From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] daily devotional
Evening...
Zechariah 4:10
They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.
Small things marked the beginning of the work in the hand of Zerubbabel, but
none might despise it, for the Lord had raised up one who would persevere until
the headstone should be brought forth with shoutings. The plummet was in good
hands. Here is the comfort of every believer in the Lord Jesus; let the work of
grace be ever so small in its beginnings, the plummet is in good hands, a
master builder greater than Solomon has undertaken the raising of the heavenly
temple, and He will not fail nor be discouraged till the topmost pinnacle shall
be raised. If the plummet were in the hand of any merely human being, we might
fear for the building, but the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in Jesus'
hand. The works did not proceed irregularly, and without care, for the master's
hand carried a good instrument. Had the walls been hurriedly run up without due
superintendence, they might have been out of the perpendicular; but the plummet
was used by the chosen overseer. Jesus is evermore watching the erection of His
spiritual temple, that it may be built securely and well. We are for haste, but
Jesus is for judgment. He will use the plummet, and that which is out of line
must come down, every stone of it. Hence the failure of many a flattering work,
the overthrow of many a glittering profession. It is not for us to judge the
Lord's church, since Jesus has a steady hand, and a true eye, and can use the
plummet well. Do we not rejoice to see judgment left to Him? The plummet was in
active use-it was in the builder's hand; a sure indication that he meant to
push on the work to completion. O Lord Jesus, how would we indeed be glad if we
could see Thee at Thy great work. O Zion, the beautiful, thy walls are still in
ruins! Rise, Thou glorious Builder, and make her desolations to rejoice at Thy
coming.
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Matthew 13:44
(44) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid
in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof
goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
These two parables are somewhat similar. There is a man and
a treasure, and after he finds it, he goes and sells everything he has and buys
the treasure. These two parables are universally thought to be positive
parables, unlike the first four.
We have already interpreted two of the symbols found in
verse 44-"the field" and "the man." We find in verse 37 that the one who sows
good seed is "the son of man." Wherever the term "man" shows up in these
parables, it tends to mean "Christ." The "Son of Man" is obviously Christ, and
"man" in these two parables is also Christ. In verse 38, Jesus says the field
is "the world." In these parables, "treasure" is found in the world, and a
"man," Christ, is doing something with it.
How is "treasure" used in Scripture? Obviously, the literal
meaning of "treasure" is what first comes to mind: Jewels, gold, silver, other
precious metals, art, and fine clothing would be considered "treasure." But
this is a parable, and a parable is metaphorical. The symbol must mean
something other than just a jewel, a chest full of coins, or a collection of
fine art. How is "treasure" used metaphorically in the Bible?
In Exodus 19:5, God says that if Israel "will indeed obey
My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above
all people." Psalm 135:4 says, "The LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel
for His special treasure." Notice also Malachi 3:16-17:
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and
the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before
Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. "They shall be
Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I make them My jewels."
The margin on "My jewels" is literally "special treasure."
We see the same thing in the New Testament. I Peter 2:9-10
says:
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a
people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have
obtained mercy.
Notice the progression of identity here. First, this
"special treasure" was Israel, the one God made a covenant with on Mount Sinai.
In the Psalms, He calls His "special treasure" specifically "Israel" and
"Jacob." In Malachi, God describes His "special treasure" as "those who fear
His name" and "those who speak one to another" about His way. In I Peter 2 it
is the elect are His "special people." It has gone from "Israel," to a little
bit more general-"those who fear His name"-to specific again-"His special
people, a holy nation."
In Matthew 13, the "treasure" is the church, which fits all
of these descriptions. It is spiritual Israel, "the Israel of God" (Galatians
6:16). The church is composed of those among all the people of the earth who
truly fear His name. And because God called us out of the world separately and
individually, the church is now a people who were not a people.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
From Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 3): Hidden Treasure
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daily devoptional
Evening...
Ephesians 1:7
The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word "forgiveness,"
when it sounds in a guilty sinner's ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to
the captive Israelite? Blessed, for ever blessed be that dear star of pardon
which shines into the condemned cell, and gives the perishing a gleam of hope
amid the midnight of despair! Can it be possible that sin, such sin as mine,
can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and for ever? Hell is my portion as a
sinner-there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon
me-can the load of guilt be uplifted, the crimson stain removed? Can the
adamantine stones of my prison-house ever be loosed from their mortices, or the
doors be lifted from their hinges? Jesus tells me that I may yet be clear. For
ever blessed be the revelation of atoning love which not only tells me that
pardon is possible, but that it is secured to all who rest in Jesus. I have
believed in the appointed propitiat! ion, even Jesus crucified, and therefore
my sins are at this moment, and for ever, forgiven by virtue of His
substitutionary pains and death. What joy is this! What bliss to be a perfectly
pardoned soul! My soul dedicates all her powers to Him who of His own
unpurchased love became my surety, and wrought out for me redemption through
His blood. What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive at
all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive for ever! Here is a
constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear
were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, and how gracious was the
method by which pardon was sealed home to me, I am in a maze of wondering
worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me, I clasp the
cross which delivers me, I serve henceforth all my days the Incarnate God,
through whom I am this night a pardoned soul.
Jonah 4:2
(2) And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not
this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto
Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger,
and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
God's patience delays His wrath, allowing time for good to occur. We
should also note the other qualities patience is combined with in these last
two references. In combination with patience, the qualities of grace, mercy,
lovingkindness, goodness, and truth allow God to work with people so they can
remain alive and eventually transform into His image. If God struck out at
people just as short-fused humans frequently do, no one would be alive today.
Jonah, in a typically hum! an reaction, wanted God to wipe the sinners of
Nineveh, Israel's enemy, off the face of the earth!
Nineveh was undoubtedly just as full of sinners as Israel. But God,
bearing patiently with them in their ignorance, sent Jonah to proclaim His
warning message to them: Destruction would fall on them in forty days. They,
however, believed the message, proclaimed a fast, prayed mightily to God,
repented, and turned from their evil ways. Their repentance may not have been
Davidic, but under the circumstances God was pleased.
II Peter 3:9 affirms that God still operates in the same manner:
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance.
John W. Ritenbaugh
From The Fruit of the Spirit: Patience
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