=========================================================== Scripture Studies: Vol. VIII, No. 1 - February 2001 ==================================================== In this issue: Old Testament Study - Zechariah 9:9-10 Theological Questions, by Jonathan Edwards New Testament Study - Matthew 10:5-8 A Topical Study - Loving God vs. Loving the World, pt. 15 A Study of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 10:12-20 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 9:9-10 ====================================== The Coming of the Lord ----------------------- 9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah continues this oracle. In the previous chapter, he spoke prophetically about one of the great earthly rulers, Alexander, who was to come and conquer the nearby nations. Perhaps the greatness of this earthly ruler brought to mind an even greater ruler, who would come from heaven, for in this brief interlude, Zechariah speaks of the coming of Zion's King, their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. "Nations trembled at the coming of Alexander, but the people of Israel are enjoined to rejoice greatly at the presence of King Messiah, for He comes not only to them but for them, for their benefit and salvation" [Feinberg, 317]. In these two verses, Zechariah summarizes the two comings of Jesus Christ. He was to come once in humility, once in majesty. "For although, as already stated, there is no perspective observed in Old Testament prophecy, and the two advents of the Messiah are often seen and spoken of by the prophets as one, we know now, in the fuller light of the partial fulfillment, that there is a coming of the Redeemer first in humiliation to suffer and die, before He shall come again a second time in divine majesty to reign over this earth" [Baron, 305]. Concerning the Messiah's first coming, Zechariah writes: "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey" (vs. 9). This verse does not merely prophesy in general terms about the first coming of the Messiah, but it points to a specific event which was to take place. This event, now in the past, occurred on what we call Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem "riding on a donkey" to the accolades of the crowd. The form of this prophecy is actually an exhortation. In fact, it is an exhortation to that crowd who was to be in Jerusalem on that day, an exhortation to "Rejoice greatly" and to "Shout" in praise to their King. In the fulfillment of this prophecy, the crowd heeded the exhortation. They shouted, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord" and "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest" (Luke 19:38). The Pharisees took issue with what the crowd was shouting, because they knew that the crowd was proclaiming Jesus to be their Messiah and King. However, this was an event that was destined to happen. It was prophesied. As if to acknowledge this, Jesus told the Pharisees: "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40). There is much beauty, much worthy of praise, concerning our Messiah, Jesus Christ, in these few words of Zechariah. First, Zechariah tells us: "Your king comes to you...." We have a God that cares for us so much that He sent His Son, our Lord and King, to come to us. Next, Zechariah tells us that He is "righteous and having salvation...." If Zechariah had just said He is "righteous", we would have reason to fear His coming, for we, in our sin, deserve punishment from a "righteous" king. Yet, Zechariah added, "...and having salvation." In this, we can greatly rejoice. Our Messiah brought salvation from the judgment for our sins. Then also, Zechariah tells us that our King came "gentle and riding on a donkey." He came gently and humbly. His gentleness makes Him accessible. We have no reason to fear Jesus, unless we choose to reject Him as our Lord and King. He came in humility as a model for us. If He, who is righteous comes humbly, how much more should we live our lives, not in self-righteous conceit, but in humility, with an awareness of our shortcomings? This verse in Zechariah's book is an amazing prophecy, which we should not take for granted. It specifically foretells an event in the life of Jesus, and also specifically foretells the mien of Jesus in His first coming: "righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey." In verse 10, Zechariah jumps to the end-times, when the King will return to rule: "I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth" (vs. 10). The emphasis here is the peace that Jesus will bring, the peace, that is, that comes after His wrath is poured out upon His enemies. To usher in the peace, the weapons of war will be done away with: "I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken." The Lord, with complete authority and power, will "proclaim peace to the nations." There will be no need for peace talks, or peace agreements. Peace will simply be "proclaimed" by the Lord, and that will be that. The Lord will rule from the promised land, "from sea to sea." This probably refers to the prophesied limits of the land promised to the Israelites: "I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River" (Ex. 23:31). The Israelites never themselves took possession of this land that they have been promised, even to this day. But later, Jesus will rule "from sea to sea", but then also, His rule will extend "from the River to the ends of the earth." As of this writing, some 2000 years has passed since the fulfillment of verse 9 of this prophecy. The fulfillment of verse 10 is yet to come. Do not be discouraged, dear friends, at