August 1943
291
NESTS IN ALTARS [Continued from Page 287]
That brazen altar says: "Being jus tified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). It tells of satisfaction made for sin, of an acceptable pro pitiation, on the basis of which every poor sinner may come to God through Christ, and may find rest of con science. “Christ for my sins” is the message of the brazen altar. An Altar for Daily Rest of Soul In the House Itself, in the inner sanctuary, representing heaven itself, where Christ is now ministering, stood the golden altar. No sacrificial victim was ever offered on that altar, but in stead there was the constantly ascend ing sweet smoke of the incense before God. “Let my prayer be set forth be fore thee as incense” (Psa. 141:2), said David, and that sweet, fragrant in cense rising before God speaks of the constant intercession of the risen Christ in glory. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). O Christians, there is a living Christ in heaven deeply concerned about everything that exercises you, con stantly bearing you up before God. He has. abundant stores of grace to min ister to you and to help you in every time of need. That golden' altar says: “Christ for my cares.” It tells me that the same blessed One who died for me now lives for me, lives to sustain and keep me, and to make me victorious as I go through this scene of testing. In Philippians 4, we read: “Be care ful for nothing [be not anxious for anything]; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanks giving 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 ” (vs. 6, 7). Some of us came as troubled, guilty sinners to the brazen altar, and found rest for our consciences, but have we turned to the golden altar and found rest for our souls? Do we know what it is to walk in holy, happy fellowship with a risen Christ, committing our way to Him in accordance with the Word, “ casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7)? There are Christians who find it easier to trust the Lord for the Salva tion of their immortal souls than for the rent money next month, or for food or raiment day by day. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ says: “ Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his right eousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). Too often we are like the man who accepted a ride in a farmer’s wagon, but who, even while riding, continued to bear a burdensome sack of potatoes on his back, remarking^ “It is good
enough for you to give me a ride, without making your horse draw my load as well.” We are carried by our blessed Lord, and yet we are carrying our own bur dens! He, wants to bear them for us. He longs to deliver us. He says, liter ally, “Roll thy burden upon the Lord,” if you cannot “ cast” it because it is so big, “ and he shall sustain thee” (cf. Psa. 55:22). Millions of Christians could testify to the fact that Christ has never failed one who commits all things into His hands. If we have never done it be fore, if we have never yielded our selves and all our affairs, oh, that we might do it today! He is waiting to have us do that very thing. He longs to undertake for us, and then indeed we shall know the meaning of these words: “The sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for her self, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.” Then, too, we shall enter into and understand the next verse: “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they w ill be still praising thee.” “ Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.” * THE SADDEST EXPERIENCE What do you think is the saddest situation a minister experiences in connection with his flock? One might say that it is to enter a home where death has come, where a little child lies still, or a husband, or a mother whose care and love the children need. Another might say that the saddest ^experience is to witness a moral break* down in some one whose character hat stood the test and strain for many years, only to collapse in shame and ruin at the last. Another might say it is to see physical affliction and ail ment which has laid low all the pow ers of the body or thrust daily into the quivering flesh a thorn of paih. Still another might say it is the exhibi tion of an untamed tigerish spirit and disposition in a follower of Christ. Yes, all these, conditions are sad. But I will tell you of something sadder than that, which the servant of the Lord sees often—the strength and talent and capacity and wisdom and enthusiasm of many people wast ed upon that which is trivial, of pass ing interest, and altogether unworthy of an immortal soul. That is the great est tragedy. Alas, how common it is! When the bugles are blowing in the field of Elah, calling men to battle with the enemies of men and of God, how sad is is to see people sitting down under a tree and playing with toy wooden soldiers! —Clarence E. Macartney.
He came from the Throne eternal down to Calvary’s depth of woe to redeem us to Himself; of such value to God the Father that He sant His only-begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him; of such value to God the Holy Spirit that He has come to convince of sin, in order to draw our wayward hearts to Christ. Poor, worth less sparrows—yet the object of won drous grace! '• Rest for the Swallows There is not only the sparrow, but the swallow as well. If we say the sparrow is the most worthless of birds, what shall we say of the swallow? Surely it is the most restless. Did you ever see a swallow still? It is always on the wing, going all the time. Isn’t that like us? Trying this thing and that thing, going into this, that, and the other, we are always restless, al ways discontented, always unhappy as long as we are away from God. “O God,” said Augustine, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and we cannot rest until we rest in Thee.” some of us have tried hard to find rest, we have tested so many things, tried one thing after another, and still our hearts are just as restless as ever be cause we have not come to Christ Himself, who says: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy iaden, and I w ill give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). So we read: “ The sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and(my God.” An Altar for Sin Notice the plural, not “thine altar,” but “thine altars.” There were two of them- Those two altars give us the two aspects of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, the work He did on earth and the work He is doing in heaven. We need both to get perfect rest. The brazen altar, the altar out in the court yard, the birds are nesting there; that altar speaks of the work our Lord Jesus Christ did at the cross. All the sacrifices offered on that altar speak to us of the one supreme Offering, the perfect Offering, the complete Offer ing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you found rest in the brazen altar? Can you look back to an ex perience in your life in accord with the words of the hymn: “Near the cross, a trembling soul, Love and Mercy found me; There the Bright and Morning Star Shed its beams around me; “ In the cross, in the cross Be my glory ever, Till my raptured soul shall find Best beyond the river.”
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs