Blessed Hope

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:13

What a bright rainbow for a stormed-wreathed sky!  Hope is a joyous emotion!  Poetry sings of it; music warbles its lofty aspirations; but alas! how often does it weave fantastic visions — and then vanish!  "In the morning" the flowers of life are flourishing and growing up; "in the evening" a mysterious blight comes — and they lie as withered garlands at our feet!  The longing dreams of the whole life seem realized — but one wave of calamity overtakes us, and washes them all away!

Nevertheless, there is one "blessed hope" beyond the possibility of blight or decay:  "the hope of the glory of God," "the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior!"  If on earth, we long for the return of an absent friend or brother, separated from us for a season, by intervening oceans or continents; if we count the weeks or months until we welcome him back again to the parental home — then how should the Christian long for the return of the Brother of brothers, the Friend of friends:  "I will come again," is His own gracious promise, "To receive you unto Myself!"

Oh happy day!  when He shall be "glorified in His saints;"  when His people will suffer no more — and sin no more!  No more couches of sickness, or aching hearts, or fevered brows!  No more opened graves, or bitter tears!  And, better than all — no more estrangements and traitorous unholy hearts!  It will be the bridal day of the soul.  The body slumbering in the dust — will be reunited, as a glorified body to a redeemed spirit.  The grave shall be forever spoiled; death swallowed up in eternal victory.  "So shall we be forever with the Lord."

Reader, do you "love His appearing?"  Are you waiting with the eager expectant attitude of those who are "looking for, and hastening unto the coming of God."  "Yet a little while, and He who shall come — will come!"  If you are a child of the covenant, having conscious filial nearness to the Throne of Grace — then you need not dread the Throne of Glory!  True, He is the "great and awesome God," but He is "our Savior."  It is our "Kinsman Redeemer" who is ordained to "judge the world in righteousness."  Yes! turn your eye oftener towards this bright Rainbow of promise, spanning a glorious future; for remember, it is "to those who look for Him," that He shall "appear the second time without sin unto salvation!"

~John MacDuff

A Rainbow in the Clouds

The Spirit and Life

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit."

Philemon 25

It is the regenerating breath of the Lord Jesus Christ which makes the soul alive unto himself.  This is manifest from his own language--"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63).  Then for the first time "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ" is with our spirit.  For you will observe that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is not with our carnal mind--that ever remains the same, a body of sin and death, flesh--corrupt flesh, in which "dwelleth no good thing," and therefore not the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

His grace is with our spirit, that "new man" of which we read that "it is after the image of God" (Col. 3:10) created in righteousness and true holiness.  This is called our "spirit," because it is born of the Spirit, as the Lord himself unfolded the solemn mystery to Nicodemus--"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)  This is no subtle, thinly-drawn distinction, but a very important truth; for unless we see the difference between the two natures, the spirit and the flesh, the law in the members and the law of the mind, we shall always be in bondage, as looking for holiness in the flesh.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being thus with our spirit, it breathes from time to time upon that spirit, moves and acts in it and upon it; for there is what I may call a gracious or spiritual union between the two.  Thus we can no more live without the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ than the earth can live without the sun.  He must shine, or we have no light; he must revive, or we have no warmth; and he must fertilize, or we bring forth no fruit.  Thence time after time there is an outgoing of the single desire of the soul to the Lord Jesus Christ that his grace would be with our spirit; that this grace may be ever flowing forth into us, so as to make us new creatures, dispel all doubt and fear, break to pieces all bonds and fetters, fill us with love and humility, conform us to his suffering image, produce in us every fruit that shall redound to his praise, be with us in life and death, and land us safe in eternity.

~J. C. Philpot, "Daily Portions" (Selected writings of Joseph Philpot by his daughters)

The Only Shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want

 Psalm 23:1 

The shepherd is a favorite Scriptural picture of the divine love and care. In the Old Testament, the twenty-third Psalm gathers the whole wonderful truth in exquisite lines, which are dear to young and old wherever the Bible is known. Then in the New Testament, when our Lord would give His friends the sweetest revealings of His heart toward them, and tell them what they are to Him, and what He would be to them—He says, "I am the Good Shepherd."

The Hebrew shepherd lives with his sheep. If they are out in the storm—he is with them. If they are exposed to danger—so is he. Just so, Christ lives with His people. He enters into closest relations with them.

The shepherd knows his sheep. He has a name for each one and calls them all by their names. Just so, Christ knows each one of His friends, has intimate personal knowledge of each one. He knows the best in us—and also the worst—our faults, our sins, our wanderings. Yet, knowing us as we are—He loves us still and never wearies of us!