the delay of the fulfillment of the promises of the Lord's coming. This is, as Peter tells us, a working of God's grace: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (II Pet. 3:9). =========================================================== Theological Questions, by Jonathan Edwards ========================================== A Classic Study by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) ---------------------------- [Here, we reprint an unusual study by the noted evangelist Jonathan Edwards. This study consists solely of questions. No answers are found here to these questions. One might say that the answers are left as an exercise for the reader. The primary goal of my reprinting these questions is to get you to think about these things. The secondary (but no less important) goal is to encourage you to study in order to find the answer to these things. My experience in reading these questions was very humbling. In reading them, I learned how much I do not know. Yet, as Christians, we should know the answer to most of these questions. Many of these questions (in one form or another) are routinely asked by non-believers to believers. And so, by studying and learning the answers to these questions, you would certainly be following Peter's advice to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (I Peter 3:15).]-Ed. Theological Questions 1. How does it appear that something has existed from eternity? 2. How does it appear that this earth and the visible system are not from eternity? 3. How does it appear that the existence of man is derived and dependent? 4. How do you prove the natural perfections of God, viz. His intelligence, infinite power, foreknowledge, and immutability? 5. How do you prove His moral perfections, that He is a friend of virtue, or absolutely holy, true, just, and good? 6. How do you prove that the Scriptures are a revelation from God? And what are the evidences, internal and external? 7. How do you prove the divine mission of Christ? 8. How do you prove the divinity of Christ? 9. How do you prove the personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost? 10. How do you prove that the persons in the Trinity are one God? 11. Whence arose the Manichean notion of two Gods, and how is it confuted? 12. Whence arose the polytheism of the pagans, and how confuted? 13. Whence was it that the knowledge of the one true God, in which Noah was instructed, was not preserved among his posterity in all ages? 14. Why are not mankind in all ages (their internal faculties and external advantages being sufficient) united in right sentiments of the one true God? 15. Were the moral character of God and the moral law understood and loved, would there be any objections against revealed religion? 16. What is the true idea of God's decrees? 17. How do you prove absolute and particular election? 18. Did God decree the existence of sin? 19. Why did God decree sin? 20. In what sense did He introduce sin into the universe? 21. How do you reconcile this with the holiness and goodness of God? 22. What is necessary to constitute a moral agent? 23. Are men moral and free agents? 24. What is the difference between natural and moral power, and inability? 25. How is absolute moral necessity, or inability, consistent with the free agency of men? 26. How is the doctrine of universal, absolute decrees, consistent with the free agency of men? 27. How do you prove a universal and special providence? 28. What is the covenant of redemption? 29. If man was created in original righteousness, how is that consistent with moral agency? (It being said that a necessary holiness is no holiness.) 30. What was the constitution under which Adam in innocency was placed? 31. Was Adam under the same necessity of falling that we are of sinning? 32. Are all intelligencies bound to love God supremely, sinners and devils? 33. Is the law holy, just, and good, and how is it proved? 34. Are they, who are under its curse, bound to delight in it? 35. How great is the demerit of sin? 36. Are the torments of hell eternal? 37. How do you reconcile them with the justice and infinite goodness of God? 38. How do you reconcile them with those texts which say Christ died for all men, that God wilt not that any should perish? 39. How does it appear that human nature is originally depraved? 40. Whence comes that depravity? 41. How is it proved to be total? 42. What is the covenant of grace? 43. Are the law and gospel inconsistent with each other? 44. Why was an atonement, and one so precious as the blood of Christ, necessary? 45. In what manner did Christ atone for sin? 46. To whom doth it belong to provide an atonement, God, or the sinner? 47. Did Christ redeem all men alike, elect and non-elect? 48. Can the offer of the gospel be made in sincerity to the non-elect? 49. How is redemption applied? 50. What is the office of the Holy Ghost in the work of redemption? 51. What is regeneration? 52. Whence arises the necessity of it? 53. What is true love to God? 54. What is true benevolence to men? 55. What is true repentance, and how distinguished from legal? 56. What is true faith? 57. What are pardon and justification? What is their foundation, and what is the influence of faith therein? 58. How are full satisfaction and free pardon consistent? 59. Is the sinner forgiven before he repents? 60. Is sanctifying grace needful at all to any man, unless with respect to that which is his duty, and in neglect of which he would be without excuse? 