=========================================================== Scripture Studies: Vol. VII, No. 8 - October 2000 ================================================== In this issue: Old Testament Study - Zechariah 8 Character of a Spiritual Leader, by Horatius Bonar New Testament Study - Matthew 9:18-26 A Topical Study - Loving God vs. Loving the World, pt. 12 A Study of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 9:2-10 Masthead -------- "Scripture Studies" is edited by Scott Sperling and published ten times a year by Scripture Studies, Inc., a non-profit organization. It is distributed all over the world by postal mail and via the internet, free of charge. If you would like to financially support the publication and distribution of "Scripture Studies", send contributions to: Scripture Studies Inc. 20 Pastora Foothill Ranch, CA 92610 USA Contributions are tax deductible in the United States. If you do not live in the United States, and would like to support "Scripture Studies", please send international postal coupons. Please feel free to upload "Scripture Studies" to any BBS or online service. If you or anyone that you know would like to be added to the subscription list send your request to the above address, or, via email to Scott Sperling at: ssper@aol.com Unless noted otherwise, scripture references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers =========================================================== Old Testament Study - Zechariah 8 ================================= "The Lord Almighty Says..." 1Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. 2This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her." 3This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." 4This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. 5The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." 6This is what the LORD Almighty says: "It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?" declares the LORD Almighty. 7This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. 8I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God." 9This is what the LORD Almighty says: "You who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were there when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD Almighty, let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built. 10Before that time there were no wages for man or beast. No one could go about his business safely because of his enemy, for I had turned every man against his neighbor. 11But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past," declares the LORD Almighty. 12"The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. 13As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong." 14This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Just as I had determined to bring disaster upon you and showed no pity when your fathers angered me," says the LORD Almighty, 15"so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. 16These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the LORD. 18Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. 19This is what the LORD Almighty says: "The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace." 20This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, 21and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, 'Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.' 22And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him." 23This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'" In this chapter, the Lord continues His answer to the question concerning fasting that the Bethelites posed in the previous chapter: "Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?" (Zech. 7:3). The Lord used the answer to this question about fasting to speak to the people about their worship in general. The essence of the Lord's answer is that obedience is better than sacrifice. In the last chapter, the Lord urged the people to obedience through negative reenforcement, reminding them how the Israelites had suffered due to results of their disobedience. In this chapter, the Lord uses positive reenforcement, reminding the people of all the great things He has planned for Israel. In the previous chapter, the Lord spoke of Israel's past desolation. In this chapter, He speaks of Israel's future restoration. In this chapter, the Lord gives ten messages to the people, most of them promises. Each message is prefaced by the words: "This is what the LORD Almighty says..." The repetition of these words underscores the veracity of the words, reminding the people that each of these messages is coming directly from the Lord of the Universe, the True and Holy God. Many of the promises contained in these messages are fantastic, so the people, lest they doubt the words, need the reminder that the Lord Himself is speaking. For believers, the words "This is what the LORD Almighty says", when found in the Bible, are a guarantee that what follows will come to pass. Let us look at each of the ten messages from the Lord found in this chapter: Concerning God's jealousy: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her'" (vs. 2) - The first message is that God is "very jealous". He will not allow His people to worship other things. "God demands the whole heart, and will not be content with a divided throne. As the husband cannot brook the estrangement of his wife's affections to a rival, so God cannot allow the bestowal of our affections supremely to any other object. This is idolatry, and as such will be punished with intense severity, either in this world or in the next" [Moore, 110-111]. What is unstated here, though, is that God's demand on our affections is for our own good. Our affections are best placed on Him; our worship is best exercised on Him; our service is best utilized for Him. Love for, worship of, service for idols is wasted love, empty worship, futile service. Concerning the Lord's return to Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD says: 'I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain'" (vs. 3) - The glory of the Lord manifested its presence