosen One of God. And, dear reader, if you have been chosen by God it is for this same purpose - not for your own glory but for the glory of God in Christ Jesus, His Elect. 

Jesus: God's Elect (Part 1)

"Behold, My Servant, Whom I uphold, Mine Elect in Whom My soul delighteth" (Isa 42:1)

BEHOLD. HIM.

God has, in many places, declared WHAT He would do and THAT He would do it. Isaiah 42 is a declaration concerning WHO would accomplish it and HOW He would accomplish it. Before the foundations of the world were laid God, the Father had determined to glorify Himself by saving man. Then, in time and history, He stretched forth His arm in the person; the Man, Christ Jesus and performed His will. Jesus is the means through which God would accomplish the work of salvation. Furthermore, He is the "Worker" who would accomplish it. 

God’s Choice. The world needs saving. The world needs a Savior: One who will do what is necessary. God determined that all of His good pleasure would be accomplished by His Elect. His Choice for saving man would not be a location, not a commandment, not a system, not even an angel. His Elect would be His own Son; a man. 

When the Lord looked upon the face of the earth He saw that there was no man (born of the flesh) that could accomplish His eternal purpose; for it was purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord. No tryouts would be possible, no application process necessary, no voting of men would be appropriate for there was none that qualified, none good, no, not one. 

How then could salvation be accomplished? With men this proved to be an impossibility but not with God. For God had already made a choice. The election of Jesus was not a reaction to the absence of an able man in the earth. Rather, the absence of an able man in the earth was evidence of the need for a Divine man to be sent to the earth. And so, Jesus' "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting"(Mic 5:2) so that He could save men from their sin, satisfy the righteous requirement of the Law, and please the Father once for all.

God’s Covenant. In view of unveiling this great salvation to the minds of men, the Lord promised a  covenant that He would make with the people of Israel and the people of Judah that would not be like the one He made with them when He took them by the hand out of the land of Egypt. This covenant would be more “living” than that one. It would not be contained in laws and ordinances, it would be contained in a person. It would not rest on their ability to fulfill demands but on God’s ability to accomplish what He had promised. So, finding fault with the flesh’s ability to measure up, God sent His Servant in the fulness of time to be "a covenant of the people" (Isa 42:6) and His "salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isa 49:6). This Jesus is not only be a messenger of the covenant (Mal 3:1) and a mediator of the covenant (Heb 8:6; 12:24), He IS the covenant. He is the arrangement, agreement, provision and promise that God has purposed to save men and justify all judgment. He is God's Choice.

Consider Jesus, of Nazareth: God’s Elect. Behold HIM!

Mountain Top Magazine #6

Mountain Top Magazine #6

Jesus Has, By Himself, Purged Our Sins

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Jesus sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high because He had accomplished His work and merited this high position. He had effectively, forever, and once for all PURGED OUR SINS. All of salvation is taking place in the wake of such a great work. As a result of Christ purging our sins He has been exalted, men and their offerings have been made acceptable, and we shall be presented to the Father as a pure and spotless bride. 

A TRUTH TO BEHOLD AND BELIEVE

Redeemed men must have a conscience awareness of this purging if they are going to live boldly before God. They can only have confidence to stand before Him if they know that He is not against them. Ignorance of the fact or else failure to believe that Christ has purged their sins will cause men to remain bound by sin for he such a man “is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Pet 1:9).

Christ HAS purged our sins. He came and fulfilled His purpose in doing so. As it is written, “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (Mal 3:3). Jesus has once for all purged men of their sins and is in the process of purifying them. The knowledge of this will cause them to endure hardness, rejoice in tribulation and live by faith and patience.

THE EFFECTS

A Purged Conscience. In the present day we are a contrast to those who lived under the sacrificial system of the law who under “a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, [could] never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually” were never made perfect. Otherwise those sacrifices would “have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins” (Heb 10:1-2). “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins” (Heb 10:3-4). But now, Jesus “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb 10:12-14).

