Psalm 121

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Rise up My love, My beautiful one—and come away!

 
Charles Spurgeon

"My Beloved spoke and said to me—Rise up My love, My beautiful one—and come away!" Song of Solomon 2:10

Lo, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He speaks to me! He bids me "Rise up!" and well He may, for I have long enough been lying among the pots of worldliness. Why should I cleave unto the dust? From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations—I would rise towards Him.

He calls me by the sweet title of "My love" and regards me as beautiful! This is a good encouragement for my rising. If He has thus exalted me, and thinks me thus lovely—how can I linger in the dark tents of Kedar and find congenial associates among the world?

He bids me "Come away!" Come away further and further from everything selfish, groveling, worldly, and sinful! He calls me from the outwardly religious world which knows Him not, and has no sympathy with the mystery of the pious life.

"Come away" has no harsh sound in it to my ear—for what is there to hold me in this wilderness of vanity and sin? O my Lord, would that I could come away—but I am stuck among the thorns—and cannot escape from them as I would! I would, if it were possible, have neither eyes, nor ears, nor heart for sin!

You call me to Yourself by saying "Come away!" and this is a melodious call indeed. To come to You is to come home from exile; to come to land out of the raging storm; to come to rest after long labor; to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes! But Lord, how can a stone rise, how can a lump of clay come away from the horrible pit?

 O raise me, draw me—and I will run after You! Your grace alone can do it. Send forth Your Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in my heart—and I will continue to rise until I leave life and time behind me, and indeed come away!

Going to hell in a more devout manner

(Thomas Watson, "The Upright Man's Character")

"You desire truth in the inward parts." Psalm 51:6

Sincerity is of utmost importance to a Christian. It is the sauce which seasons piety and makes it savory. Sincerity is the jewel that God is most delighted with.

To speak plainly — all our pompous show of holiness, without this soul of sincerity to enliven it — is but 'pious folly'. It is but going to hell in a more devout manner than others!

"My son, give Me your heart." Proverbs 23:26. If the heart is for God, then our tears, our alms — all are for God.

A godly man does not have two hearts — a heart for God, and a heart for sin.

God loves a broken heart, not a divided heart.

Murmuring, dissatisfaction, discontent

(J. C. Ryle, "Be Content" 1885)

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with such things as you have, because God has said—Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

These words are very simple. A little child might easily understand them. They contain no high doctrine; they involve no deep metaphysical question; and yet, as simple as they are—the duty which these words enjoin on us, is of highest practical importance to all Christians.

Contentment is one of the rarest graces. Like all precious things—it is most uncommon. To practice contentment, is very hard. To talk of contentment in the day of health and prosperity is easy enough; but to be content in the midst of poverty, sickness, trouble, disappointments, and losses—is a state of mind to which very few can attain!

The fallen angels had heaven itself to dwell in, and the immediate presence and favor of God—but they were not content. Adam and Eve had the garden of Eden to live in, with a free grant of everything in it excepting one tree—but they were not content. Ahab had his throne and kingdom, but so long as Naboth's vineyard was not his—he was not content. Haman was the chief favorite of the Persian king—but so long as Mordecai sat at the gate—he was not content.

It is just the same everywhere in the present day. Murmuring, dissatisfaction, discontent with what we have, meet us at every turn. To say, with Jacob, "I have enough," seems flatly contrary to the grain of human nature. To say, "I want more," seems the mother tongue of every child of Adam.

Paul's direction ought to come with power to all our consciences: "Be content with such things as you have," not with such things as you once used to have—not with such things as you hope to have—but with such things as you now have. With such things, whatever they may be—we are to be content. With such a dwelling, such a family, such health, such income, such work, such circumstances as we now have—we are to be content.

Ah! reader, if you would be truly happy—seek it where alone it can be found. Seek it not in money, seek it not in pleasure, nor in friends, nor in learning. Seek it in having a will in perfect harmony with the will of God. Seek it in studying to be content.

You may say, that is fine talking—but how can we be always content in such a world? I answer, that you need to cast away your pride, and know your deserts, in order to be thankful in any condition. If men really knew that they deserve nothing, and are debtors to God's mercy every day—they would soon cease to complain.

Let me tell you why there is so little contentment in the world. The simple answer is, because there is so little grace, and true godliness. Few know their own sin; few feel their desert; and so few are content with such things as they have. Humility, self-knowledge, a clear sight of our own utter vileness and corruption; these are the true roots of contentment.

Let me tell you—what you should do, if you would be content. You must know your own heart, seek God for your portion, take Christ for your Savior, and use God's Word for your daily food.

Contentment must be learned at the feet of Jesus Christ. He who has God for his friend, and heaven for his home—can wait for his good things, and be content with little here below.