The shepherd is most gentle with his sheep. He does not drive them—but goes before them and leads them. When they need rest on the way—he makes them lie down, and chooses for their resting-place, not the dusty road—but green pastures. He is especially kind to the lambs, gathers them in his arms and carries them in his bosom. All this is an exquisite picture of the gentleness of our Good Shepherd in His care of His sheep. He is thoughtful toward the weak. He loves the lambs and makes room for them on His bosom. Whatever the need is, there is something in the heart of Christ which meets its craving and supplies its lack!

The shepherd defends his flock in all danger. Often he had to risk his own safety, even his life, in protecting his sheep. Just so, the Good Shepherd gives His life—for His sheep!

Christ's sheep are absolutely safe in His keeping. "I give unto them eternal life," He said; "and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand!" Then at last, He will bring His own all safely home, "and they shall become one flock—with one Shepherd!"

~J. R. Miller "Bethlehem to Olivet" 1905

The Blessed Privilege

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8

A glorious prospect!  At that day the veil will be pulled off, and God will show himself in all his glory to the soul, just as a king on a day of coronation, shows himself in all his royalty and magnificence.  This sight of God will be the heaven of heaven.  We shall indeed have a sight of angels, and that will be sweet—but the quintessence of happiness and the diamond in the ring will be this—'We shall see God!'  It would be night in heaven, if the Sun of Righteousness did not shine there.  It is the king's presence, which makes the court. Absalom counted himself half-alive, unless he might see the king's face (2 Samuel 14:32).

Now concerning this blessed sight of God, it is so sublime and sweet, that I can only draw a dark shadow of it.  We shall better understand it when we come to heaven.  O what will it be when we shall see him 'face to face'!
When Christ was transfigured on the mount, he was full of glory (Matthew 17:2).  If his transfiguration was so glorious, what will his exaltation be!  What a glorious time will it be when (as it was said of Mordecai) we shall see him in the presence of his Father, arrayed in royal apparel, and 'with a great crown of gold upon his head' (Esther 8:15).  This will be glory beyond hyperbole! If the sun were ten thousand times brighter than it is—it could not so much as shadow out this glory.  In the heavenly horizon we behold beauty in its first magnitude and highest elevation.  There we shall 'see the king in his beauty' (Isaiah 33:17).  All lights are but eclipses, compared with that glorious vision.

This sight of God will be a TRANSFORMING sight.  'We shall be like him' (1 John 3:2).  The saints shall be changed into glory.  As when the light springs into a dark room, the room may be said to be changed from what it was; the saints shall so see God—as to be changed into his likeness! (Psalm 17:15).  Here on earth, God's people are blackened and sullied with infirmities—but in heaven they shall be as the dove covered with silver wings.  They shall have some rays and beams of God's glory shining in them.  The crystal, by having the sun shine on it, sparkles and looks like the sun.  Just so, the saints by beholding the brightness of God's glory shall have a tincture of that glory upon them.  Not that they shall partake of God's very essence, for as the iron in the fire becomes fire—yet remains iron still, so the saints by beholding the luster of God's majesty shall be glorious creatures—but yet creatures still.

This sight of God will be a JOYFUL sight.  'thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.' (Acts 2:28).  After a sharp winter, how pleasant will it be to see the Sun of Righteousness displaying himself in all his glory!  Does faith breed joy?  'Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:' (1 Peter 1:8).  If the joy of faith is such, what will the joy of vision be!  The sight of Christ will amaze the eye with wonder, and ravish the heart with joy.  If the face of a friend whom we entirely love so affects us and drives away sorrow—O how cheering will the sight of God be to the saints in heaven!  Then indeed it may be said, 'Your heart shall rejoice!' (John 16:22).  There are two things which will make the saints' vision of God in heaven joyful.

[1] Through Jesus Christ, the dread and terror of the divine essence shall be taken away. Majesty shall appear in God to preserve reverence—but however, it will be a majesty clothed with beauty and tempered with sweetness, to excite joy in the saints.  We shall see God as a friend, not as guilty Adam did, who was afraid, and hid himself (Genesis 3:10)—but as Queen Esther looked upon King Ahasuerus holding forth the golden scepter (Esther 5:2).  Surely this sight of God will not be dreadful, but delightful!

[2] The saints shall not only have vision, but fruition.  They shall so see God, as to enjoy him.  True blessedness lies partly in the understanding—by seeing the glory of God richly displayed; and partly in the will—by a sweet delicious taste of it and acquiescence of the soul in it.  We shall so see God—as to love him—and so love him as to be filled with him.  The seeing of God implies fruition.  'Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord' (Matthew 25:21) not only behold it—but enter into it.  'In thy light shall we see light' (Psalm 36:9).  'At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.' (Psalm 16:11); there is fruition.  So great is the joy which flows from the sight of God—as will make the saints break forth into triumphant praises and hallelujahs.

~excerpt from Thomas Watson's exposition of The Beatitudes

Faith Without The Rule

...but the just shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk 2:4

If the ten commandments in the letter be the believer's only rule, Abel, who obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, had no rule to go by, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, (Gen. 5:22) and "was translated that he should not see death, for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." (Heb 11:5); yet he had no rule of life. Noah the just, who took warning of God, prepared an ark, condemned the world, and became heir of an everlasting righteousness, was without rule. Abraham, the friend of God, and the father of the faithful, and heir of the world, must walk at an uncertainty also. 
Melchisedek, king of righteousness, and king of peace, priest of the Most High God; after whose order Christ is a priest forever and ever, had no rule for his order. Yea, all the antediluvian and post diluvian saints, down to the time of the children of Israel's compassing the Mount Sinai, must be left to walk and to worship at random; for, if the letter of the law, or the ten commandments delivered at Sinai, be the believer's only rule of life, it is clear they were without that rule. Yet they were not without law to God, for they feared Him, loved Him, and walked with Him; and saw Him at a distance and embraced Him, were united to Him, and became one spirit with Him.

I have sometimes wondered why these ancient saints should be set forth with the encomiums of being God's friends, walking with Him, obtaining witness that they were righteous, obtaining promises, obtaining good report, as strangers and pilgrims upon earth, of whom the world was not worthy, seeking an heavenly country, and a city that hath foundations, despising all worldly pleasure, self, and honor, leaving their own house, home, and country, without any desire to return thither; and why we should be commended to go forth by the footsteps of this flock, and be said to be compassed about with this cloud of witnesses, and be directed to follow those who through faith and practice now inherit the promises; when we know that if they were on earth, in this refined age, they would be ranked among the worst of Antinomians.

It is strange that the believer is not commanded to look to Moses the law giver, and to the bondwoman that is under the law, instead of looking to Abraham our father, and to Sarah that bare us, whom God called alone, and blessed and increased. (Isaiah 51:2). Paul would have us tread in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to him, or to his seed, through the law, Rom. 4:12,13; and yet affirms, that as many as are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. And this promised blessing, and promised heirship, was given to Abraham, and to his seed, four hundred and thirty years before the law, or before our only rule of life was given.

What rule had those glorious pilgrims to walk by, who obtained so good a report, or so good a testimony from God? Paul tells us that Abel offered to God, and obtained witness that he was righteous by faith; then faith was his rule of walk; and Noah condemned the world by faith; then faith was his rule of judgment. "By faith Abraham, when he was called, went out not knowing whither he went," then faith was his rule, by which he took his journey, though he knew not whither, and his obedience was the obedience of faith. But if he had been favored with our only rule of life, he might have known whither he was going, and not have gone in ignorance, and his obedience would have been the obedience of the law instead of faith.

But Paul will have it that all Abraham's children are in the same strait that their father was, for they walk by faith, not by sight. But if the letter of the law be the only rule that the believer is to walk and live by, then he walks by sight, not by faith; he looks at the things that are seen, not at the things that are not seen. If it is by faith that Moses saw Him who is invisible, then by faith we must look at the things that are not seen, which are eternal.

~William Huntington

Glory In Your Inheritance

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you

1 Peter 1:4

There is a glorious dwelling place provided by Jesus Christ for all His believing people.  The world that now is, is not their rest: they are pilgrims and strangers in it. Heaven is their home.

I can tell you a little of the blessedness of heaven, but not all.  What mortal man can explain the full nature of the inheritance of the saints in light?  Who can describe the glory which is yet to be revealed and given to the children of God?  Words fail, language falls short.  Mind cannot conceive fully, and tongue cannot express perfectly, the things which are comprised in the glory yet to come upon the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty.  Oh, it is indeed a true saying of the Apostle John :  "It doth not yet appear what we shall be" (1 John 3:2).

The very Bible itself only lifts the veil a little, which hangs over this subject.  How could it do more?  We could not thoroughly understand more, if more had been told us.  Our constitution is as yet too earthly, our understanding is as yet too carnal to appreciate more if we had it.  The Bible generally deals with the subject in negative terms, and not in positive assertions.  It describes what there will not be in the glorious inheritance, that thus we may get some faint idea of what there will be.  It paints the absence of certain things, in order that we may drink in a little the blessedness of the things present.  It tells us that the inheritance is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away. It tells us that there shall be no more night and no more curse,-that Satan and death shall he cast into the lake of fire,-that all tears shall be wiped away, and that the inhabitant shall no more say, "I am sick."  And these are glorious things indeed!  No corruption!-No fading!-No withering!-No devil!  No curse of sin!-No sorrow!-No tears!-No sickness!-No death!  Surely the cup of the children of God will indeed run over!