in the likeness of a cloud and came to dwell with the children of Israel when Moses set up the Tabernacle (see Ex. 40:34). Then, when Solomon dedicated the Temple, the glory of the Lord came to dwell in the Temple in Jerusalem (see I Kings 8:11). But later, the glory of the Lord departed from the Temple in Jerusalem when Babylon was in the process of conquering Israel, during the time Ezekiel prophesied (see Ezek. 8-11). Here in Zechariah, the Lord promises to "return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem". This will ultimately be fulfilled in the New Jerusalem, as prophesied by John: "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them'" (Rev. 21:2 -3). Concerning future prosperity in Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there'" (vss. 4-5) - The picture here is one of prosperity, blessing and security. That "once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem" points to a time when wars, famine and disease will not cut life short. That "boys and girls" will be playing in the streets points to a time of security, when the streets are safe enough for children to play in. Concerning the veracity of what He is saying: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?' declares the Lord Almighty" (vs. 6) - Recall that the Lord was speaking to the remnant in Israel who, not many years before, returned to a desolate land. They must surely have thought that these promises were marvelous. To have the Lord dwell again in Jerusalem! That Jerusalem would again be prosperous and secure! But with His rhetorical question, "But will it seem marvelous to me?", the Lord is saying that nothing is impossible for Him to accomplish. In our disbelief, we limit the power of God. We must not let human reason decide what God can or cannot do. There are many great promises in the Bible that have yet to be fulfilled, foremost among them, the return of Christ. These promises seem "marvelous", but "will they seem marvelous to God?" Concerning the return of the children of Israel to the promised land: "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God" (vs. 7-8) - The promise that God would bring the children of Israel back to the promised land seemed for many centuries a marvelous impossibility to many people, even Bible-believing Christians. In fact, before the 1900s, many reputable Bible commentators claimed that the Lord was speaking figuratively in this verse. This is surprising because the return of the children of Israel to the promised land was prophesied many times in the Old Testament (see also Isa. 11:11-12; 43:5,6; Ezek. 37:21; Amos 9:14-15). On the other hand, many other commentators did believe in the literal fulfillment of the promise of God. T. V. Moore wrote in the mid-1800's: "The terms of this prediction carry us beyond any facts at that time existing, and refer to events then future. It predicts a return of the Jews from the west as well as the east, whilst at this time the only dispersion existing, was toward the east in Babylon. Hence, a universal dispersion is implied in this universal restoration, the terms, from the east to west, being inclusive of the entire earth. This general dispersion did not occur until the final fall of Jerusalem, since which there has been no general restoration of the Jews, either in a literal or a figurative sense. Hence the main facts predicted, are yet future" [Moore, 114]. Mr. Moore was correct in believing literally in the promise of God. In the last hundred years, we have seen the beginnings of the fulfillment of this promise. We have literally seen the children of Israel "of the east and the west" brought "back to live in Jerusalem". Now, though we have seen the physical restoration of the children of Israel to the promised land, their spiritual restoration has yet to occur. But God has said this will happen, so we should believe it will. Be careful anytime you say that a promise of God cannot be taken literally. You will probably be wrong! (This study will continue in the next issue) =========================================================== Character of a Spiritual Leader, by Horatius Bonar ================================================== A Classic Study by Horatius Bonar (1809-1889) [Here, we begin a study that enumerates the character traits of great spiritual leaders. This study was written by Horatius Bonar, and is taken from the preface of a book that he edited by John Gillies called "Historical Collections of Accounts of Revival". Mr. Bonar came up with this list of character traits by looking at the lives of the people who lead the great revivals in history.]-Ed. Character of a Spiritual Leader ------------------------------- The world is still sleeping its "sleep of death." It has been a slumber of many generations; sometimes deeper, sometimes lighter,-yet still a slumber like that of the tomb, as if destined to continue till the last trumpet sound; and then there shall be no more sleep. Yet God has not left it to sleep on unwarned. He has spoken in a voice that might reach the dullest ears and quicken the coldest heart. Ten thousand times has He thus spoken and still He speaks. But the world refuses to hear. Its myriads slumber on, as if this sleep of death were the very blessedness of its being. Yet in one sense the world's sleep has never been universal. Never has there been an age when it could be said there is not one awake. The multitude has always slept, but there has always been a little flock awake. Even in the world's deepest midnight there have been always children of the light and of the day. In the midst of a slumbering world some have been in every age awake. God's voice had reached them, and His mighty power had raised them, and they walked the earth, awake among sleepers, the living among the dead. The world has written at large the history of its sleeping multitudes; it becomes the Church of Christ to record the simpler, briefer annals of its awakened ones. Doubtless, their record is on high, written more imperishably than the world can ever accomplish for its sons, yet still it is