The prosperity of the wicked

(William Secker, "The Consistent Christian" 1660)

"For I envied the arrogant—when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Psalm 73:3

We should never judge the inward conditions of men—by the outward dispensations of God. The greatness of our estates—is no argument of the goodness of our hearts. To prize ourselves by what we have—and not by what we are; is to estimate the value of the jewel—by the box which contains it. Grace and gold can live together; but the smallest degree of grace in the heart—is preferable to a thick chain of gold around the neck.

Lest riches should be accounted evil in themselves—God sometimes gives them to the righteous; and lest they should be considered as the chief good—He frequently bestows them on the wicked. But they are more generally the portion of God's enemies—than His friends.

Here on earth, it is sometimes evil with the righteous—and well with the wicked. Those who live most upon God, sometimes fare worst from the world. You cannot read the wrath of God—in the black lines of adversity; or the love of God—in the white lines of prosperity.

God often gives a full cup of temporal blessings to wicked men—though there are dregs at the bottom! They may be fruitful vines—and yet only laden with sour grapes. It is seldom that the sparkling diamond of a great estate—is set in the golden ring of a pious heart. Riches have made many good men—worse; but they never made any bad man—better.

Though a Christian is made happy in the world—yet he is not made happy by the world. There are many who are temporally happy, who will be eternally miserable; and many are now temporally miserable, who will be eternally happy.

"God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good—and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:45. The sun of prosperity shines upon the dunghill—as well as upon beds of spices. The rain of adversity falls upon the fruitful garden—as well as the barren wilderness. The abundance of the infidel is a golden chain—to bind him to the earth; and the apparent miseries of the believer are as fiery chariots—to convey him to heaven!

If we look for a saint, he is not always to be found upon a bed of down—but sometimes he has been seen on a heap of dust. Poor Lazarus rises up to heaven—and rich Dives sinks down to hell. We must not infer the absence of God's affections—from the presence of numerous afflictions. A saint is glorious in his misery—but a sinner is miserable amidst all his glory.

"Judge nothing according to appearance—but judge righteous judgment." That apple which has the fairest skin—may have the rottenest core. The most choice pearls—are often enclosed in the most hideous shells.

"Deliver my soul from the wicked—who have their portion in this life." Psalm 17:14. The things of the world—are the only happiness of the men of the world. A man's estate in this world may be great—and yet his state for the eternal world may be fearful. God may say to him as to Pharaoh, "For this purpose have I raised you up—that I might show My power upon you." The same hand which now pours abundance on ungodly men like oil—will soon pour down wrath upon them like fire! Under all their wealth—their hearts are sinful; and after all the riches have fled—their situation will be doleful!

288 opinions about the way to happiness

(Thomas Watson, "The Beatitudes" 1660)

In what does happiness consist?

Millions of people mistake both the nature of happiness, and the way there. Some of the learned have noted 288 opinions about the way to happiness—and all have shot wide of the mark!

How do men thirst after the world—as if the pearl of happiness hung upon an earthly crown! "Oh," says one, "if I had but such an estate—then I would be happy! Had I but such a comfort—then I would sit down satisfied!" Well, God gives him that comfort and lets him suck the very juice out of it—but, alas, it falls short of his expectation. It cannot fill the emptiness and longing of his soul!

Happiness does not lie in the acquisition of worldly things. Happiness cannot by any chemistry—be extracted from the world. Christ does not say, 'Happy are the rich,' or 'Happy are the noble.' Yet too many idolize these things. How ready is man to terminate his happiness in external worldly things! If they have but worldly accommodations, they are ready to say with that brutish fool in the gospel, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years, take your ease—eat, drink and be merry!"

But alas! The tree of happiness does not grow in an earthly paradise. Has not God 'cursed the ground' because of sin? Yet many are digging for happiness here—as if they would fetch a blessing out of a curse! A man may as well think to extract oil out of a stone, or fire out of water—as happiness out of earthly things!

King Solomon had more worldly things than any man. His crown was hung full of jewels. He had treasuries of gold. He had the flower and quintessence of all delights—sumptuous fare, stately edifices, vineyards, lands, all sorts of music to enchant and ravish the senses with joy. If there were any rarity—it was present in king Solomon's court. Thus did he bathe in the perfumed waters of pleasure.

Never did the world cast a more smiling aspect upon any man! Yet when he comes to give his impartial verdict, he tells us that the world has 'vanity' written upon its frontispiece; and all those golden delights he enjoyed, were but a painted felicity—a glorious misery! "Behold! All was vanity!" Happiness is too noble and delicate a plant, to grow in this world's soil. Worldly joys are butsugared lies—pleasant deceits—which have not one grain of true happiness! Nothing on earth can satisfy the soul's desires!