The Removal of Sin has a Forward Working as Well. When Christ purged our sins He didn’t just provide a salvation to deal with our past. He provided a salvation to provide a holy future. The removal of sin and a clear conscience before God enables man “to serve the living God” (Heb 9:14). This is actually depicted in the Passover meal and the subsequent Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.’” (Leviticus 23:1-6)

After the Lamb is sacrificed it is right for men to no longer have part of the leaven of sin anymore. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7). It is as though we are living in a continuous Feast of Unleavened Bread. We have been purged from our sins and they have no more part in our lives.

We are a Holy Tree Bringing Forth Good Fruit. Jesus said “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (Jn 15:1-2). We are the tree of God. Individually and collectively we shall be presented to the Father with not a single unfruitful branch thus making us more productive in the world to come. In the end there will be no bad trees, no bad fruit, no unfruitful branches. Only holy branches that have been granted into one holy tree producing a multitude of holy fruit. For Christ has purged our sins. He has sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, and from thence the Spirit has been poured out upon us. “The wilderness [has become] a fruitful field, and the fruitful field [shall] be counted for a forest” (Isa 32:15).

The Everlasting Gospel

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7)

The message from heaven is good news. It is glad tidings of deliverance from present and impending doom. It is a message of hope when hope is otherwise gone. It announces an impossible thing and then declares that it is possible with God. The gospel is a summons to partake of the glorious salvation offered to men on the basis of the Son’s ability to perform all that is required for the ungodly to gain fellowship with God. 

Everlasting. This message is not for a particular time. It is everlasting. What is declared by the angel was always appropriate. This message is just as fitting for Adam and Eve as it is for us today. The everlasting nature of the gospel does not mean that it becomes dull or common. It never needs to be updated or adapted. This everlasting gospel is a promise of blessing through the Messiah and was sufficient for Abraham (Gal 3:8). It is a message of the salvation of souls by the grace of God and was sufficient to save the prophets and their hearers (1 Pet 1:10-11). It’s glory is seen in that it is still able to save those who hear it today.

The trend of culturing the gospel to fit to “our times” is a vain endeavor that actually makes the message of none effect. Any alteration of the everlasting gospel will cloud the eternality of the purpose of God. It will prevent it’s hearers from fellowship with the saints of old and with the ministry of reconciliation. They will see their experience as something that is isolated from the that which they read about in the Scriptures. 

Peter once said, concerning Gentile converts, “we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:11). Likewise, we must say, “we believe that through the hearing and believing of the everlasting gospel we shall be saved, even as all men throughout history, world without end.”

Fear God! This is the genesis of all sound thinking. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. If men do not fear God whatever they say is of no value in the last analysis. The greatest intellect of the world is made foolish when it’s possessor fails to fear God. In fact, most of the “science” falsely so called of our day is spawn from the well of “the ignorance and rejection of God.” The entire earth has need of hearing this message - “Fear God.” Compliance with such a command would break down the fortress of ungodliness that is our society.

Give Glory to God! This is right because God is glorious. Let him who boasts, boast in God. It is high time for Nebuchadnezzar to come off of his wall and recant of his words. It is time for men to say “Look at this great creation which God has built.” 

Give honor, reverence, praise to the name of God. Those who believe the gospel will do just this. Partaking of the salvation of God will cause men to cry out in praise. Nothing in salvation promotes pride. Men must see the peril of their situation and cry out, “O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death” and then the gospel responds, “thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” - He will! 

The gospel not only commands men to give glory to God but the message itself gives glory to God. In every congregation, gathering, and street corner in which the everlasting gospel is being published, Jesus, the only begotten of the Father, is being faithful to do just this. Through the mouths of His people He is fulfilling His purpose to glorify His Father according to what is written: “I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee” (Ps 22:22).

