August 1927
530
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
impossible without the “sword.” All the forces of sin and of Hell will be ranged against the regeneration of the world. With those forces we are called upon to fight. We are not only to be disciples, or followers, but good soldiers of Jesus Christ. We are to battle with all that is contrary to His spirit and to His dominion, and the strife is to continue until the last enemy lies prone beneath His feet. Then, and not till then, shall the bells of God “Ring out the old, ring in the new; Ring out the false, ring in the t r u e . . then, and not till then, shall there be “peace on earth;” the peace of God; unruffled and eternal peace. To flinch from the strife, to make truce with the enemy, to doubt the final triumph, are alike treason to our King. TH ERE is a curious inversion in this passage, forming what looks like an anti-climax. We should have said: “They that wait upon the LORD shall walk, yea, they shall run, nay, they shall even be able to mount up;” the Prophet exactly reverses the order. He knows well that a steady and continual walk needs more strength than a solitary upward flight or a brief though hurried sprint. Many souls can fling themselves into the seventh heaven under the stress of some holy emotion or overmastering impulse; some men can and do “run well” along the path of righteousness for a little while; but the real test of power is the daily plodding along the Christian course. Only God-given strength can enable us to accomplish that. It is not brilliance, but continuity, not expedition, but perseverance, that are the true evidences of character. We do not really reach heaven by flight, nor yet by racing ; the goal is attained step by step; the pilgrimage is one of slow but daily advancement. We must not be discouraged because some of us who, in the first days o f our spiritual life, were able to mount up as eagles, or who for a time ran swiftly along the celestial road, have been reduced to plodding. Special spiritual exaltation is often given to the young convert to encourage him in his earliest days, but such exaltation would not be good as a continual experience. Even an athlete cannot be always running; even an eagle must sometimes come to earth. Let us be thankful that we are still enabled to walk. “WHAT a dismal creed; there is no encouragement to be a Christian there!” cries someone, as if the worldling never had any afflictions at all! We* however," are ourselves to blame for such an outcry because we quote part of the text and leave out the remainder. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth him out o f them all." Ask the objector to Christianity if he possesses any such panacea for his mul titudinous ills as that! One thing, at least, we learn from the text—that we may not expect to escape affliction because we are among the “righteous” people of God. Men are apt to talk as though trouble were the Devil’s hall mark, whereas it appears to be the - special hall mark of the Divine. That we are in adversity is certainly no sign that we do not belong to God. What a pity that we do not cherish the promise contained in the text—“The LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Ultimate deliverance then is assured, if we are His, be the burdens and the trials never so numerous and never so heavy. And what ,a thou sand pities that we do not more constantly insist upon this truth in,our conversation with our fellow men. We never fail A ugust 20. "They shall mount up . . . run . . . walk .”— Isa. 4 0 :31. A ugust 21. “Many are the affliction s o f the righteouA’M-Psa. 3 4 :19.
and avoided is rebellion, springing out of unbelief. That, and that alone, will defeat the gracious purposes of God. Against that we should pray “with strong crying and tears.” Sifl A ugust 19. “1 came not to send peace, but a sword.” —Matt. 10:34. AMAZING and mysterious words from the Prince of Peace, from Him of whom it was said: “This man shall be the peace.” Is this one of the “contradictions” of which the Bible is some times said to be full? The answer will be best found by compar ing Scripture with Scripture. We are told that the wisdom from above is “first pure, then peaceable;” that we are to “love the truth and peace;” that there are some who cry : 1 f^Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” The ultimate object and the final outcome of the Saviour’s kingdom among men is peace; but first of all, error, and all evil, must be destroyed. SuGh destruction is r * " 1 Book Premiums Offered to Subscribers Who Procure New Subscriptions CHO ICE OF ONE BOO K FOR E V E R Y N EW F U L L YEAR SU B SCR IPT ION S EN T US S imple L essons in B ible M ark ing .... (B ro o k s) D iary of A D octor ' s S on — Humorous .................................................................... (B ro o k s) Is S alvation S a f e ?— Discussion of the question of the true believer’s security...—...... (B rooks) S tronghold of T ruth ............................. (Thom as) C hristian S cience and the W ord of G od .........— ............. (Huling) T ruth F or You—Valuable for personal workers ....................... : ....... .........;(Sammis) R an sack ing the S criptures — Valuable collec tion of Bible information.......... ,....... (B ro o k s) T he G ospel and its M in istry .......... (Anderson) K ey W ords to the K ing ’ s T reasury . . ( P axson ) T he L ord F rom H eaven — .....(Anderson) S atan ............ :............................................., ( C hafer) T he P rophet J onah .................. ...(D ixon) W hat S a ith the S criptures ?— Valuable refer ence book showing what Scripture says in an swer to important questions............... (B ro o k s) T he S hepherd P salm ............................... (T orrey ) T he G enealogies of C hrist ................. (Stillion) J esus — P rophet , P riest and K ing ...... (T orrey ) X The King’s Business ..... XU ................................. Mlf " VV - = u = ! j
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