well for earth to have a record of those of whom the world was not worthy. Their story is as full of interest as it is of importance. The waking up of each soul would be matter enough for a history,-its various shakings and startings up, ere it was fully aroused; the word or the stroke that effected the work; the time, the way in which it became awake for eternity and for God, as well as its new course of light after it awoke,-all these are fraught with an interest to which nothing of time or earth can ever once be compared. And then, when the voice of God awakes not one, but thousands, it may be in a day; when whole villages and districts seem as if arising and putting on new life,-how intensely, how unutterably interesting! At such a crisis it seems as if the world itself were actually beginning to awake, as if the shock that had broken the slumbers of so many were about to shake the whole world together. Yet alas! The tokens of life soon vanish. The half-awakened sleepers sink back into deeper slumber, and the startled world lies down in still more sad and desperate security. The history of the Church is full of these awakenings, some on a larger and some on a smaller scale. Indeed, such narratives as those with which this work abounds form the true history of the Church, if we are to take our ideas of this from the inspired Church-history given us in the Acts of the Apostles. Many a wondrous scene has been witnessed from the day of Pentecost downwards to our own day, and what volume better deserves the attention and study of the believer than that which contains the record of these outpourings of the Spirit? Besides the interest that cleaves to them, there is much to be learned from them by the Church. To see how God has been working, and to mark the means and instruments by which He has carried on His work, cannot fail to be profitable and quickening. It makes us sensible of our own shortcomings, and it points out the way by which the blessing may be secured. Let us look for a little at the instruments and their success as we find them recorded in this volume. Let us mark their character and contemplate their success. They were men of like passions as we are, yet how marvellously blest in their labours! Whence, then, comes their vast success? What manner of men were they? What weapons did they employ? 1. They were in earnest about the great work of the ministry on which they had entered. They felt their infinite responsibility as stewards of the mysteries of God, and shepherds appointed by the Chief Shepherd to gather in and watch over souls. They lived and laboured and preached like men on whose lips the immortality of thousands hung. Everything they did and spoke bore the stamp of earnestness, and proclaimed to all with whom they came into contact that the matters about which they had been sent to treat were of infinite moment, admitting of no indifference, no postponement even for a day. Yet their fervour was not that of excitement; it was the steadfast but tranquil purpose of men who felt the urgency and weight of the cause entrusted to them, and who knew that necessity was laid upon them, yea, woe was unto them if they preached not the Gospel. They felt that, as ministers of the Gospel they dared not act otherwise; they dared not throw less than their whole soul into the conflict; they dared not take their ease or fold their arms; they dared not be indifferent to the issue when professing to lead on the hosts of the living God against the armies of the prince of darkness. 2. They were bent upon success. It was with a good hope of success that they first undertook the formidable office of the ministry, and to despair of this would have been shameful distrust of Him who had sent them forth, while to be indifferent to it would have been to prove themselves nothing short of traitors to Him and to His cause. As warriors, they set their hearts on victory, and fought with the believing anticipation of triumph, under the guidance of such a Captain as their head. As shepherds, they could not sit idle on the mountain-side in the sunshine, or the breeze, or the tempest, heedless of their straying, perishing, bleating flock. They watched, gathered, guarded, fed the sheep committed to their care. Hear the testimony of one of them: "When I came there, which was about seven years after, I had the pleasure of seeing much of the fruits of his ministry; many of his hearers, with whom I had opportunity of conversing, appeared to be converted persons, by their soundness in principle, Christian experience, and pious practice; and these persons declared that the ministrations of the aforesaid gentleman were the means thereof. This, together with a kind letter which he sent me respecting the necessity of dividing the word aright, and giving to every man his portion in due season, through the divine blessing, excited me to greater earnestness in ministerial labours. I began to be very much distressed about my want of success; for I knew not, for half a year or more after I came to New Brunswick, that any one was converted by my labours, although several persons were at times affected transiently. "It pleased God to afflict me about the time with sickness, by which I had affecting views of eternity. I was then exceedingly grieved that I had done so little for God, and was very desirous to live for one half year more, if it was His will, that I might stand upon the stage of the world, as it were, and plead more faithfully for His cause, and take more earnest pains for the conversion of souls. The secure state of the world appeared to me in a very affecting light; and one thing among others pressed me sore; viz., that I had spent much time in conversing about trifles, which might have been spent in examining people's states towards God, and persuading them to turn unto Him. I therefore prayed to God that He would be pleased to give me one half year more, and I was determined to endeavour to promote His kingdom with all my might at all adventures. The petition God was pleased to grant manifold, and to enable me to keep my resolution in some measure." 