"The world passes away!" (1 John 2:17). Worldly delights are winged. They may be compared to a flock of birds in the garden—which stay a little while—but when you come near to them—they take their flight and are gone! Just so, "riches make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven!" They are like a meteor which blazes—but soon burns out. They are like a castle made of snow—lying under the fiery beams of the sun. Worldly comforts are like tennis balls—which are bandied up and down from one to another. They are like a bouquet of flowers—which withers while you are smelling it. They are like ice—which melts away while it is in your hand.

Those things which do more vex than comfort—cannot make a man truly happy. As riches are compared to wind—to show their vanity; so they are compared to thorns—to show their vexation. Thorns are not more apt to tear our garments—than riches to tear our hearts! They are thorns in the gathering—and they prick with anxious care. They pierce the head with care of getting, so they wound the heart with fear of losing. Happiness is not to be fetched out of the earth! Worldly comforts cannot make you happy. You might live rich—and die cursed! You might treasure up an estate—and God might treasure up wrath!

Strewing flowers on a dead corpse

(Thomas Watson, "The Beatitudes" 1660)

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
 see God." Matthew 5:8

External morality is not heart-purity. A person
may be clothed with great moral virtues, such as
justice, charity, prudence, and temperance—and
yet go to hell.

We must not rest in mere outward morality. A swine
may be washed—yet be a swine still. Morality does
but wash a man—grace changes him. Morality may
shine in the eyes of the world—but it differs as much
from purity, as a pebble differs from a diamond!

Morality is but strewing flowers on a dead corpse!

A man who is but highly moral—is but a tame devil. 

How many have made 'morality' their Savior!
Morality will damn—as well as vice! A boat may
be sunk with gold—as well as with dung.

The moral person, though he will not commit gross 
sins—yet he is not sensible of heart sins. He is not
troubled for unbelief, hardness of heart, vanity of
thoughts. He abhors gross-sins, not gospel-sins.

The snake has a fine appearance—but has a deadly
sting! Just so, the moral man is fair to look on—but
has a secret antipathy against the holy ways of God.

Morality is not to be rested in. The heart must be pure.
God would have Aaron wash the inner parts of the
sacrifice (Leviticus 9:14). Morality does but wash the
outside; the inside must be washed. "Blessed are the
pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

We are all going, going, going

(J.C. Ryle, "Eternity!" 1878)

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:18

"This world in its present form is passing away." 1 Corinthians 7:31

"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while — and then vanishes!" James 4:14

We live in a world where all things are temporary and passing away. Surely, a man must be blind, who cannot realize this. Everything around us is decaying, dying, and coming to an end.

We are all going, going, going — whether . . .
eminent or unimportant,
gentle or cruel,
rich or poor,
old or young.
We are all going — and will soon be gone!

The houses we live in,
the homes we love,
the riches we accumulate,
the professions we follow,
the plans we formulate,
the relations we enter into —
they are only for a short time!

Oh, you who love the world — awake to see things in their true light, before it is too late. The things you live for now, are all temporary and passing away! The pleasures, the amusements, the recreations, the profits, the earthly callings, which now absorb all your heart and drink up your entire mind — will soon be over! They are poor fleeting things, which cannot last.
Oh, do not love them too much;
do not hold on to them too tightly;
do not make them your idols!
You cannot keep them — and you must leave them!

This same thought ought to cheer and comfort every true Christian. Your trials, crosses, and conflicts — are all temporary! Your cross will soon be exchanged for a crown!

"What is unseen is eternal." The world which we are going to, is . . .
an endless eternity,
a sea without a bottom,
and an ocean without a shore!

