August 1943
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The sons of Korah were linked up With' the Worship of the Temple, and as they looked about them, they saw something the bulk of the people could not 'see. It was customary in those oriental sanctuaries never to drive the birds out. They were permitted to flit about at will. The sons of Korah sang of these 'birds in this Psalm :; “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.” The Jews never drove the birds out of the Temple. They allowed them to make their nests there. On some occa sions, even when the priest was offer ing sacrifice at the altar, you could see, underneath, the swallow’s nest and the mother bird sitting upon it, or the nest of the sparrow, with the mother sparrow resting there in per fect' quiet. The birds were not afraid, because no hand was ever raised against them. The priests said: “They have put their trust in Jehovah by entering into His house; we must not make them afraid.” They had a beau tiful name for them: they called them “ God’s pensioners.” The birds had shown their confidence in Him, and they fed upon scraps of the shew- bread and other food, and were at home in the house of God. A Refuge for the Sparrows In this Psalm we find both the spar row and the swallow. I suppose we are right in saying that the sparrow is the most worthless of birds. Jesus Christ said: “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?” (Matt. 10:29). And that farthing was a coin of much less value than a British farthing. You could go into the market and see two sparrows, cleaned, with a skewer through them, lying offered for sale, and the poorest people bought them to make a sort of sparrow pie. Then, the Lord elsewhere says: “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?” (Lk. 12:6). James H. Brookes, one of our great Aiherican preachers, used to say: “I think that is how I got in. The Lord was saving four others, and I was thrown in for good measure.” What does the Book say about us in our sinful state? It says we “all . . . are together become unprofitable” (Rom. 3:12). “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18)—no goodness or worth; yet God in His infinite grace looked upon me and loved me. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father’s knowledge. It is as some one once said: “The One who created the heavens and the earth attends every sparrow’s funeral.” Remember that you are of more value in His Sight than many sparrows. -Utterly worthless are we in our selves, but of such value to Christ that [Continued on Page 291]
mentary account in chapter 26, where we have these added words: “Not withstanding the children of Korah died not” (v. H i. I take this statement to imply this fact, that when the sons of Korah were put to the test, when they had to choose between loyalty to God or fealty to their own father, they said, in effect, “ God must be first; we dare not put our father’s will first, if it is in opposition to the will of God.” Children Faced with Decision It is a solemn thing when children are put in a position like that. I do , not suppose many of you were ever in that situation. I hope all of you have made the great decision. I hope we have all come to the place where we can say: “My heart is fixed, eternal God, Fixed on Thee; And my unchanging choice is made, Christ for me. He is my Prophet, Priest, and King, Who did for me salvation bring; And while I’ve breath I still will sing, Christ for me.” And if you made that decision, some of you in your childhood, some in young manhood or young womanhood, in most cases I am sure it brought real joy to your father and mother, for most of us have had the privilege of a Christian training. But it is very different for some peo ple. For some of our Hebrew Christian brethren, for example, loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ has cost a lifetime of separation from beloved parents, as these believing children have been cast out and counted as dead. Think of an orthodox Jew’s position; he has to choose between God and parents. Jesus Christ demands just such a choice, and if our parents stand in the way, .He says: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37). Do you want a proof of the deity of Christ? You have it right here. Imag ine any man, no matter how good, standing up before a congregation and saying: “Look here, if you love your father and mother more than me, you are not worthy of me.” If it were only a man who said something like that, you would say: “Who does he think he is? He imagines he has more right to my love and allegiance than my own parents; the man is insane.” But Christ has more right, for He is “over all, God blessed for ever” (Rom. 9:5). I have tried to visualize this scene in the desert. I have thought at times I could see those sons of Korah go up to their father, put their arms on his shoulders and say: “ Father, don’t set yourself against God. Who ever hard ened himself against Him and pros pered? Listen to the voice of His servant and yield; surrender to Him while there is time.” I think I see that stern old man say: “No, I w ill never own that I need
a mediator or a sayiour. I am good enough for God as I am, and I will not listen to Moses and Aaron.” Then came the call: “Depart . . . from the tents of these wicked men.” I think I see those sons of Korah say: “ Father, if you won’t change, we shall have to leave you. We cannot go on with you. We must be true to ' God at all costs.” I think I see them wending their way across the plain to yonder sanctuary, perhaps even then singing as they go: “ I had rather be
a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wicked ness” (Psa. 84:10). The Song of the Redeemed The years went by, and the de scendants of the sons of Korah were the Temple choir. Isn’t that wonder fully in keeping? When I read some of these Songs dedicated to the sons of Korah, I say: This is of special interest to me, because, you know, I am one of the sons of Korah. The sons of Korah were saved from going down to the pit, and I have been saved from going down to the pit. So I read them with special interest, be cause I am a debtor to mercy: mercy that saved me, that turned my way ward feet from the path that leads to the pit. Now God puts a song into the mouths of His redeemed. A ll whom He saves from going down to the pit be long to His heavenly choir. Some of us are not very good' singers down here. But every one of the “sons of Korah” will belong to the choir even tually. "Whoso offereth praise glori- fieth me” (Psa. 50:23). We Christians shall all do that by and by.
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