Cheque Book
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” — Gen. iii: 15.
This is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole gospel, and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was bruised in his heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will be the final bruising of the serpent’s head! This was virtuallydone when Jesus took away sin, vg.nquished death, and broke the power of Satan; but it awaits a still fuller accomplishment at our Lord’s second advent and in the day of judgment. To us the promise stands as prophecy that we shall be afflicted by the powers of evil in our lower nature, and thus bruised in our heel; but we shall triumph in Christ who sets his foot on the old serpent’s head. Throughout this year we may have to learn the first part of this promise by experience, through the temptations of the devil, and the unkindness of the ungodly, who are his seed. They may so bruise us that we may limp with our sore heel; but let us grasp the second part of the text, and we shall not be dismayed. By faith let us rejoice that we shall still reign m Christ Jesus, the woman’s seed.
“When thou shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed.” — Isa liii: lo
Our Lord Jesus has not died in vain. His death was sacrificial; he died as our substitute, because death was the penalty of our sins, and because his substitution was accepted of God. He has saved those from whom he made his soul a sacrifice. By death he became like the corn of wheat, which bringeth forth much fruit. There must be a succession of children to Jesus; he is “the Father of the everlasting age.” He shall say, ‘Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me.”
A man is honored in his sons, and Jesus hath his quiver full of these arrows ol the mighty. A man is represented in his children, and so Is the Christ in Christians. In his seed a man’s life seems to be prolonged and extended; and so is the life of Jesus continued m believers.
Jesus lives, for he sees his seed. He fixes his eye on us, he delights in us, he recognizes us in the fruit of his soul travail. Let us be glad that our Lord does not fail to enjoy the result of his dread sacrifice, and that he will never cease to feast his eyes upon the harvest of his death. Those eyes which once wept for us, are now viewing us with pleasure. Yes, he looks upon those who are looking unto him. Our eyes meet! What a joy IS this!
•’When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” — Ex. xii: 13.
My own sight of the precious blood is for my comfort; but it is the Lord’s sight of it which secures my safety. Even when I am unable to behold it, the Lord looks at it, and passes over me because of it. If I am not so much at ease as I ought to be, because my faith is dim, yet I am equally safe, because the Lord’s eye is not dim, and He sees the blood of the great sacrifice with steady gaze. What joy is this!
The Lord sees the deep inner meaning, the infinite fulness of all that is meant by the death of His dear Son. He sees it with restful memory of justice satisfied, and all His matchless attributes glorified. He beheld creation m its progress, and said; “It is very good;” but what does He say of
redemption in its completeness? What does He say of the obedience even unto death of His well-beloved Son? None can tell His delight in Jesus, His rest in the sweet Savior which Jesus presented when He offered Himself without spot unto God. Now rest we m calm security. We have God’s sacrifice and God’s word to create in us a sense of perfect security. He will, He must, pass over us, because He spared not our glorious substitute. Justice joins hands with love to provide everlasting salvation for all the blood-besprinkled ones.
“If ye abide in mep and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. “-John xv: 7.
Of necessity we must be m Christ to live unto him, and we must abide in him to be able to claim the largesse of this promise from him. To abide in Jesus is never to quit him for another love, or another object; but to remain in living, loving, conscious, willing union with him. The branch is not only ever near the stem, but ever receiving life and fruitfulness from it. All true believers abide in Christ in a sense; but there is a higher meaning and this we must know before we gain unlimited power at the throne. ‘*Ask what ye will” is for Enochs who walk with God, for Johns who lie in the Lord’s bosom, for those whose union with Christ leads to constant communion.
The heart must remain in love; the mind must be rooted in faith; the hope must be cemented to the Word; the whole man must be joined unto the Lord, or else it would be dangerous to trust us with power in prayer. The carte blanche can only be given to one whose very life is “Not I, but Christ liveth in me.” O you who break your fellowship, what power 3’ou lose! If you would be mighty in your pleadings, the Lord himself must abide in you, and you in him.
“And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going-out.” — Deut. xxxiii: 18.
The blessings of the tribes are ours; for we are the true Israel who worship God in the spirit, and have no confidence in the flesh. Zebulun is to rejoice because Jehovah will bless his ‘Agoing out;” we also see a promise for ourselves lying latent in this benediction. When we go out we will look out for occasions of joy.
We go out to travel, and the providence of God is our convoy. We go out to emigrate, and the Lord is with us both on land and sea. We go out as missionaries, and Jesus saith, “Lo, I am with you unto the end of the world.” We go out day by day to our labor, and we may do so with pleasure, for God will be with us from morn till eve«
A fear sometimes creeps over us when starting, for we know not what we may meet with; but this blessing may serve us right well as a word of good cheer. As we pack up for moving, let us put this verse into our traveling trunk; let us drop it into our hearts, and keep it there; yea, let us lay it on our tongue to make us sing. Let us weigh anchor with a song, or jump into the carriage with a psalm. Let us belong to the rejoicing tribe, and in our every movement praise the Lord with joyful hearts.