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 4 of 4)

THE BLESSED OUTCOME

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

Trees of Righteousness, the Planting of the Lord. The children of God are known for strength. They are strong in the strength of their Father’s might. They are firmly rooted and grounded. They are not moved away from the hope of the gospel or from obtaining their inheritance. They are trees! But not just any trees. They are trees of righteousness. They live unto God though their environment is cursed. They are productive. They bear the fruit of righteousness and do the work of the kingdom. Their existence and stability is actually contrary to their environment as perceived in the world but in accord with the spiritual environment that they have entered. 

The power behind their efforts and stability is God Himself who ministers nourishment to them. And His benefits to them add to their strength. In fact, they go from strength to strength. The blessings spoken of in Isaiah 61 have utility toward the saving of the soul. The beauty exchanged for ashes enables them to adorn the doctrine of Christ. They aren’t governed by a list of rules but with the liberty wherewith Christ has set them free they find opportunity to adorn the gospel of Christ. As the psalmist has said, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning; Thou hast the dew of Thy youth" (Ps 110:3). 

Though those the saints of God must endure much suffering and affliction they are covered with a garment of praise in exchange for their spirit of heaviness. While in the prison house they can sing "praises unto God" (Acts 16:25). And after being persecuted they can praise the Lord for being "counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41). 

Finally, the oil of joy flows over their mourning and becomes the strength of the people (Neh 8:10). They will make their pilgrimage from the enemies land to their home all the while singing with everlasting joy upon their heads (Isa 35:10; 51:11). 

Their existence; the fact that they are overcoming the world is evidence of a Divine work being accomplished in them. They are strong but the strength is from the Lord. They are righteous! And their righteousness is not of them but of the Lord. The result of all of this is that God is glorified.

God is Glorified. All of heaven is engaged in expressions of glory to God. All of salvation is unto Him. Everyone present in the world to come is there because of God’s mercy, wisdom, grace, blessing, and goodness. The 144,000 know it. The great multitude of all the nations and kindreds and people and tongues know it. The angels and the elders and the four beasts know it.

“Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb…Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12)

Mourning Will Come but So Will Comfort. The way to endure hardship & heartache is not avoidance. It is not just pretending that everything is okay and staying “positive.” There is a time to mourn and blessed are they that mourn. Hardship is hard. Heartache aches. But these things are also productive. They are working for you are far greater and eternal weight in glory. The way to endure this world is to look for the world to come and partake of the abundance and overflow that has graciously been afforded to us by Christ. The day of acceptance is here. The day of salvation has dawned and high noon is coming.

Hope against hope! Believe to the end! Look unto Jesus, your Forerunner who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death but is now crowned with glory and honor and made higher than the heavens. Look to Him and see the fulness of your blessed appointment. For if you suffer with Him, you shall also reign with Him.

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 3 of 4)

OUR BLESSED APPOINTMENT

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

Everything that God does manifests who He is. In fact, the same can be said of us. But through this blessed appointment we can see that God is a comforter. He is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Our experience here is one of suffering, trial, dwelling in an evil world, housed in a vial body, surrounded by enemies within and without. In this we are tempted to despair and perceive ourselves destroyed. But then these glad tidings ring clear. God has appointed for those that mourn in Zion…comfort!

Mourning, Ashes, and the Spirit of Heaviness. Mourning, ashes and a spirit of heaviness are outward expressions produced by an inward experience. This is also true of praise and joy. There really is no pretense in the kingdom of God. God is not mocked. The kingdom of God is one of truth and the true worshippers worship God in spirit and in truth, not in pretense. We are not speaking of paid mourners, or self pitying gloomers. We are speaking of those who out of a sincere love for God and zeal for His house find themselves distraught over the condition of His creation. 

All of these expressions speak of sorrow, distress, and weariness. They are not owing to weakness but of discontentment. Those who are hardened by sin never mourn over it. But those who know the guilt of sin will cry out over it. They will be distraught over their own sins and the sins of the people. They will mourn, they will cover themselves in ashes as those in Nineveh, they will be clothed with a spirit of heaviness until the burden of sin is removed. David noted that as a result of his sin the joy of salvation was gone and he coveted it’s return.

Mourning among the people of God is produced when holy things are defiled, when God is blasphemed, and when sin is celebrated. The tolerant, the lukewarm and the indifferent will never experience mourning but those sensitive towards God will. Jeremiah mourned over the condition of the holy city and of the unrepentant people. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Moses even sought death because of the waywardness of the congregation. All those who mourn in this way find themselves in the fellowship of all saints and God Himself. God has appointed comfort for such people. 

Sighing and Crying in ZIon. Ezekiel chapters 8 and 9 record a vision that the prophet was given to see as he peered into the holy temple. But in that vision the prophet beholds a most grievous sight, "even the great abominations that the house of Israel had committed there that caused God to go far off from His sanctuary (Ezek 8:6). The Lord then told Ezekiel that he would see even greater abominations that these. There was idolatry and sin taking place to the north, south, east and west. The people of God had defiled the holy temple and God had determined to destroy them and it. However, in chapter nine the prophet beholds a man clothed in linen with an inkhorn by his side that would go and mark are particular group of individuals that were not to be destroyed. Who are these blessed people? Hear the account:  “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezek 9:4). While the world despises those that cry out against sin, the Lord Himself has determined to take not of such people and deliver them from the wrath to come. 

Consider Paul’s Experience. The apostle Paul recorded his experience of both mourning and comfort in his walk with the Lord. Mourning in Zion might sound like this: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death” (Rom 7:24). But then the comfort of the gospel brings joy and rejoicing “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). 

Mourning in Zion might sound like this: "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom 9:2-3) and again, "my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Rom 10:1). But then the comfort of the gospel might sound like this: "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, 'There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins'" (Rom 11:26-27).

The confession of mourning in Zion might sound like this: "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?" (2 Cor 11:28-29). But the comfort of the gospel might sound like this. "Yea, [they] shall be holden up: for God is able to make [them] stand" (Rom 14:4).

Beauty, Garment of Praise, Oil of Joy. Those who put ashes on their heads in mourning and sorrow and even repentance shall be clothed with beauty. Their appearance shall not be that of one who needs comfort but one who has been comforted. The appointment that they have before them will be evidenced on the other side. They will be adorned with beauty. They will have cause for praise on account of their blessing. They shall be praising the Lord and the they shall be praised. Our entrance into the fulness of this appointment involves participation in the heritage of the Lord. In other words, this appointment is a promise to forever dwell in the courts of the Lord, as it is written, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps 16:11).

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 2 of 4)

THE DAY HAS DAWNED

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

No doubt the blessed appointments mentioned in Isaiah 61 (v1-3) sound good to the ears. But when would such things be accessible to the children of God? And of who does the prophet speak? Of himself or another? Jesus answered these questions when He “returned with power” from His temptation in the wilderness. He came to Nazareth and “as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up for to read” (Lk 4:16). And after He read these words of the prophet before the people, He declared truth that changed everything: “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Lk 4:21). He is the appointed One and now is the day in which these blessed things has dawned. We are living in the dew of it’s morning. Behold, NOW is the acceptable time. Behold, NOW is the day of salvation. 

We Have Heard the Joyful Sound. The day has dawned. The gospel is now, and from the time of Jesus, being preached with clarity and power to save. The meek, who refuse to be abrasive and to sheathe their strength for the wellbeing of others are having glad tidings preached to them. The brokenhearted are being bound up and strengthened. Captives are being set free and prisoners are being shown the way of escape. And this is just the beginning!

Sin has been judged. The devil is destroyed. Grace now reigns unto eternal life. The Holy Spirit is dwelling in and governing the people of God. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the His Father. Believers have passed out of death into life. They have been seated with Christ in heavenly places; hid with Him in God. Oh, but this is just the beginning!

Present, And Future. The kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom and the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory is an eternal salvation. Like Caleb and Joshua we are now partaking of the first fruits of the Promised Land and they are better than all the fruits of our land. This isn’t just poetic imagery, this is the apostles’ doctrine. The letter to the Hebrews speaks of those who have been illuminated and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. It speaks of those who have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come (Heb 6:4-6). In other words, they have tasted the firstfruits of their future inheritance. They have a portion now of what they will have in fullness then. This is the way the kingdom functions. God is making men fit for receiving all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Salvation provides a way for us to partake of these things now and for ever and ever world without end. 