61. What is the sum of man's duty, and what the effect produced by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit? 62. Can that holy volition in us, which is the effect of divine power, be wholly our act, or our duty? 63. How is it proved that unbelief is sin, and that all errors in moral matters are of a criminal nature? 64. Will the wicked heathens, infidels, and errorists of every kind, be without excuse at the day of judgment? 65. What is the essence of true virtue, or holiness? 66. Is there no virtue in the exercise of natural conscience, the moral sense, natural compassion, and generosity? 67. Is not self-love the root of all virtue? 68. Do not the unregenerate desire to be regenerated, and can they not properly pray for regenerating grace? 69. Do they not desire the heavenly happiness? 70. What is the utmost the unregenerate do in the use of the means of grace? 71. Is any duty done by them therein? 72. Do they grow better in the use of means? 73. To what are they to be exhorted? 74. What is the real advantage of the assiduous use of means to the unregenerate? 75. How do you prove that the institution of the Sabbath is of perpetual obligation? 76. How is it that the Sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week? 77. How do you prove that public worship is to be celebrated on the Sabbath? 78. What is the foundation of the duty of prayer, since God is omniscient and immutable? 79. How do you prove that family prayer is a duty? 80. To whom are the promises of the gospel made, to the regenerate, or unregenerate ? 81. Are no encouragements given to the unregenerate? 82. How do you prove the saints' perseverance? 83. What is the nature of a Christian church? 84. Who are fit for communion therein? 85. What is the nature and import of baptism? 86. How do you prove infant baptism? 87. What is the nature of the Lord's supper? 88. What are the rules and end of church discipline? 89. What is the character of a good minister of Christ? 90. In what does the happiness of heaven consist? =========================================================== New Testament Study - Matthew 10:5-8 ==================================== Instructions for Apostles - I ----------------------------- 5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." In this chapter, Jesus prepares the chosen twelve apostles for the very first evangelistic missionary journey, by giving them instructions concerning their journey. This is a significant moment. The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be spread throughout the world, by and large, through the efforts of missionaries going into strange lands and spreading the good news. Jesus declares the importance of evangelistic efforts by sending His apostles out during His lifetime. Later, the evangelistic efforts of these original apostles of Jesus would not only be important for the Christian religion, but historically significant for all peoples, changing the course of Western Civilization. Certainly, at this point, the apostles did not realize the significance of this journey, but Jesus did. He knew that this first journey, occurring while He was physically with them, would be crucially important to prepare them for their more expanded missionary activities later. "After a season spent in such personal labors, they will return, and remain long with Him, receiving further instruction, which they will more earnestly desire and more fully appreciate, from their attempts at actual preaching. And finally, after His ascension, they will be ready, with the Holy Spirit as their abiding Instructor, to go and disciple all nations" [Broadus, 212]. And so here, Jesus prepares His apostles, gives them instructions concerning how they should conduct themselves, and alerts them to the inevitable opposition they will face. Though these instructions were given to the first apostles, in them are many guidelines and principles that can be applied by ministers of God's Word today. First, Jesus tells them where to preach: "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: 'Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel'" (vs. 5-6). At that time, the Gospel was to be preached to the children of Israel. This was the opportunity for the first-born of God to receive their King. "Jesus stood at the nexus in salvation history where, as a Jew and the Son of David, He came in fulfillment of His people's history as their King and Redeemer..." [Carson, 244]. As Paul described the Gospel message: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile" (Rom. 1:16). It was part of God's perfect plan that the good news of the Kingdom of God come to the world through His first born Israel. As He promised Abraham: "All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12:3). Sadly though, the eventual spreading of the Gospel to the world was carried out through few rather than many children of Israel, because the children of Israel to a large extent rejected their King. As John told us: "He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). Later, the time would come when Jesus would send His followers out to all nations. After His death and resurrection, Jesus commanded His disciples: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matt. 29:18-19). After limiting this first missionary journey to "the lost sheep of Israel", Jesus told the disciples what to preach: "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near'" (vs. 7). This message is the same that John the Baptist preached: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matt. 3:2). It is the same that Jesus Himself preached: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matt. 4:17). This same message can and should be preached today. While topical