“Be careful for nothing; but in everything- by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” — Phil, iv: 6,7.
No care, but all prayer. No anxiety, but much
joyful communion with God.. Carry your desires
to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your
soul. Go to him with two portions of prayer, and
one of fragrant praise. Do not pray doubtfully,
but thankfully. Consider that you have your
petitions, and, therefore, thank God for his Grace.
He is giving you grace, give him thanks. Hide
nothing. Allow no want to be rankling in your
bosom; “make known your requests.” Run not
to man. Go only to your God, the Father of
Jesus, who loves you in him.
This shall bring you God’s own peace. You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind, through Christ Jesus, shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every ruffling wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command?
Yes, Lord, I do believe thee; but I beseech thee help mine unbelief.
“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” — Prov. xvi: 7.
I must see that my w-ays please the Lord. Even
then I shall have enemies; and, perhaps, all the
more certainly because I endeavored to do that
which is right. But what a promise this is! The
Lord will make the w-ath of men to praise Him,
and abate it so that it shall not distress me. He
can constrain an enemy to desist from harming
me, even though he has a mind to do so. This
He did wdth Laban, who pursued Jacob, but did
not dare touch him; or he can subdue the wrath
of the enemy, and make him friendly, as He did
with Esau, who met Jacob in a brotherly manner,
though Jacob had dreaded that he would smite
him and his family with the sword. The Lord
136 WIT AND WISDOAf-OF SPURGEON,
can also convert a furious adversary into a brother in Christ, and a fellow-worker, as he did Saul of Tarsus. Oh, that he would do this in every case where a persecuting spirit appears!
Happy is the man whose enemies are made to be to him what the lions were to Daniel in the den, quiet and companionable! When I meet death, who is called the last enemy, I pray that I may be at peace. Only let my great care be to please the Lord in all things. Oh, for faith and holiness; for these are a pleasure unto the Most High!
“The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity.” — Deut. XXX: 3.
God’s own people may sell themselves into captivity by sin. A very bitter fruit is this, of an exceeding bitter root. What a bondage it is when the Child of God is sold under sin, held in chains by Satan, deprived of his liberty, robbed of his power in prayer and his delight in the Lord! L-^t us watch that we come not into such bondage; but if this has already happened to us, let us by no means despair.
But we cannot be held in slavery forever. The Lord Jesus .has paid too high a price for our redemption to leave us in the enemy’s hand. The way to freedom is ‘’Return unto the Lord thy God.” Where we first found salvation we shall find it again. At the foot of Christ’s cross, confessing sin, we shall find pardon and deliverance. Moreover, the Lord will have us obey his voice according to all that he has commanded us, and we must do this with all our heart, and all our soul and then our captivity shall end.
Often depression of spirit and great misery of soul are removed as soon as we quit our idols and bow ourselves to obedience before the living God. We need not be captives. We may return to Zion’s citizenship, and that speedily. Lord, turn our captivity!
“For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” — Ps. lxxii: 12.
The needy cries; what else can he do? His cry is heard of God; what else need he do? Let the needy reader take to crying at once, for this will be his wisdom. Do not cry in the ears of friends, for even if they can help you, it is only because the Lord enables them. The nearest way is to go straight to God, and let your cry come up before him. Straight-forward makes the best runner; run to the Lord, and not to secondary causes.
‘’Alas!” you cry, “I have no friend or helper.”
So much the better; you can rely upon God in both capacities — as without supplies and without helpers. Make your double need your double plea. Even for temporal mercies you may wait upon God, for he careth for his children in these temporary concerns. As for spiritual necessities, which are the heaviest of all, the Lord will hear your cry, and will deliver you and supply you.
O, poor friend, try your rich God. O, helpless one, lean on his help. He has never failed vie and I am sure he will never fail you. Come as a beggar, and God will not refuse your help. Come with no plea but his grace. Jesus is King, will he let you perish of want? What! Did you forget this?
“They shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” — Zeph. iii: 13.
Yesterday we thought of the afflicted and poor people whom the Lord left to be a living seed in a dead world. The prophet says of such that they shall not work inquity nor speak lies. So that while they have neither rank nor riches to guard them, they were also quite unable to use those weapons in which the wicked place so much reliance; they could neither defend themselves by sin nor by subtlety.