"And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18

THE LORD, THE SAINTS' AVENGER

WORDS OF DIVINE COMFORT
by Octavius Winslow, 1872

"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the Lord. "I will protect them from those who malign them." Psalm 12:5 Never are the ungodly further from the mark--never committed to a mistake more suicidal and fatal than when they lay the hand of injustice and oppression upon the saints of the Most High! God is for them. He is the Avenger of all those who put their trust in Him--the widow and the fatherless--and those who touch them touch the apple of His eye. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" A simple missionary incident may illustrate this truth. A little band of missionaries in the Fiji Islands found their home, on one occasion, surrounded by a troop of armed savages, bent upon their destruction. Unable, as unwilling, to fight, they closed the door, and betook themselves to prayer. Presently, the war-whoop suddenly ceased. On opening the door they found only one savage there. "Where are your chiefs?" he was asked. "They are gone," was the reply; "they heard you praying to your God, and they knew that your God was a strong God, and they left." How true this testimony of the savages! The God of the Christians is a strong Lord. All that strength is on the side of His people. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself STRONG in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him."  Consider, O my soul, this truth, that the Lord is the strength of His people and the Avenger of all who are oppressed, and will set them in a safe place from those who malign them. The Lord's people are an OPPRESSED people. The ungodly oppress them--sins oppress them--afflictions oppress them--temptations oppress them--needs oppress them--infirmities oppress them--the body of sickness and suffering oppresses them--and, alas! that it should be said, even the saints often oppress them--for some of their keenest shafts have been forged and flung by a brother's hand. Oh, if there is a spectacle on earth which might well awaken tears in heaven, it is that of the brethren of one Father, the ransomed of one Savior, the travelers to one home, "falling out by the way," by reason of their varied shades of doctrine, or of worship, or of church relation and so, "biting and devouring one another." My soul, be a lover of good men; love them, not because they are of your creed, or of your church, but, because they belong to Christ--so shall all men know that you are also one of His disciples. But, the Lord stands up for His oppressed ones. He is the Avenger of all such. "It is God who avenges me," says David. Leave Him, O my soul, to vindicate your character, to redress your wrong, to rid you of your adversary, and He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon-day. "O Lord, You have pleaded the causes of my soul." The sighing of the needy." Jesus was a sighing Savior! He often "sighed deeply in His spirit." And still He is in sympathy with His members, who sigh by reason of sin and suffering and need. For these He will arise. Sigh on, O my soul! the sigh that breathes from a broken heart, or is wrung from an anguished spirit, or is awakened by the unkindness of the oppressor, or the wounding of a Christian brother, ascends to heaven as music in the ear of the Great High Priest within the veil, and awakens the echoes of His loving and compassionate heart. Weeping has a voice--sighs have a language--and Jesus hears the one and understands the other. To nothing belonging to a saint can the Lord be indifferent. "O Lord! I am oppressed--undertake for me." Thus, let the burden of oppression, and sigh of need, prompt you to prayer; then shall you thank and praise Him for both. "Give to the winds your fears; Hope, and be undismayed; God hears your sighs, and counts your tears, God shall lift up your head."

THE CLOSING BENEDICTION

THE WORDS OF JESUS

By John MacDuff, 1858

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said,"
— Acts 20:35

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said,"

"Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He comes — shall find watching!" — Luke 12:37

Child of God! is this your attitude, as the expectant of your Lord's appearing? Are your loins girded, and your lights burning? If the cry were to break upon your ears this day, "Behold the Bridegroom comes!" could you joyfully respond, "Yes, this is my God, I have waited for Him!"

WHEN He may come, we cannot tell — ages may elapse before then. It may be centuries before our graves are gilded with the beams of a Millennial sun; but while He may or may not come soon — He must come at some time — yes, and the day of our death — is virtually to all of us, the day of His coming.

Reader! do not put off the solemn preparation. Do not be deceived or deluded with the mocker's presumptuous challenge, "Where is the promise of His coming?" See to it that the enticements of an engrossing world, do not foster this procrastinating spirit. It may be now — or never with you. 

Do not put off your sowing time — until harvest time! Leave nothing for a dying hour — but to die,and calmly to resign your spirit into the hands of Jesus. Of all times, that is the least suitable: to attempt to get the vessel filled with oil; to attend to the great business of life — when life is ebbing; to trim the lamp — when the oil is finished, and it is flickering in its socket; to begin to watch — when the summons is heard to leave the watchtower to meet our God!

Were you ever struck how often, amid the many gentle words of Jesus, the summons "to watch" is over and over repeated — to rouse a sleeping Church and a slumbering world? 

Let this last "Word" of your Lord's send you to your knees with the question, "Am I indeed a servant of Christ?" Have I fled to Him, and am I reposing in Him, as my only Savior? Or am I still lingering like Lot — when I should be escaping? Am I only sleeping — when I should be waking? Am I only neglecting and trifling — when "a long eternity is lying at my door!" If I neglect Him who is my last and only refuge — then all is lost!

Believer! you who are standing on your watchtower — be more faithful than ever at your post. Remember what is implied in watching. It is no dreamy state of inactive torpor! It is a holy jealousy over the heart — wakeful vigilance regarding sin — every avenue and loophole of the soul carefully guarded! Holy living is the best, the only, preparative for holy dying! 

"Persuade yourself," says Rutherford, "that the King is coming. Read His letter sent before Him: Behold I come quickly!"

Let these "Words of Jesus" we have now been meditating upon in this little volume, be as the Golden Bells of old, hung on the vestments of the officiating High Priest, emitting sweet sounds to His spiritual Israel — telling that the true High Priest is still living and pleading in "the Holiest of all;" and that soon He will come forth to pour His blessing on His waiting Church.