sermons on practical living may have their place, a minister who fails to encourage repentance due to the nearness of the kingdom of heaven fails to preach the basic message of Christianity. We should all be aware of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. Certainly, in one sense, all Christians are part of the kingdom of heaven, but the kingdom has not been instituted on earth in full force. This will take place when Jesus returns, and this could happen at any time. Then also, in another sense, the kingdom of heaven is just a heartbeat away. Death brings us immediately before our Lord to face judgment. We must all be aware of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. I think that modern medicine, with all the comfort it has brought to many people on earth, has served to make people less aware of the certainty and nearness of death. I can't help but believe that in times past, people felt more uncertain about when they would die. Nowadays, most of us live as if death is a long time off. However, for any of us, death can come at any time. Plane crashes, natural disasters, car accidents, and other unplanned events take the lives of many people every day. And so, the message "the kingdom of heaven is near" is a message that should be preached. The awareness of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven brings one to the awareness of the need to make oneself right with God. If we were certain that Jesus would return this afternoon, would we not repent this morning from our sins, and seek to get right with God? Not only were the apostles to preach, they were also to do good: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give" (vs. 8). Verses 7 and 8 really sum up true Christian ministry: preach and do good. Ministers are sent out to serve, not to rule. "Happy would it be for the cause of true religion if [this] were better understood! Half the diseases of Christianity have arisen from mistaken notions about the minister's office" [Ryle, 96]. The first apostles were given special gifts with which to minister to others: the gift of healing, of raising the dead, of cleansing lepers, of driving out demons. These gifts were to confirm the doctrine of the message they were preaching concerning the kingdom of heaven. The gifts anticipated the Day of Pentecost, when the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to the church. Through the Holy Spirit, we are not only sent out to preach, but we are also given spiritual gifts to aid in making our preaching effective. Under no circumstances were the gifts given to the apostles to be merchandised: "Freely you have received, freely give" (vs. 8). To merchandise God's gifts is to give people the wrong idea about the free gift of the Gospel. The salvation offered through Jesus Christ is a free gift, based on faith, and not in any way a return for monetary offerings. We must be diligent in keeping this commandment of Jesus: "Freely you have received, freely give." In order to follow this commandment, we must make sure that any type of fund-raising effort not take place anywhere near the ministry by spiritual gifts and the preaching of the gospel, lest anyone get the idea that our salvation is tied in any way to the funds being raised. Ministers in the church would do well to err on the side of caution concerning giving freely. There is far too much salesmanship in the church. A preacher preaches a sermon and records it on tape. Must he sell that tape? Why not freely give it to those who desire to hear the message of the Gospel? A minister writes a book. Must he sell it? Why not freely give it away? A worship band, the members of which have been freely given by the Holy Spirit the talents of musicianship, makes a worship tape. Must they sell it? Why not freely give to those who would be blessed by it? For the Church to "freely give" should be the norm, rather than the exception. Sadly, the Church is known more for appeals for money than for giving freely. =========================================================== A Topical Study - Loving God vs. Loving the World, pt. 15 ========================================================= [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 study, Mr. Annesley tells us how we may improve our love for 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). HOW TO IMPROVE AND AUGMENT OUR LOVE TO GOD ------------------------------------------ IV. How to improve and augment all our possible abilities to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.-And for this I shall give you one general, yet singular, direction, though I must inform, direct, and press several things under it; and that is, set yourselves to love God. Set upon it as you are able. Do for the engaging of your love to God, as you would do for engaging your hearts in love to a person commended to you for marriage. Here is a person commended to you whom you never saw nor before heard of. All the report you can hear speaks a great suitableness in the person, and consequently happiness in the match: you thereupon entertain the motion, and a treaty, to see whether reports be true and affections feasible. Though at first you find no affection on either side, yet, if you meet with no discouragements, you continue converse, till, by a more intimate acquaintance, there ariseth a more endearedness of affection: at length a non-such love becomes mutual. Do something like this in spirituals. I now solemnly bespeak your highest love for God. Perhaps God and thy soul are yet strangers; thou hast not yet met with Him in His ordinances, nor savingly heard of Him by His Spirit. Do not slight the overture; for from thy first entertainment of it, thou wilt be infinitely happy. Everything of religion is at first uncouth; the work of mortification is harsh, and the work of holiness difficult; but practice will facilitate them, and make thee in love with them. So the more thou acquaintest thyself with God, the more thou canst not but love Him, especially considering that God is as importunate with thee for thy love, as if His own happiness was concerned; whereas He is infinitely above receiving benefit from us. But seeing He is so earnest with thee for thy love, beg it of Him for Him; God is more willing to give every grace than thou canst be to receive it. "Acquaint thyself," therefore, with God, "and then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift, up thy face unto God. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He shall hear thee" (Job 13:21,26,27). What, though thou beginnest at the lowest step of divine love, thou mayest, through grace, mount up to the highest pinnacle! I willingly wave so much as mentioning the several methods proposed; and shall, from a modern author, commend to you these five steps or degrees of love to God. DEGREES OF LOVE TO GOD ---------------------- 1. The first degree, is to love God for those good things which we do or hope to receive from Him.-To love God as our Benefactor. "O love the Lord, all ye His saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful" (Psalm 31:23). Though I name this as the lowest degree of our loving of God, yet the highest degree of our loving God is never separated from the loving of God as our Benefactor. It is mentioned in Moses's commendation, that he esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward" (Heb. 11:26). To love God for hopes of heaven is not a mercenary kind of love; it is not only lawful that we may, but it is our duty that we must, love God for the glory that is laid up for us. Where is the man that will own the name of Christian, who dare charge Christ with any defect of love to God? Well, the scripture saith expressly, that "for the joy get before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2). Is it not (no question but it is) an infinite kindness of God to make promises? And is it not grossly absurd to say that it is a sin to believe them? When our love shall be perfected in heaven, shall we then love God? And shall not we then love God, as well for our perfect freedom from sin, for our perfection of grace, for the society of saints and angels, as for Himself? If you question this, surely you will startle more at what I shall farther assert; namely, to love God for temporal benefits does infallibly evidence us eminently spiritual. Nay, further yet, I shall commend to the consideration of the most considerate Christian, whether our loving of God for the good things of this life doth not evidence a greater measure of love to God than to love God only for the gracious communication of Himself unto the soul. I speak of truly loving God, not of bare saying you love Him. Now I evidence it thus: God's gracious communications of Himself naturally tend to the engaging of the soul to love Him; but the things of the world do not so. God's gracious communications of Himself speak special love on God's part, and that draws out love again; but, alas, common mercies speak no such thing. Now, then, that soul that is so graciously ingenious as to love God for those lower kinds of mercies, that do not of themselves speak any love from God to us, that love of God looks something like,-though it is infinitely short of it, (for it is impossible to prevent God in His loving of us)-but it looks somewhat like our being beforehand with God in the way of special love. To love God spiritually for temporal mercies,-how excellent is this love! Though to love a benefactor may be but the love of a brute; yet to love God thus, as our Benefactor, cannot but be the love of a Saint. You see, therefore, that though you begin your love to God at below what is rational, it may insensibly grow up to what is little less than angelical. 2. The second step of our love to God, is to love God for Himself, because He is the most excellent good.-You may abstract the consideration of His beneficence to us from His excellency in Himself; and then, the soul can rise thus: "Lord, though I should never have a smile from Thee while I live, and should be cast off by Thee when I die, yet I love Thee." Alas! Why is this named as the second step? Surely there are but few can rise so high. Pray, Christians, mind this there is many a gracious soul that loves God for Himself, who dares scarce own it that he loves God at all; for instance, when the soul is in perplexing darkness, and cannot discern any covenant-interest in God; but, as the church bemoans herself: "God hath filled me with bitterness, He hath made me drunken with wormwood. My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. When I cry and about, He shutteth out my prayer" etc. (Lam. 3:8,15,18, etc.). In short, it is the case of every soul that is under sore temptations or long desertions. Yet, mark you, while they thus "walk in darkness, and see no light," yet then a discerning Christian may see their love to God, like Moses's face, shine to others' observation, though not to their own; as may be particularly thus evidenced: When God smites them, they love Him; for they are still searching what sin it is that He contends for, that they may get rid of it, not hide it, nor excuse it. When they fear God will damn them, then they love Him; for they then keep in the way