But Reader, there are positive things told us about the glory yet to come upon the heirs of God, which ought not to be kept back.  There are many sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comforts in their future inheritance, which all true Christians would do well to consider.  There are cordials for fainting pilgrims in many words and expressions of Scripture, which you and I ought to lay up against time of need.

Is knowledge pleasant to us now?  Is the little that we know of God, and Christ, and in the Bible, precious to our souls, and do we long for more?  We shall have it perfectly in glory.  What says the Scripture?-Then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12).  Blessed be God, there will be no more disagreements among believers!  The former ignorance will have passed away.  We shall marvel to find how childish and blind we have been.

Is holiness pleasant to us now?  Is sin the burden and bitterness of our lives?  Do we long for entire conformity to the image of God?  We shall have it perfectly in glory.  What says the Scripture?-"Christ gave Himself for the Church, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing" (Eph. 5:27).  Oh, the blessedness of an eternal good-bye to sin!  Oh, how little the best of us do at present!  Oh, what unutterable corruption sticks, like birdlime, to all our motives, all our thoughts, all our words, all our actions!   Oh, how many of us, like Naphtali, are godly in our words, but, like Reuben, unstable in our works!  Thank God, all this shall be changed!

Is rest pleasant to us now?  Do we often feel faint though pursuing?  Do we long for a world in which we need not be always watching and warring?  We shall have it perfectly in glory.  What saith the Scripture?- "There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God" (Heb. iv. 9).  The daily, hourly conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil, shall at length be at an end:  the enemy shall be bound; the warfare shall be over; the wicked shall at last cease from troubling; the weary shall at length be at rest.  There shall be a great calm.

Is service pleasant to us now?  Do we find it sweet to work for Christ, and yet groan, being burdened by a feeble body?  Is our spirit often willing, but hampered and clogged by the poor weak flesh?  Have our hearts burned within us when we have been allowed to give a cup of cold water for Christ's sake; and have we sighed to think what unprofitable servants we are?  Let us take comfort.  We shall be able to serve perfectly in glory, and without weariness.  What saith the Scripture?-"They serve Him day and night in His temple" (Rev. 7:15).

Is satisfaction pleasant to us now?  Do we find the world empty?  Do we long for the filling up of every void place and gap in our hearts?  We shall have it perfectly in glory.  We shall no longer have to mourn over cracks in all our earthen vessels, and thorns in all our roses, and bitter dregs in all our sweet cups.  We shall no longer lament, with Jonah, over withered gourds.  We shall no longer say, with Solomon, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit."  We shall no longer cry, with aged David, "I have seen an end of all perfection."  What saith the Scripture?-"I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" (Psalm 17:15).

Is communion with the saints pleasant to us now?  Do we feel that we are never so happy as when we are with the excellent of the earth?  Are we never so much at home as in their company?  We shall have it perfectly in glory.  What saith the Scripture?-"The Son of man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which work iniquity."  "He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds" (Matt. 13:41; 24:31).  Praised be God, we shall see all the saints of whom we have read in the Bible, and in whose steps we have tried to walk.

We shall see apostles, prophets, patriarchs martyrs, reformers, missionaries, and ministers, of whom the world was not worthy.  We shall see the faces of those we have known and loved in Christ on earth, and over whose departure we shed bitter tears.  We shall see them more bright and glorious than they ever were before.  And, best of all, we shall see them without hurry and anxiety, and without feeling that we only meet to part again. In glory there is no death, no parting, no farewell!

Is communion with Christ pleasant to us now?  Do we find His name precious to us?  Do we feel our hearts burn within us at the thought of His dying love?  We shall have perfect communion with Him in glory. "We shall ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17).  We shall be with Him in paradise: we shall see His face in the kingdom.  These eyes of ours will behold those hands and feet which were pierced with nails, and that head which was crowned with thorns.  Where He is, there will the sons of God be.  When He comes, they will come with Him: when He sits down in His glory, they shall sit down by His side.  Blessed prospects indeed!  Yet, all before me is unseen: the world to come is a harbour unknown!  But Christ is there, and that is enough.  Surely if there is rest and peace in following Him on earth, there will be far more rest and peace when you see Him face to face. If we have found it good to follow the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness, we shall find it a thousand times better to sit down in our eternal inheritance with our Joshua, in the promised land.

Reader, if you are one of those who are heirs of glory, you may well rejoice and be happy.  You may well bear crosses without murmuring: your light affliction is but for a moment; the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which is to be revealed.  When Christ our life appears, then you also shall appear with Him in glory.

 Glory in your inheritance.  It is all yours, if you are a son of God. 

~J. C. Ryle