3. They were men of faith. They ploughed and sowed in hope. They might sometimes go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, yet these were the tears of sorrow and compassion, not of despair; they knew that in due season they should reap if they fainted not, that their labour in the Lord would not be in vain, and that ere long they would return bringing their sheaves with them. They had confidence in the God whose they were and whom they served, knowing that He would not send them on this warfare on their own charges. They had confidence in the Saviour whose commission they bore, and on whose errands they were gone forth. They had confidence in the promises of glorious success with which He had armed and comforted them. They had confidence in the Holy Spirit's almighty power and grace, as the glorifier of Christ, the testifier of His work, and the quickener of dead souls. They had confidence in the word, the gospel, the message of reconciliation which they proclaimed, knowing that it could not return void to him who sent it forth. Thus they went forth in faith and confidence, anticipating victory, defying enemies, despising obstacles, and counting not their lives dear unto them that they might finish their course with joy, and the ministry which they had received of the Lord Jesus. (This study will continue in the next issue.) =========================================================== New Testament Study - Matthew 9:18-26 ===================================== The Desperate Seek Jesus ------------------------- 18While He was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before Him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live." 19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did His disciples. 20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak. 21She said to herself, "If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed." 22Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," He said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. 23When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24He said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at Him. 25After the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26News of this spread through all that region. Matthew continues recounting some of the miracles that Jesus performed: "While He was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before Him and said, 'My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.' Jesus got up and went with him, and so did His disciples" (vs. 18-19). We have seen, in the previous few sections, opposition to Jesus and His ministry from various sources, even in the midst of His performing great and marvelous miracles. Jesus has been called a blasphemer by teachers of the law (see Matt. 9:3); He has been accused by Pharisees of associating with the wrong sorts of people (see Matt. 9:11); even some disciples of John the Baptist have faulted Him for the way His disciples worship (see Matt. 9:14). Many, from the outside looking in, attempt to find fault with Jesus. And then there are those whom one would expect to find fault with Jesus, who seek Him instead, because they are brought to their end, brought to their place of need for Him. In this episode, a "ruler" came to Jesus, and "knelt before Him" in an attitude of worship. This "ruler", we are told in the Gospel of Mark, was a synagogue ruler named Jairus (see Mark 5:22). Being a synagogue ruler, a religious leader among the Jews, one might have expected opposition to Jesus from him. "That a member of the local establishment should seek Jesus' aid probably means that he was desperate. It is clear that those in official positions were coming to regard Jesus as a dangerous heretic; thus there is every reason for supposing that the synagogue official would try every other source of help before turning to Jesus" [Morris, 228]. The desperate ruler made an astounding request from Jesus: no less than asking Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead. Jesus, without ceremony and without hesitation, "got up and went with him." On the way to heal Jairus' daughter, someone else sought Jesus' help: "Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak. She said to herself, 'If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed.' Jesus turned and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' He said, 'your faith has healed you.' And the woman was healed from that moment" (vss. 20-22). Like the ruler, this woman was desperate. We learn from the Gospel of Mark that she had tried many doctors, and was out of money. Instead of getting better, she got worse (see Mark 5:26). Her desperation was made worse by the fact that she didn't feel she could publicly come up to Jesus, for the Law said that she was ceremonially unclean (see Lev. 15:25). Thus, she resolved to sneak up behind Jesus, and just touch the hem of his cloak. As Jesus healed, it is very interesting how Jesus responded to the faith of the people. Jesus, by His grace, always met the people at their point of faith. Earlier, a Centurion came to Jesus, telling him his servant was deathly ill. The Centurion told Jesus that He did not have to come to his house, but could heal Him with just a word. Jesus did just that. In this passage, the synagogue ruler asks Jesus to "come and put [His] hand" on his dead daughter to raise her. Jesus went with him to his house to do just that. And then, this woman, who believed she would be healed by touching the hem of Jesus' cloak, is healed in just that way. In fact, Jesus told her: "Your faith has healed you" (vs. 21). Note that it was not the cloak that healed her. It was the power of Jesus, together with "her faith". The Holy Grail does not have any magical powers, nor does the Shroud of Turin. "[Jesus] speaks of 'your faith'; it is important that the woman understand that she had not been cured by magic of a kind that meant that anyone who touched Jesus would be healed. Her cure had been the result of a mighty power in Jesus, indeed, but it came to her because