Think about this: Just like God had to take away our sins before we could be a habitation of God in the Spirit, so He will remove all things that offend in order to make us fit for even more blessing. There is coming a day when that which is hidden will be made known. There is coming a day when the glory of God shall be revealed. Then the Son of God shall be manifested. Then the saints shall shine like lights. Then the earth and its works shall be burned up. Then all things that offend God will be dispelled from His presence and from those who remain in His presence. Then we shall know as we have been fully known. Then God will deal out retribution. And then we shall be comforted. All the good things God has appointed for His people shall be enhanced, enlarged and overflowing and, praise God, we will be able to receive it. This day of salvation and the time of comfort has dawned, brethren. Hold fast, for, high noon is coming soon.

The Day of Vengeance. We are living in the acceptable year. This is a year when God is pleased and those who come to Him by Christ are accepted by Him. It is a time when He may be found. Yet there is coming a day of vengeance. Both the acceptable year and the day of vengeance are announced in the gospel and both are beneficial to the people of God. In fact, how you think about the day of vengeance is an indication of your participation in the acceptable year of the Lord. If you are participating in the year of acceptance then you can look forward to the day of vengeance when God will destroy all things that oppose you. However, if you are neglecting so great a salvation then the day of vengeance is a terrifying thing because in it God will actually destroy you - for you are the one in opposition with the purpose of God.

But here is a blessed thought: The YEAR of Acceptance…the DAY of vengeance. It is as though for us the day of vengeance is brief while the acceptance of God is forever. There are things that “only last for the night” and there are better things that “come in the morning.” The day of acceptance is like the morning that comes after the night of weeping and it is a morning that never ends. There will never again be the darkness of night once that morning comes.

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 1 of 4)

The Appointments of God.

The appointments of the Lord are sure. If He has determined it, if He has spoken it, He will also do it. Furthermore, His appointments are revealing of His person. What He appoints teaches us about Him: His nature and His purpose and His person. Consider some of these appointments of God.

• Salvation appointed walls and bulwarks (Isa 26:1): God intends on keep that which He redeems
• Appointment of the kingdom of men (Dan 5:21): God is a Governor, The Governor among the nations
• Appointment of the Apostle and High Priest (Heb 3:1-2): God is intent on saving men to the uttermost
• Appointment of Heirship (Heb 1:2): God is a Rewarder
• Appointment of the Judgment Day (Acts 17:31): God is just and men are accountable
• Appointed unto men to die once then the judgment (Heb 9:27): God’s purpose extends beyond this world and beyond this body
• Appointment of afflictions for the saints (Ps 44:11; 1 Th 3:3)  God is compassionate and also knows the benefit of suffering for righteousness
• Appointed times and bounds for men (Acts 17:26): God is wise
• Appointment of a kingdom (Lk 22:29): God is the Lord who entrusts possessions to stewards
• Appointment not to wrath but to obtaining salvation (1 Th 5:9): God desires, primarily, to save
• Appointed the Law and established a testimony (Ps 78:5): God calls, initiates, instructs
• Appointment of the defeat of good counsel (2 Sam 17:14): God’s ways are higher than man’s
• Appointed each day for a year (Ezek 4:6): God is a revealer 

Now let us consider the blessed appointment unto them that mourn in Zion as declared through the prophet Isaiah.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Here we learn that God is righteous. God is good. God is a comforter. God does not shelter His people from heartache and turmoil. Neither does He leave them to cope with them alone. He allows the famine then gives the food. He allows the drought and brings the rain. He allows mourning and then brings the comfort. And the latter provision is always more prominent than the former. In other words the comfort is of such delight that you can forget the days of mourning and the days of toil (Gen 41:51). 