We have been pleasingly employed in gathering up a few "crumbs" falling from "the Master's table." Soon we shall have, not the "Words" but the Presence of Jesus — not the crumbs falling from His table — but everlasting fellowship with the Master Himself! "Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

Do it

(J.R. Miller)

"Whatever He says to you--do it!" John 2:5

How can we know what Jesus says? We cannot hear His voice as the servants at the wedding heard it.

He speaks now to us in His Word, and the reverent heart may always hear what He says as the sacred pages are prayerfully pondered.

He speaks in the conscience that is kept tender by loyal obeying.

He speaks in the providence which brings the present duty to our hand.

There never is any real uncertainty as to what He says, if we are truly intent on knowing His will.

"Whatever He says to you--do it!!" It is the doing which is important. We should never ask questions nor make suggestions, when Jesus has spoken--the one thing for us is obedience. We should never ask what the consequences may be, or what it may cost us--we are simply to obey. Jesus knows why He wants us to do the thing--and that should be reason enough for us.

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." John 14:15

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We have published J.C. Ryle's choice article, "A Call to Prayer".

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The Sphere Of Exaltation

By Oswald Chambers

      'Jesus leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves.'
      Mark 9:2

We have all had times on the mount, when we have seen things from God's standpoint and have wanted to stay there; but God will never allow us to stay there. 

The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have power to rise only, something is wrong. It is a great thing to be on the mount with God, but a man only gets there in order that afterwards he may get down among the devil-possessed and lift them up. We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. 

We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle. Spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mount. We feel we could talk like angels and live like angels, if only we could stay on the mount. The times of exaltation are exceptional, they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware lest our spiritual selfishness wants to make them the only time.

      We are apt to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching, it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz., into character. The mount is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. 

There is a great snare in asking - What is the use of it? In spiritual matters we can never calculate on that line. The moments on the mountain tops are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God's purpose.

Jonathan's Arrow

By T. Austin-Sparks


An arrow has often been the symbol or instrument of a crisis in Bible times. In Elisha's time it symbolized deliverance from Syria (2 Kings 13). It symbolized God's judgment of Ahab in the days of Jehu (2 Kings 9). These were turning-points in history. So it was in the case of Jonathan's arrow.

The people had rejected God's best and refused every appeal and warning of Samuel as to what their decision and choice would eventually result in. But their hearts were hardened and they chose Saul. It was man's choice, not God's. It was like everything else, the common and popular thing: "Like unto the nations". The seeds of disruption were in the way of their own choosing. God had long patience and did what He could to win them back to His way. They took His goodness and patience, and the blessings that He gave as arguing for His agreement. But deep down and like a haunting shadow there was a doubt and a growing discontent. At a given point the real nature of that mistake sprang up and showed itself for what it really was.

 Secretly God moved with His reaction in the choice of David. But for a long time this reaction of God was not recognized and David was not in God's place for him. 

It is a strange and complicated situation and is difficult to piece together in a straightforward sequence. Saul was evidently so confused by his pride and self-interest, and so dominated by an evil spirit, that his course was full of contradictions. He seems to have had a split personality and was like two contrary persons. But the initial mistake was becoming more and more manifest and Saul was losing balance. The issue was becoming increasingly emphatic; God's choice or man's choice. A crisis was reached on the day of the arrow of Jonathan, Saul's son. Poor Jonathan; the tragic victim of divided loyalty!

The arrow was the sign and symbol. "Is not the arrow beyond you?" 

That fateful word "beyond". It marked a crisis. It signified the near end of one regime. It pointed to beyond Saul and his kingdom. It introduced the fierce and malignant phase which, while so painful for the instrument of God's full purpose, would be the travail which makes the true Kingdom come. 

What a lot of prophecy, dispensation-truth, and ultimate issue in the battle of the ages this story holds! This arrow of Jonathan was an arrow of Divine Sovereignty, which works so strangely and inscrutably in the history of the elect. 

For David it was indeed an arrow, for an arrow is a piercing, wounding and painful thing. But its piercing was a "dividing asunder". David had become involved in a relationship with Saul which would demand an utter emancipation and absolute separation. His spirit and behaviour were magnificent, but with all his loyalty there was no hope for that union. 

So the arrow marked the point of a complete break. God had finished with one order. There could be no patching up or compromise. The ways of men and the ways of God must part for ever in the pain of the Cross.