of her faith, not because of magic in a touch." [Morris, 230]. The delay caused by healing the woman must certainly have tried the faith of Jairus. But Jesus did continue on His way to Jairus' house: "When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, He said, 'Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.' But they laughed at Him. After the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region" (vss. 23-26). The "noisy crowd" spoken of here probably consisted of professional mourners. The "flute players" were also hired for the daughter's funeral. The fact that the flute players and mourners were there is clear evidence that the girl was indeed dead. In that culture, it was customary to hire professional mourners for a funeral, who would wail loudly. Jesus looked ahead at what He was to do, and told the flute players and mourners: "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." Death, when confronted by the power of Jesus, is but sleep. The mourners, out of character, suspended momentarily their mourning wails and "laughed at Him." The mourners laughed in mockery. They had no faith that Jesus had power over death. "The crowd mocked Jesus, not just because He had said, 'The girl is not dead but asleep,' but even more because they thought that this great healer had arrived too late. Now He was going too far; carried away by His own success, He would try His skill on a corpse and make a fool of Himself" [Carson, 231]. It is a shameful, blasphemous thing to laugh at Christ. Yet, sadly, it seems en vogue to laugh at Christ. Here in America, there have been many movies, TV shows (especially cartoons), and so-called "art" exhibitions that laugh at Christ, in one way or another. This is extremely sad, for Jesus Christ did nothing but show love for everyone He met. Jesus would silence the mocking laughter of the mourners. He met Jairus at his point of faith, and "took the girl by the hand, and she got up." Matthew reports this so simply, and we are so familiar with the stories of Jesus' miraculous powers, that we take them for granted. Think of what Jesus did. He demonstrated His power over death by raising a girl from the dead. Do you have a son or daughter? Think of the joy you would have if Jesus did the same for your child! And also consider this: No one but Jesus has the power over death. You would do well to listen to and to obey the teachings of the one who has power over death. =========================================================== A Topical Study - Loving God vs. Loving the World, pt. 12 ========================================================= [Here we continue our series that has the goal of increasing our love for God and the things of God, while decreasing our love for the world and the things of the world. This resumes a multi-part study by Samuel Annesley, in which he examines, in detail, the greatest commandment. In this issue, Mr. Annesley looks at the means by which we may attain love to God.]-Ed. How May We Attain to Love God by Samuel Annesley (1620 -1696) ------------------------------- "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment'" (Matt. 22:37-38, AV). MEANS TO ATTAIN LOVE TO GOD --------------------------- The means to attain love to God are either directing, promoting, or conserving: 1. Directing-That is, spiritual knowledge directing us to love God. This is beyond what can be spoken in its commendation: a clear and distinct knowledge of the love and loveliness of God in the amazing, yet ravishing, methods of its manifestations, and the clear understanding of the heavenly privilege of having our hearts inflamed with love to God, this will do to direct you in this case. Plainly, get and exercise this twofold knowledge: (1.) The knowledge of spiritual things-Did we but perfectly know the nature of the most contemptible insect; nay, did we but know the nature of atoms; this would lead us to admire and love God. But, then, to know those things that no graceless person in the world cares for the knowledge of,-for instance, the inward workings of original sin, and how to undermine it; the powerful workings of the Spirit of grace, and how to improve it; what are the joys of the Holy Ghost, and how to obtain them;-would not such things insinuate the love of God into you? Add then, (2.) The knowledge of ordinary things in a spiritual manner, so as to make the knowledge of natural things serve heavenly designs-Thus Christ in all the metaphors, in all the parables, He used. To value no knowledge any further than it is reducible to such an use,-this would lead us into the loving of God. Thus I name but one directing means. 2. Promoting means are various-Not but that spiritual knowledge doth singularly promote the love of God, but its proper work lies in directing. The several things I shall name for inward means, your way of managing must make them so. (1.) Self-denial-This is so necessary that no other grace can supply the want of it. It is among the graces of the soul, as among the members of the body-one member may supply the want of another; the defect of the lungs may be supplied by other parts. The want of prudence may be supplied with gospel-simplicity, which looks like quite another thing; but nothing can supply our want of love to God; nor can anything supply our want of self-denial in order to our loving of God. We can never have too low thoughts of ourselves, provided we do not neglect our duty and let go our hold of Christ. Those very things that not only we may love but we must love, it is our duty to love them, and our sin not to love them: yet all these must be denied when they dare to stand in competition with our love to God. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26). Christ would have us count what religion will cost us before we meddle with it. (2.) Contempt of the world-As love of the world is a great impediment, so contempt of the world is a great promoter, of our love to God: may not our contempt of the world be best expressed by our worldly diffidence? We have no confidence in it, no expectation of happiness from it. I take both the understanding and will to be the seat of faith: now, to have both these against the world, is to have our understanding satisfied that the world cannot satisfy us; to look upon the world as an empty drum, that makes a great noise, but hath nothing in it; and therefore the will doth not hanker after it, hath no kindness for it. That person is a good proficient in divine love that can make the world serviceable to devotion by drawing arguments from his worldly condition, be it what it will, to promote piety. For example: Have I anything considerable in the world? I will manage it as a steward; blessed be God that He hath entrusted me with anything whereby I may show my love to Him, in my love to His! Have I nothing in the world? Blessed be God for my freedom from worldly snares! God knows I need food and raiment; and I am of Jacob's mind, if God will give me no more, He shall be my God (see Gen. 28: 20,21); and I will be content, whatever my condition be in the world: it is better than Christ's was; and O that I could love God as Christ did! (3.) Observation of God's benefits to us-It is goodness and beneficence that draws out love. God is our infinite Benefactor. The very brutes love their benefactors: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but my people doth not consider" (Isa. 1:3). Who can reckon-up the benefits he receives from God? The commonest of our mercies deserves a return of love; how much more our spiritual mercies? Those very mercies that are troublesome to us, deserve our love. For example: Trouble for sin, though to a degree of horror; hungering after Christ, though unto languishing; disappointments in the world, though without satisfaction anywhere else; lamenting after God, though with fear that we shall never enjoy Him:-such-like throes of anguish make way for spiritual joy and comfort; and the soul that goes through such exercises grows in love to God every day. As for other kinds of benefits, I will say but this: God doth more for us every hour of our lives, than all our dearest friends or relations on earth, than all the saints and angels in heaven, can do, so much as once, should they do their utmost: and can you do less than love Him? (4.) Watchfulness over our own hearts-When we love God, we are to remember that we love a jealous God. This will restrain the straggling of our affections. We should keep as careful a watch over our own hearts, as we should over a rich heiress, committed to our guardianship: we reckon she is undone, and we shall never be able to look God or man in the face, if she be unworthily matched through our default. Christians, your hearts, through the condescension of God, and blood and Spirit of Christ, are a match for the King of glory; several inferior objects not worth the naming are earnest suitors. We are undone if any but God have our supreme love. If you be not severely watchful, this heart of yours will be stolen away. Be persuaded, therefore, to examine everything that you have cause to suspect; call yourselves often to an account. Be jealous of your hearts, and of everything whereby you may be endangered. (5.) Prayer-All manner of prayer is singularly useful to enflame the heart with love to God. Those that pray best, love God best. Mistake me not: I do not say, Those that can pray with the most florid expressions, or, Those that can pray with the most general applause; but, They that most feel every word they speak, and every thought they think, in prayer; they whose apprehensions of God are most overwhelming; whose affections to God are most spiritually passionate; whose prayers are most wrestling, and graciously impudent; this is the man that prays best, and loves God best. I grant these are the prayers of a great proficient in the love of God; but you may pray for this frame, when you cannot pray with it. The soul never falls sick of divine love in prayer, but Christ presently gives it an extraordinary visit: so soon as ever Christ's spouse says she is "sick of love," the next words she speaks are that "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me" (Canticles 2:5,6). Compare that with these words: "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me" (Canticles 6:5). Christ speaks as of being overcome and conquered. Rouse up yourselves, therefore; give yourselves unto prayer. Pray for a more spiritual discovery of God's amiableness. Did you know God better, you could not but love Him more; and none can discover God to us, as He discovers Himself, so spiritually, so powerfully. Take no denial; God will never be angry with your being importunate for hearts to love Him. "O my God, it is Thyself I love above all things; it is for Thyself; in Thee my desires are terminated; and, therefore, what wilt Thou give me? If Thou wilt not give me Thyself, thou wilt give me nothing. If I find Thee not, I find nothing; Thou dost not at all reward me, but vehemently torment me. Heretofore, when I sought Thee finally, for Thyself, I hoped that I should quickly find Thee, and keep Thee; and with this sweet hope I comforted myself in all my labours. But now, if Thou deny me Thyself, what wilt Thou give me? Shall I be forever disappointed of so great a hope? Shall I always languish in my love? Shall I mourn in my languishment? Shall I grieve in my mourning? Shall I weep and wail in my grief? Shall I always be empty? Shall I always disconsolately sorrow, incessantly complain, and be endlessly tormented? O my most good, most powerful, most merciful, and most loving God, Thou dost not use, so unfriendly and like an enemy, to despise, refuse, wound, and torment those that love Thee with all their heart, soul, and strength; those that hope for full happiness in Thee! Thou art the God of truth, the beginning and end of those that love Thee; Thou dost at last give Thyself to those that love Thee, to be their perfect and complete happiness. Therefore, O my most good God, grant that I may in this present life love Thee for Thyself above all things, seek Thee in all things, and in the life to come find Thee, and hold