The Banner of Truth: The Festival of Divine Appointments

The Banner of Truth: The Festival of Divine Appointments: This Coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! The Festival of Divine Appointments Spring 2015 Preaching Festival Schedule Frid...

Faith’s Victory in the Furnace of Affliction

By Al Stoner

Discouragement (casting down, excessive carefulness, heaviness) is an inevitable reality that “is common to man” (I Cor. 10:13).  It is common to all the sons of man, and is encountered by all, but it has a special dimension and significance for those, who are in Christ, even those who living and walking “by the faith of Him” (Eph. 3:12). The phenomenon of discouragement proceeds chiefly from the consequences of Adam’s transgression and the entrance of sin into the world.  Those consequences can, however, also be complicated and amplified by personal neglect.  Involved here are also the workings of the tempter, the Devil, our personal adversary, that old serpent, who walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (cf. I Pet. 5:6-7).  And as John wrote, “the whole world lieth in wickedness (in the evil one)” (I Jn. 5:19, ASV).  All of these things combine as contributors to the casting down and heaviness of spirit, experienced by all who are fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold on the eternal life, to which they have been called.

The time of our earthly sojourn is one of constant Divine scrutiny, proving, and testing, even in seasons of rest and of being led “beside the still waters”, and being made to lie down “in green pastures” (Ps. 23:2).  As Moses declared to the children of Israel, it yet remains true in principle with all who are in covenant relationship with the great and exalted Jehovah through His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live”  (Deut. 8:2-3).

As was the case with the land which God promised to Israel (Deut. 11:12), so it is ever the case with the occupants of that land (both Israel and the church of God), “the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon” them.  His eyes are ever running to and fro throughout the whole earth in search of hearts that are “perfect towards Him” (II Chr. 16:9; cf. Zech. 4:10).  His all-searching eyes are ever “over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers” (I Pet. 3:12; Ps. 34:15).  Solomon declared: “The ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings” (Prov. 5:21).  How much more can this be said in truth of those who are “a peculiar treasure unto” Him “above all people” (Exod. 19:5)?  “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto THE EYES OF HIM WITH WHOM WE HAVE TO DO” (Heb. 4:13).

The Savior was No Stranger to Heaviness and Discouragement.  “In the days of His flesh” (Heb. 4:15) the Lord Jesus Christ was comforted in times of great discouragement with the prospect “the joy that was set before Him” (Heb. 12:2) and of His being “glorious in the eyes of the LORD” (Isa. 49:5).  The “Man of sorrows” (Isa. 53:3) was prepared of God to give “the oil of joy for mourning” and “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isa. 61:3) and Himself tasted of heaviness and discouragement much more than any man ever did or could taste of.  He it is who forged through the deepest waters and passed through the hottest fires of trial and testing.  In so doing He was being prepared of God to made “a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God” (Heb. 2:17) “to make reconciliation [“a propitiatory shelter”, CLV] for the sins of the people”.

Discouragement Resulting in Divine Provocation

The “Ensample” of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness.  As Paul declared, these things happened unto them for our ensamples.  We learn from these examples that it is not a sin to be discouraged.  God is fully aware, even much more so than we are, of the liabilities and proneness to disheartenment that are part of the sojourn through this present evil world.  But nevertheless how men deal with the discouragement is a very sensitive matter with the Lord, the Creator of both the heavens and the earth.  Will they avail themselves of the boundless wellspring of everlasting comfort and consolation that He has bountifully provided in His only begotten Son, or will they turn to the measly offerings of this present evil world, and hew themselves out “cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water?” (Jer. 2:13).

The Example of Israel by the Way of the Red Sea.  “And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom:AND THE SOUL OF THE PEOPLE WAS MUCH DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THE WAY. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. “AND THE LORD SENT FIERY SERPENTS AMONG THE PEOPLE, AND THEY BIT THE PEOPLE; AND MUCH PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DIED” (Num. 21:4-6).  That disheartenment will eventually come is a matter of inevitability.  But the possibility of discouragement leading to murmuring against God is one that the people of God need ever to be mindful of.   The new covenant’s provision of new creatureship in Christ, and of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are divinely provided antidotes for discouragement and casting down.  But these provisions must be diligently possessed and continually walked in by the believer in Christ, in order for the needed benefit to be derived from them.