This, then, in what seemed to be a simple incident in the boy and the arrows, contains, firstly, the story and history of man's mistake, fatal mistake. It dates back to the beginning of the Bible. A choice was offered between two ways - God's and man's. Warning and shown consequences were given. But man made his choice against the known will of God. The seeds of disruption and death were in that choice, and the tragedy of Saul's death on the battleground was foreshadowed. But God had already His Man, after His own heart, and after a long history, in which the sin of man's disobedience was brought home to him, God's greater David came to His place as "A Prince and A Saviour".

The same drama and tragedy were enacted by Israel's rejection of God's Best when they said: "WE WILL NOT have this man to reign over us." As God said to Samuel about Saul, "I have rejected him", so two thousand years have seen the terrible rejection by Israel of "the Son of David".

The story does not end there. It goes on wherever and whenever God's offer is rejected and man puts his own choice before God's. It works out in a lesser degree, but still with tragedy, where a choice for the lesser rather than for the fuller purpose of God is made by His people.

      First published in "A Witness and A Testimony" magazine, Nov-Dec 1965, Vol 43-6

In keeping with T. Austin-Sparks' wishes that what was freely received should be freely given, his writings are not copyrighted. Therefore, we ask if you choose to share them with others, please respect his wishes and offer them freely - free of changes, free of charge and free of copyright

Courageous Prayer

By A.W. Tozer

In a world like ours, courage is an indispensable virtue. The coward may snivel in his corner, but the brave man takes the prize. And in the kingdom of God, courage is as necessary as it is in the world. The timid soul is as pitiable on his knees as he is in society.

When entering the prayer chamber, we must come filled with faith and armed with courage. Nowhere else in the whole field of religious thought and activity is courage so necessary as in prayer. 

The successful prayer must be one without condition. We must believe that God is love and that, being love, He cannot harm us but must ever do us good. Then we must throw ourselves before Him and pray with boldness for whatever we know our good and His glory require, and the cost is no object! 

Whatever He in His love and wisdom would assess against us, we will accept with delight because it pleased Him. Prayers like that cannot go unanswered. The character and reputation of God guarantee their fulfillment.

We should always keep in mind the infinite lovingkindness of God. No one need fear to put his life in His hands. His yoke is easy; His burden is light.

Pride and Shame or Humility and Wisdom

By Bob Hoekstra

When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom . . . The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools. (Proverbs 11:2 and 3:35)

In order to live by the grace of God, we must be willing to walk in humility, instead of in pride. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5). We must be willing to acknowledge our daily, desperate need for God. Any other approach to life is based upon pride (which is a foolish, inaccurate assumption that we are adequate to produce a life on our own). Those who walk in pride end up with shame. Those who walk in humility end up with wisdom.

The scriptures describe those who foolishly walk in pride, as well as declaring the shame that they experience. "When pride comes, then comes shame . . . shame shall be the legacy of fools." One example would be the wicked way that many privileged and powerful persecute the downtrodden and the vulnerable. They are demonstrating their pride. "The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised" (Psalm 10:2). 

Their shame is that they can become entangled in the very schemes that they have contrived. Another example is those who arrogantly oppose the people of God. "This they shall have for their pride, because they have reproached and made arrogant threats against the people of the LORD of hosts" (Zephaniah 2:10). Their shame was announced as a barrenness so severe as to be likened unto the end of Sodom and Gomorrah.

" 'Therefore, as I live,' says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Surely Moab shall be like Sodom, and the people of Ammon like Gomorrah - overrun with weeds and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation' " (Zephaniah 2:9).

In contrast to the shame that comes to the prideful, is the wisdom (and resulting glory, or honor) that comes to the humble. "With the humble is wisdom . . . The wise shall inherit glory." Those who walk humbly before the Lord find the godly wisdom that is available in the Lord's infallible word. "The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7). 

This wisdom from God brings honor to the humble ones who live by it. "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor" (Proverbs 29:23). Again, this honor for the humble is in striking contrast to the wretched and ignoble ends that pride engenders.

Dear Lord of glory, how fitting that those who pridefully oppose You will be brought low and will end up in shame. I do not want to be numbered among them. I want to walk in humility. I want to eagerly acknowledge my desperate need for You every day in every way. I want to be compassionate toward the needy. I want to bless Your people. I want to humbly seek the wisdom of Your word. I want to be a vessel of honor unto You, through Christ Jesus, my Lord, Amen

Luke 15: 11-32

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The Wagons are Coming

By  Jon Courson

‘Smile first thing in the morning,’ joked W.C. Fields, ‘and get it over with.’ ‘If you find anything to laugh about,’ echoed Groucho Marx, ‘it’s only because you’re not paying attention.’

People often have reasons why they’re so cynical . . . In the midst of their phone conversation, a lady said to her friend, ‘Did you wake up grouchy?’ ‘No,’ said the friend, ‘I let him sleep.’