Thee to eternity." (6.) Meditation-A duty as much talked of, and as little practised, as any duty of Christianity. Did you but once a day (in that time of the day which, upon experience, you find to be fittest for such a work) solemnly place yourselves in God's presence; beg of Him the fixing and the flowing of your thoughts, that your thoughts might be graciously fixed, yet as graciously enlarged; let the subject-matter of them be something spiritual; endeavour to fill your heads and affect your hearts with holy musings, till you come to some resolution, which resolution close with prayer, and follow with endeavours; O how would this, even ere you are aware, engage your souls to love God! Though you cannot methodize your meditations to your mind, yet inure yourselves to a holy thoughtfulness about things above. Endeavour, as you are able, to tie your thoughts together, and so fasten them that they may not be lost, that your musing-time may not be reckoned among your lost time. I distinguish between meditation and study. Study is for knowledge; meditation is for grace. Study leaves everything as we find it; meditation leaves a spiritual impress upon everything it meddles with. Though I will not assert, I may inquire, whether meditation be not one of those duties of which the very constant performance speaks the soul to be gracious; that is, though I dare not say, they are not gracious that do not everyday solemnly meditate, yet whether may I not say, they are gracious that do. Try, therefore, whether you may not say, with the Psalmist, "Whilst I was musing the fire burned" (Ps. 39:3), whether while you are musing, your heart may not be inflamed with love to God. (7.) Choice of friends-I dare appeal to all experienced Christians, whether ever they met with lively Christians, without some warming of their hearts with love to God and godliness. The truth is, Christian conference hath the most speedy and effectual efficacy of any ordinance of God whatsoever. Do, therefore, in religion as you do in other things. For example: If you meet with a physician, all your discourse shall be something about your health. If you meet with a traveller, you are presently inquisitive about the places he hath seen. Why should not Christians, when they meet, converse like Christians, and presently fall into a heavenly dialogue? Christians, this you know, there must be a forsaking of all wicked company, ere you can pretend the least love to Christ. Mistake me not: I do not mean that the bonds of family-relations must presently be broken; that husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and covenant-servants, must presently separate if one of them be ungodly. No, where the relation is such as cannot be dissolved without sin, then those that are godly must converse with the ungodly, as physicians with their sick patients. But this is it I say, You must not willingly and out of choice make God's enemies your familiar friends. Those that are always speaking well of God insensibly draw out our hearts in love to Him. When Christ's spouse had told the daughters of Jerusalem what Christ was more than others, they presently offer themselves to seek Him with her (see Canticles 5:9; 4:1). As "evil communications corrupt good manners," (I Cor. 15:33), so good communication corrects evil manners. In short, you cannot but observe, that none is able to hear anyone spoken against whom they love; and that everyone delights to speak and hear of whom they love; so that here you have a means to inflame, an employ to exercise, and a touchstone to try, your love to God. (8.) Thanksgiving-That person that makes conscience of thanksgiving will thereby grow in love to God. That person that takes everything kindly and thankfully from God, cannot but love Him; and, Christians, if we be not basely wanting to ourselves, we may by thankfulness make everything a help to promote divine love. For example, I hear a man swear, and curse, and blaspheme God. "O what cause have I to love God, that He hath not left me to do so!" I am under the rebukes of God, I feel His anger in such a providence. "O what cause have I to love God, that He will take any pains with me, and give me medicinal correction, not giving me up to my own heart's lusts till I perish!" "Alas! I am not so spiritual as to make such inferences; yet, blessed be God, I really value it as a privilege to be able to put a good interpretation on all God's dealings. O that I could love God for the very means, and helps, and encouragements to love him!" I shall name no more (though I might many) promoting means. =========================================================== A Study of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 9:2-10 ======================================= The Destiny of All ------------------ 2All share a common destiny-the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. 3This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. 4Anyone who is among the living has hope-even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! 5For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. 6Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. 7Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. 8Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 9Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun-all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Solomon, as we have discussed, is at the end of his quest, by human means, to understand the things of life. He has discovered that, no matter how worldly wise a man may be, "no one can comprehend what goes on under the sun" (Eccl. 8:17). Solomon realizes that what happens to "the righteous and the wise...is in God's hands", but, frustratingly, despite this, "no man knows whether love or hate await him" (Eccl. 9:1). Solomon continues his frustration with the observation that, seemingly, the destiny of all is the same: "All share a common destiny-the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead" (vss. 2-3). All share death. Solomon, to underscore his point, gives a list of people from a wide range of moral, social and religious behavior: "...the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices,... those who do not, ...the good man, ...the sinner, ...those who take oaths, ...those who are afraid to take them." For all, death happens. We tend, wrongly, to look at death as some sort of accident. But death is not an accident; rather, it's an appointment, an appointment that all must keep: "[I]t is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27, AV). Now, one might ask, since death happens to all, whether good or bad, why bother to live a godly life? The answer, of course, is that death is not the end. We all share the common destiny of death, but the moment of death is not an eternal destiny. We all share the destiny that our lives on earth will end, but we do not all share the same destiny of what happens after death. And so, while worldly, natural men will agree with Solomon that "this is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all" (vs. 3), those with an eternal perspective know that death is not the end. For, yes, "it is appointed unto men once to die", but we must also take into consideration what happens next: "...but after this the judgment." The event of the judgment of God should be much more feared than the event of death. For the event of death is a moment of (perhaps) pain, but the result of the judgment determines our eternal destiny. And if we honestly look back at our lives, we realize that we deserve the judgment of God. We have largely ignored Him and His law, in order to pursue our own interests. But in His love, God has sent His Son to pay for our disobedience. The judgment of God fell on His Son Jesus Christ, if we but accept the gift of Jesus Christ. Solomon next discusses the advantages the living have over the dead: "Anyone who is among the living has hope-even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun" (vss. 4-6). In essence, the living have an advantage over the dead in that the living still have an opportunity to improve their lot in eternity. "Anyone who is among the living has hope." The dead "have no further reward." Their destiny after death is decided by what they do in this life. Despite what Hollywood may tell us with its fanciful tales of angels coming to earth to improve their lot in heaven, the "dead know nothing" of this life. After death, we will not have anything to do with this life, or as Solomon tells us: "Never again will [the dead] have a part in anything that happens under the sun" (vs. 6). This is an encouragement for us to make the most of our lives on earth. Life is our only opportunity to influence, for good or ill, what goes on on earth. "The dead do not know what is happening on earth, but the living know and can respond to it. The dead cannot add anything to their reward or their reputation, but the living can. The dead cannot relate to people on earth by loving, hating, or envying, but the living can. Solomon was emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities while we live, rather than blindly hoping for something better in the future, because death will end our opportunities on this earth" [Wiersbe, 109]. Most importantly, the living have "hope", and the "living know that they will die". Thus, the living have time to prepare for death. We have time to pursue the "high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14, AV). Solomon ends this section with advice on how enjoy this life on earth that we are given: "Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun-all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom" (vss. 7-10). And though Solomon sounds a bit cynical here, possibly even a touch sarcastic, what he says has merit. He is, in essence, telling us to enjoy a simple life, "for this is your lot in life." Joy can be found, not in extravagance, but in moderation, in the ordinary things of life: eating with gladness, drinking with joy, living in righteousness (being "clothed in white"), dressing nicely (anointing "your head with oil"), enjoying marriage, working hard. All of the elements of joy that Solomon recommends are within our reach. There is nothing extraordinary here. This can be contrasted with the world's view of joy. For the world, joy is not found in the simple life, but in pushing things to the limit, in seeking riches, in winning the lottery, in casting off the simple life and living in extravagance. For example, the world does not see working hard as a means of joy. Solomon commends: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." Our only opportunity to do good in this world is while we live in this world. So, we should work hard, be an example. Moreover, we should smile as we work, and derive joy from the work itself, not just its results. As Christians, all work that we do, even secular work, is for the Lord. As Paul exhorts: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord you are serving" (Col. 3:23-24). It is significant that Solomon here does not commend extravagance and leisure. He led one of the most extravagant lives ever lived, but he does not commend such a life. His extravagance and leisure led to his misery (see II Kings 11). Solomon also speaks of the joy in married life: "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love." Let me note briefly the interesting wording here, when Solomon speaks of marriage. He says: "Enjoy life with your wife." Your spouse is spoken of, not as the source, but as the companion of joy. The joys of life are greatly magnified when you have a life-long companion to enjoy them with. Our enjoyment in this life is tinged with the awareness that this life is full of vane and meaningless things. Solomon reminds us of this, even in the midst of telling us to enjoy life: "...all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun-all your meaningless days." So, though it is proper to enjoy life, don't get too wrapped up in this life. Everything in this life will burn. Find joy in this life where God gives it, but always look ahead to the next life where there will be no sorrow nor tears. -