of holiness, which is the way of salvation. Yea, they will not be drawn out of it, though carnal friends, like Job's wife, bid them "curse God, and die"; though Satan tell them they strive in vain; though their discouragements are multiplied, and their diligence is disappointed; yet they are resolved, like Job, who said, "Though God hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty hath vexed my soul; I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live" (Job 27:2,5,6). It is as if he had said: "I will delight in the Almighty, or nothing; I will always call upon God, though He should never regard me." Or, though the soul under trouble will not own so much goodness in itself as to say thus, yet the conversation of such Christians speaks it plainly; and can such a frame proceed from anything but love to God? Doth not grace work in the soul like physic in the body? The mother gives her child physic; the physic in its working makes the child sick; the child, when sick, instead of being angry with the mother for the physic, makes all its moan to the mother, hangs about her, lays its head in her bosom: is not this love to the mother, though she gave this sick-physic? So, my brethren, God deals with His children. What, though some of His dealings make them heart-sick? Yet they cling to Him, fearing nothing but sin, and can bear anything but His displeasure. Is not here love? And do not these love God for Himself? It is true, God's love to them all this while is great; but they perceive it not. 3. The third step is, to love nothing but for God's sake, in Him, and for Him, and to Him.-It is said to be Teresia's maxim, "All that is not God is nothing." Indeed, the very word that Solomon uses for "vanity", which he endorseth upon the best of creature-happiness in the very notion of it, proclaims it: "It is not God, therefore it is vanity." It is a noble employment to try experiments upon every lovely object, to reduce our love to them to the love of God, to be still musing upon spiritual cases, still supplying of spiritual wants, still longing for spiritual enjoyments, that I may not only love other things in subordination to God, but to love nothing but for God. For example: In all outward enjoyments.-"Have I an estate? I will honour God with my substance, because I love him. Have I anything pleasant or delightful in this world? I will run it up to the fountain." O how pure and satisfying are the loving soul's delights in God! "Have I any esteem in the world? I am no way fond of it; but so far as it may make my attempts for the honour of God more successful, I will improve it, and upon all other accounts decline it. Nearer yet: My relations are dear unto me. I truly love them; but yet my love to God shall animate my love to them. For instance: I truly love my friend; but this shall be my love's exercise, to persuade him to love God. I dearly love my parents; but O, no father like God! My soul is overcome with that expression of Christ's, 'Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother' (Matt. 12:50). My conjugal relation is dearest to me; but my heart is passionately set upon this, that we may both be infallibly espoused unto Christ. My heart yearns towards my children; but I had rather have them God's children than mine." Nearer yet: as to inward qualifications.-For instance, for natural parts: "I bless God that I am not an idiot, that I have any capacity of understanding; but I am resolved, to the utmost of my capacity, to endeavour the convincing of all I converse with, that to love and enjoy God is most highly rational, and most eminently our interest. Have I any acquired endowments of learning or wisdom? I bless God for them; but I count all wisdom folly, and all learning dotage, without the knowledge of God in Christ." Consider this: "If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him" (I Cor. 8:2,3). Higher yet: for gracious qualifications that capacitate me for glory: "I love grace the best of any creature, wherever I see it; but it is for the sake of the God of all grace, without whom my grace is inconsiderable." Once more, higher yet, and higher than this I think we cannot go: To love those things that are not lovely, merely for God's sake, or out of love to God.-For example: how many have you heard complain for want of afflictions, for fear God does not love them!-though, by the way, those betray their weakness who thus complain; for did they but observe their want of evidence of divine love, and did they more sympathize with the church of Christ under the cross, they would find they need not complain for want of afflictions. But, be it so: complain they do, and that for want of afflictions. Afflictions are no way lovely, we are nowhere bid to pray for them: but it is our duty to pray for preventing and removing them; and yet the gracious soul is, through love to God, in some respect in love with them. Here is a notable degree of divine love, that the soul would upon any terms experiment the love of God; and engage the heart in love to God again, and to love nothing but for God. (In the next issue, we will continue Mr. Annesley's enumeration of the degrees of love to God.) =========================================================== A Study of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 10:12-20 ========================================= Foolishness ----------- 12Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. 13At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness- 14and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming-who can tell him what will happen after him? 15A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town. 16Woe to you, O land, whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. 