Indeed, there can be reasons why people are grouchy, or even why they sting people with cynicism . . . Bees fly 100,000 miles from flower to flower in order to gather enough nectar for just one pound of honey — only to have someone steal it from them. No wonder they sting us!

So too, perhaps, humanly speaking, Jacob had reason to be pessimistic. When his sons came to him, saying, ‘Dad, Joseph has been killed,’ he believed their untrue report. But when the same sons came to him, saying, ‘Dad, Joseph is alive, and he’s governor of Egypt,’ he couldn’t believe their true report. He believed what wasn’t true because it was bad; and he didn’t believe what was true because it seemed too good.

That’s pessimism — the tendency to dismiss the light and embrace the dark.

‘I would have fainted had I not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living,’ declared the Psalmist (Psalm 27:1). Jacob is indeed fainting because of his failure to believe God’s goodness. Yet even though he didn’t believe his son’s words, he couldn’t deny the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him and his possessions to the land of Goshen — the best part of Egypt. And Scripture says, when he saw the wagons his soul revived. Notice it was the heart of Jacob which fainted (verse 26), but it was the mouth of Israel — the one ‘Governed by God’, which said, ‘Joseph is alive,’ (verse 28).

This passage hit me in a way that delighted my heart, for, you see, even though pessimistic Jacob was ready to believe the bad lie, and unwilling to believe the good truth — he was convinced when he saw the wagons.

This reminds me of Thomas . . . ‘I won’t believe the report you guys are sharing about Jesus being risen from the dead,’ he said to the other disciples, ‘unless I can touch the holes in His hands and put my finger in His side.’ But when Thomas came to a face to face encounter with Jesus, he became a believer (John 20:28). So too, Jacob said, ‘I’m not going to believe the word’ — but when he saw the wagons outside, his spirit revived.

Like Jacob, many times we don’t believe the Word we heard. But the good news is that Jacob’s disbelief did not derail the wagon train Joseph had sent his way to pick him up and bring him to Goshen. So too, you might be going through dry times right now in which you’re famished spiritually. But I have good news for you: The wagon has been sent your way. What wagon?

The Lunch Wagon

'Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.' Isaiah 55:1-2

You might feel like things aren’t going your way today, but that doesn’t derail the lunch wagon God has sent in your direction. Society says, ‘There’s no free lunch.’ Scripture says, ‘Yes there is.’ You can come and buy and eat even if you don’t have any money. The invitation is given you to freely delight your soul in fatness.

The lunch wagon is headed in our direction, gang. And the Marriage Feast of the Lamb is right around the bend!

The Station Wagon

'Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.' Proverbs 22:6

Not only is the lunch wagon coming — but the station wagon is headed your way as well. Your kids might have wandered away, but even if you’re pessimistic or full of doubt about them God promised that He will keep that which is committed to Him (II Timothy 1:12), and will finish the work He began (Philippians 1:6). ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and not only you, but your family will eventually be saved as well,’ declared Paul (Acts 11:14).

The promises of God are intact, gang. And even if you don’t believe it, the station wagon is headed in your direction to scoop up you and your family.

The Welcome Wagon
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. I Corinthians 2:9

Even if you doubt it, the fact is, if you’re a believer, you’re on board and you’re going to heaven. And when you get there, you’re going to see the ultimate Welcome Wagon as you take in all that Jesus has prepared for you during the past 2000 years. ‘I go to prepare a place for you,’ He said. And I’m going to say, ‘Perfect, Lord! This is amazing! It’s beyond anything I ever imagined. How did you know this is exactly what would make me happy?’ Into my new home, He will welcome me. And He will do the same for you.

The Bandwagon

Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Psalm 149:1

‘Can I be in the band? Please let me be in the band. C’mon guys, I wanna be in the band.’ It’s going to happen! The Band Wagon is coming — and I’m going to be there — singing in heavenly harmony right along with the best of ‘em!’

The Covered Wagon

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14

The wagon coming our way is a covered wagon. Our inadequacy, stupidity, and sin are all covered by the blood of the Lamb. And even if you don’t believe the word you’ve heard, the fact remains that God has everything

Barabbas or Jesus?