The Jeopardy of Discouraging Others.  We are speaking here of discouraging others to the point where they do not enter in to obtain the promise, not of causing momentary discouragements.  “Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD” (Num. 32:8-12).  Joshua and Caleb are ensamples in that they were strong, and of a good courage in the face of discouragements, and they also sought to encourage others encountering great discouragement.  But, for the most part, their words of encouragement went unheeded, which resulted in Israel provoking the Lord to anger.  We also see vividly from this that “evil communications corrupt good manners (morals)” (I Cor. 15:33, ASV).  

The Name Israel as Applied to Christ.  Israel, He who strives with God, or He who is a Prince with God. We’re speaking here of striving with Him in the sense of earnestly pleading and beseeching Him, not of walking contrary to Him.   “And said unto Me, Thou art My Servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent My strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely My judgment is with the LORD , and My work with My God” (Isa. 49:3-4).  The name Israel, first borne by Isaac’s son, even by him who was known as the supplanter, and then by the chosen nation proceeding from his loins, is also the one that by which the Father addresses His Son here in this passage of Isaiah.  The Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of this name with all of its holy significance much more than any other.  There has never been one who has striven with God like He did in the days of His flesh.  And it is also Christ who presently makes intercession for us at the right hand of God, thus ensuring that those who are now fighting the good fight of faith and laying hold on eternal life shall triumph in the battle frays confronting them, but also that they shall have ultimate triumph when He comes in all of His glory.

Christ’s Supplications with Strong Crying and Tears.  “So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb. 5:5-10).

The Garden of Gethsemane.  “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words” (Mt. 26:36-44).

Israel Had Power over the Angel, and Prevailed. “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Gen. 32:28).   “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us; Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.  Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.” (Hos. 12:3-6).  “And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved” (Hos. 12:12-13). 

It seems that in these words of Hosea’s prophecy that the Lord is reflecting back upon Israel’s beginnings, to a time of great tenderness with regard to the nation of Israel.  Through Jeremiah He said, “Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown” (Jer. 2:2).  But at the time of Hosea’s writing the nation had grievously fallen by her iniquity (Hos. 14:1).   Though Israel fell woefully short of the name by which it was called, nevertheless the Lord Jesus Christ, who also bears the name of Israel (cf. Isa. 49:1-5), as He was so addressed by the Father, has never failed to bring honor and glory to His Father. 

Some other Considerations regarding Israel.  “The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him” (Isa. 56:8).  “Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee” (Hos. 8:3). “But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end” (Isa. 45:7).  “In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory” (Isa. 45:25).  For those who are well grounded in Scripture and able to reason upon that which is revealed in them, it becomes evident that the Lord Jesus Christ is absolutely essential to God for the implementation and realization of these exceeding great and precious promises.  Apart from the redemption in Christ Jesus there can be no bright prospects for either Israel or the church, “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16; see also I Cor. 10:32).

Christ’s Encounters with Heaviness and Discouragement.  “LISTEN, O isles, unto Me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called Me from the womb; from the bowels of My mother hath He made mention of My name. And He hath made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid Me; And said unto Me, Thou art My Servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent My strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely My judgment is with the LORD , and My work with My God” (Isa. 49:1-4).

The Savior’s Discouragement Resulting from His Humanity. “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. But thou, O LORD , shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD , and all the kings of the earth thy glory. When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD . For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD . He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end” (Ps. 102:11-27).

The “Much More” Nature of God’s Comforts.  “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail” (Heb. 1:8-12).  In the same way that He comforted His Son, He does also with us in our measure. It is therefore essential that we be well acquainted with the Most High and His ways.  “We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place” (Ps. 66:12).

---for more from brother Al Stoner visit www.banner.org