552
December 1931
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
“And you have—come back—to your faith in God?” he asked, his voice husky. “Yes, Nelson, I have.” There was a glad, sweet ring in. her words, “And you ? Have you come come back, Nelson ?” She felt the grip on her arm tighten, but he did not speak for a minute. And then, his tones low and troubled, “I don’t know. I don’t know. An old uncle of mine offered to pay all my expenses if I would take my last year in this college. I rather guess he thought that a change of atmosphere would do me good. There are some wonder ful professors here, and one of them at least believes in God and the Christ of the Bible. In the other college* we were told quite frankly that no men of culture and scholar ship believed those things any more. And we believed it. I am coming to doubt it now. I once thought I had my mind all made up on those things; but all I can say now is— I don’t know.” Marian Linton knelt that night by her window and looked out at the stars, twinkling points of light in a sea of blue. She seemed to see Nelson as she knew him last, settled, complaisant, sure, looking only with pitying con tempt at the poor, still benighted dwellers in that unreal country called faith. She had been unwilling to settle there with him, for she was herself tossed about on a sea of doubt. But the picture was changed. She saw herself—■' through that limitless, matchless grace of God, that un fathomable goodness that had sought her and won her and held her when she could not hold herself—a dweller, yes, she dared to say it, a pilgrim, but a dweller still in the land of faith. And out there, on the sea of doubt, was Nelson. “Oh, God,” she prayed, “bring him in. Guide him, help him, pilot him into the harbor of Thy love and grace. And oh, don’t let him, don’t let him land on that other shore— without Thee,” [To be continued] every Jewish believer was familiar. The call of Christ to His priesthood is equally clear. Quotations from two of the psalms are adduced to prove this. He that said, in Psalm 2 :7, “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee” said also, in Psalm 110:4, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Messianic character of this psalm is easily seen from the fact that, in the Gospels, the Acts, and the Epistles, it is quoted and applied to our Lord (cf. Matt. 22 :44; Acts 2 :34; Heb. 1:13). Everything here speaks of perfection and sufficiency. God is the source, the channel, and the end. The mention of Aaron suggests not only comparison but contrast. Aaron and his descendants belonged to a sinful race and were compassed with infirmi ties. They needed an atoning sacrifice for themselves. But no offering was required for our High Priest. The offering of Himself was a propitiation for the sins of the people, after which offering He entered into the holy place, hav ing obtained eternal redemption (9:12). O ur H igh P riest is S upreme The closing verses of chapter 4 are referred to by Dr. Rotherham as “a passage of such supreme charm and help fulness that its like is scarcely to be found among all the most famous of the sayings of God. The triumph of His strength, the tenderness of His sympathy, the sinlessness of His nature, and the sufficiency of His work, together STUDIES IN HEBREWS [Continued from page S4S]
form the basis of an exhortation to come boldly to the throne of grace.” The sixteenth verse of chapter 4 con tains an appeal to pilgrims to avail themselves of the priv ilege and the power of prayer. Argument and appeal may fail, but if pilgrims can be induced to come to the throne of grace continually, their safety and triumph are assured. Not to any human priest are we bidden to go, but to the throne of grace and, by implication, to Him who is on that throne, even God. We are invited to come “boldly,” that is, outspokenly, or with freedom of speech, because our repre sentative, Jesus the Son of God, our great High Priest, is there—strong, sympathetic, sinless, and sufficient. So, The word “obtain” is better rendered by the word “receive,” as in our Revised Version. We are not told to ask, but to come and receive. Doubtless the idea of peti tion is included in the phrase, “come boldly,” but this would be inadequate and incomplete without receiving. At the throne of grace, there is unfailing resource for pilgrims in their warfare and weariness. The invitation is to con tinue coming, not to come once for all. The present contin uous tense is used: “Let us keep on coming,” let us form the habit and get accustomed to it. The reason for coming is seen in the words, “that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Mercy, grace, help—Jhese are the outstanding words. Mercy and grace are always awaiting us at that throne, mercy over against our failures, and grace over against our frailties. What a provision of love for saints on the pilgrim way! Every time of need is adequately prepared for. The help afforded is not merely the general help always needed, but rather that special help frequently needed to avert calamity and to prevent defeat. Vastly superior is this provision of grace as compared with the provision of the old covenant. Only once a year could the High Priest of Israel approach the throne of God, and then only through sacrificial blood sprinkled on the mercy seat. His approach was with fear and trembling, not with boldness or freedom of speech. How infinitely great, then, is the sacrifice of Calvary, and how perfect the work of Him who represents us before God,'when such words as these can be written: “Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” ! His strength, His sympathy, His sinlessness, His sufficiency, and His supremacy all combine to make Him the worthy object of our adoration and our praise. Important! Exceptionally attractive books and calendars are of fered without cost to friends of T h e K ing ’ s B u siness . Have you received yours? Full particulars are found on page 572 of this issue. Don’t forget— T h e K ing ’ s B usiness makes an always- acceptable gift. “The whole family has enjoyed and prof ited by the magazine”—that is the testimony of one who re ceived it last year. It is not too late to subscribe for your friends. A beautiful Christmas card, announcing your gift, will be sent gladly to any one you mention. In sending the magazine, you will provide up-to-date, intensely interesting, God-honoring literature for twelve months; and whenever a new issue arrives, the recipient will be reminded afresh of your kind thought. With confidence we now draw nigh, And “Father, Abba Father,” cry.
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