17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-for strength and not for drunkenness. 18If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks. 19A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything. 20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. Solomon continues his words of wisdom concerning real life, as he works his way to the conclusion of the book of Ecclesiastes. In this section, he speaks of foolish speech, and of foolish rulers. First, concerning foolish speech: "Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness-and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming-who can tell him what will happen after him? A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town" (vss. 12-15). Since the main subject of Ecclesiastes is wisdom, it is appropriate that Solomon speak concerning the tongue, for the tongue is the instrument of both wisdom and folly. The speech coming from the tongue is often the primary gauge to prove wisdom or folly. Solomon begins by comparing the words of the wise to the words of the foolish man: "Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips." The wise man's words, being "gracious", benefit those around him. The wise man heeds Paul's words: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Eph. 4:29). "How valuable then is the art of enchanting our tongues; bringing them under wholesome discipline, so that they may pacify and instruct, instead of bringing the serpent's sting!" [Bridges, 249]. In contrast to the wise man's words, the foolish man's words not only do not benefit others, they are destructive to the fool himself: "...a fool is consumed by his own lips." Solomon documents the process of the fool's self-destruction: "At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness-and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming-who can tell him what will happen after him? A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town" (vss. 13-14). At first, a fool's speech is relatively harmless, maybe even cute, mere "folly". But if the fool remains in his foolish ways, his words become "wicked madness." The fool then aggravates the situation by "multiplying" his words. Solomon gives an example of the fool's lack of wisdom: "No one knows what is coming-who can tell him what will happen after him?" The fool is most self-destructive concerning his ultimate destiny. Solomon's example here reflects the foolishness of agnosticism: "We can't know what will happen, so why try?" The agnostic fool erroneously believes that, if there is a God, we cannot know Him or His will. The agnostic fool rejects the Word of God in the Bible, even though there are many proofs of its authenticity. In the end, the foolish man's words carry over into all aspects of his life: "A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town" (vs. 15). Fools make easy things difficult, largely through the attitude they take in doing anything. To the fool, everything is an unreasonable chore. Rather than being edified and strengthened by his work, rather than using his work as an opportunity to grow and become a better person, "a fool's work wearies him." In the end, he cannot do even the easiest things: "He does not know the way to town." Next, again, Solomon comments on the wisdom and folly of rulers: "Woe to you, O land, whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-for strength and not for drunkenness" (vss. 16-17). The importance of good leadership is again noted by Solomon. The land whose king behaves like a "servant" is full of woe; the land whose king has a noble bearing is blessed. And then, the woe or blessing (as the case may be) will continue on, for the traits of the kings are passed on to the princes. Moreover, the damage done to a land by poor rulers is lasting: "If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks" (vs. 18). Still further, the character of the ruler affects the moral values of the land: "A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything" (vs. 19). A foolish, immoral leader and the government he installs will lead to a climate where only material things are important, where joy only comes from feasting and merrymaking; and "money is the answer for everything." Clearly, given these things, wise, godly leadership is a valuable thing to have. For those of us who live in countries where we can choose our leaders, the onus is upon us to educate ourselves concerning those who are running for election, and to choose wise, godly leaders. Solomon ends this section with words of wisdom concerning our response to foolish leaders: "Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say" (vs. 20). Even though we may see our leaders as foolish and destructive, wisdom dictates that we should be careful what we say about them. Private matters have a way of coming to light, many times mysteriously: "A bird of the air may carry your words." Is there is any value to be gained from criticizing our rulers? Praying for our rulers is a much more constructive thing to do. God can change the heart of our rulers, and give them wisdom. These last words concerning criticism of the king should be applied to anyone in authority over us. For instance, at our workplace, we should not speak ill of our bosses. This is never a constructive thing to do, and such talk behind the boss's back can poison a job site, and make work miserable for everyone. Your words would be put to much better use by praying for your boss.