What then? Would they be destroyed? By no means. They would both feed and rest, and be not merely free from danger, but even quite from fear and evil. Sheep are very feeble creatures, and wolves are terrible enemies; yet, at this hour, sheep are more numerous than wolves, and the cause of the sheep are always winning, while the cause of the wolves is always declining. One day flocks of sheep will cover the plains, and not a wolf will be left. The fact is that sheep have a shepherd, and this gives them provender, protectection and peace. ^’None^ — which means not one, whether in human or diabolical form — ‘shall make them afraid.” Who shall terrify the Lord’s flock when he is near? We lie down in green pastures, for Jesus himself is food and rest to our souls.
“And the Lord looked upon him and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites; have not I sent thee?” — Judges vi: 14.
What a look was that which the Lord gave to Gideon? He looked him out of his discouragements into holy bravery. If our look to the Lord saves us, what will not his look at us do? Lord, look on me this day, and nerve me for its duties and conflicts.
What a word was this which Jehovah spake to Gideon! “Go.” He must not hesitate. He might have answered, *’What, go in all this weakness? “But the Lord put that word out of court by saying, “Go in this thy might.” The Lord had looked might into him, and he had now nothing to do but to use it, and save Israel by smiting the Midianites. It may be that the Lord has more to do by me than I ever dreamed of. If he has looked upon me he has made me strong. Let me by faith exercise the power with which he has entrusted me. He never bids me “idle away my time in this my might.” Far from t. I must ‘’go,” because he strengthens me.
What a question is that which the Lord puts to me even as he put it to Gideon! ^’Have not I sent thee?” Yes, Lord, thou has sent me, and I will go in thy strength. At thy command I go, and going, I am assured that thou wilt conquer by me.
“I will save her that halteth.” — Zeph. iii: 19.
There are plenty of these lame ones, both male and female. You may meet “her that halteth” twenty times in an hour. They are in the right road, and exceedingly anxious to run in it with diligence, but they are lame, and make a sorry walk of it. On the heavenly road there are so many cripples. It may be that they say in their hearts: *’ What will become of us? Sin will overtake us. Satan will throw us down. Ready to halt is our name and our nature; the Lord can never make good soldiers of us, nor even nimble messengers to go on His errands. “Well, well, He will save us, and that is no small thing. He says: *I will save her that halteth.’ In saving us He will greatly glorify Himself. Everybody will ask: ‘How came this lame woman to run the race and win the crown?’ And then the praise will all be given to almighty grace.”
Lord, though I halt in faith, in prayer, in praise, in service, and in patience, save me, I beseech thee. Only Thou canst save such a cripple as I am. Lord, let me not perish because I am among the hindmost, but gather up by Thy grace the slowest of Thy pilgrims — even me. Behold he hath said it shall be so; and therefore, like Jacob, prevailing in prayer, I go forward though my sinew be shrunk.
“But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat. — Liv. xxii: ii.
Strangers, sojourners, and servants upon hire
were not to eat of holy things. It is so in spiritual matters still. But classes were free at the sacred table, those who were bought with the priest’s money, and those who were born into the priest’s house. Bought and born, these were the two indisputable proofs of a right to holy things.
Bought. Our great High Priest has bought with a price all those who put their trust in him. They are his absolute property — altogether the Lord’s. Not for what they are in themselves, but for their owner’s sake they are admitted unto the same privileges which he himself enjoys, and “they shall eat of his meat.” He has meat to eat which worldlings know not of. “Because ye belong to Christ,” therefore, shall ye share with your Lord.
Born, This is an equally sure way to privilege; if born in the priest’s house we take our place with the rest of the family. Regeneration makes us fellow-heirs, and of the same body; and, therefore, the peace, the joy, the glory, which the Father has given to Christ, Christ has given to us. Redemption and regeneration have given us a double claim to the divine permit of this promise.
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in this favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” — Ps. xxx: 5.
A moment under our Father’s anger seems very
long, and yet it is but a moment after all. If we grieve his spirit we cannot look for his smile; but he is a God ready to pardon, and he soon puts aside all remembrance of our faults. When we faint and are ready to die because of his frown, his favor puts new life into us.
This verse has another note of the semi-quaver kind. Our weeping night soon turns into joyous day. Brevity is the mark of mercy in the hour of the chastisement of believers. The Lord loves not to use the rod on his chosen; he gives a blow or two, and all is over; yea, and the life and the joy which follow the anger and the weeping, more than make amends for the salutary sorrow.
Come, my heart, begin thy hallelujahs! Weep not all through the night, but wipe thine eyes in anticipation of the morning. These tears are dews which mean us as much good as the sunbeams of the morrow. Tears clear the eyes for the sight of
God in His grace; and make the vision of His favor more precious. A night of sorrow supplies those shades of the picture by which the high lights are brought out with distinctness. All is well.