By Mary Wilder Tileston      Choose you this day whom ye will serve. JOSHUA 24:15 BARABBAS and Jesus cannot both live within us. One must die. Yes, every emotion of selfishness or worldliness in every soul plays the part of Barabbas. Good influences may have prevailed for a time, and they, or perhaps motives of worldly regard, may have put Barabbas in prison, and under some restraint; but the decisive, the fatal question, remains, Shall he die? Yes, he or Jesus. Nor is it only on great occasions and in fearful crises that this question comes to us. Every hour, every moment, when we resist what we must know to be the influence of our Lord, and, casting that aside, give the victory, under whatever pretence or name, to that which is indeed our own Barabbas, we then do all that we are able to do to crucify our Lord afresh. Every emotion which tempts us to refuse obedience to Him, "to make insurrection," to suppress and overcome whatever sense of right conscience gives-is not that the robber, rebel, murderer, Barabbas? We may have, indeed, imprisoned him, we may have resolved that he should die--shall we now release him from restraint, and let him go free? If we do, we know now what must happen--we know between what alternatives we choose. THEOPHILUS PARSONS

Isaiah Encouraging All to Wait on the Lord

By Bob Hoekstra

Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength . . . And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him . . . And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." (Isaiah 40:31; 8:17; and 25:9)

Isaiah's desire to live by grace was evident in his proclaiming that God's power was available for those who would admit their own weakness. Now, we see Isaiah's heart for God's grace in his encouraging all to wait on the Lord.

One of Isaiah's encouragements to wait on the Lord came in conjunction with God's promises to give power to the weak. 

"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength . . . They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:29, 31). 

This gracious work of God in people's lives hinged upon their waiting on the Lord. "Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength."

Another of Isaiah's encouragements to wait on the Lord occurred in a time when Israel was rebelling against God. "For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people" (Isaiah 8:11). 

The Lord strongly urged Isaiah to stand against Israel's rebellion, even though they were threatening the prophet.

 "Do not . . . be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear" (Isaiah 8:12-13). 

Isaiah's encouraging testimony revealed that his heart was fully set on the Lord. "And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; and I will hope in Him." God was not revealing Himself to rebellious Israel. On the other, Isaiah would "wait on the LORD" (that is, he would "hope in Him").

Isaiah's ultimate encouragement to wait on the Lord is related to God's establishing of His everlasting kingdom.

 "And it will be said in that day: 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation'." 

Those who place their hope in the Lord during their pilgrimage on earth will eventually rejoice forever when the Lord eternally implements the fullness of his salvation for His people!

Dear Lord, I am aware of my utter weakness, so I wait on You for Your strength and stamina. At times, I am intimidated by rebellious people, so I wait on You for protection and vindication. I have experienced so many earthly heartbreaks, so I wait on You for the joy and gladness of Your everlasting kingdom.

Love One Another

By Mary Wilder Tileston

Be kindly affectioned one to another with broth-erly love.
ROMANS 12:10

Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.
I PETER 3:8

LET your religion make you more considerate, more loving and attractive, more able to think of and enter into the pleasure and interests of others.
ARTHUR C. A. HALL

LOVE one another in spite of your differences, in spite of your faults. Love one another, and make the best of one another, as He loved us, who, for the sake of saving what was good in the human soul, for-got, forgave, put out of sight what was bad--who saw and loved what was good even in the publican Zac-cheus, even in the penitent Magdalen, even in the expiring malefactor, even in the heretical Samaritan, even in the Pharisee Nicodemus, even in the heathen soldier, even in the outcast Canaanite. It is very easy to fix our attention only on the weak points of those around us, to magnify them, to irritate them, to ag-gravate them; and, by so doing, we can make the burden of life unendurable, and can destroy our own and others' happiness and usefulness wherever we go. But this was not the love wherewith Christ loved us; this is not the new love wherewith we are to love one another. 

ARTHUR P. STANLEY

Persistence in Going On

By A.W. Tozer

      
Israel allowed themselves to settle down and became contented with circumstances that were all right, but which could and did break their spirit of adventure and cause them to accept the status quo as being final for them. Every once in a while through prophet, apostle or psalmist, God stretches out His hand and tries to arouse His people from their sleep.

Somebody once said that man is made of dust and dust tends to settle. People tend to settle down and do the same things year in and year out, slowly going around in a circle. When this gets into religion, it is deadly and evil.

 The majority of Christians are asleep and in a spiritual rut. Sometimes Christians who realize they are in a rut put pressure on others to adopt their viewpoint. But even if truth does not convince and persuade a man or woman, nobody has the right to set up a pyschological squeeze on someone else. 

If people yield under pressure, it shows that they are too weak to resist. If they are too weak to resist, and if they take a religious position because they are too weak to resist, they will also be too weak to persist. When we follow Christ there must be persistence. We must go on.

The Great Life

By Oswald Chambers

    
 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: . . Let not your heart be troubled.'
John 14:27

Whenever a thing becomes difficult in personal experience, we are in danger of blaming God, but it is we who are in the wrong, not God, there is some perversity somewhere that we will not let go. Immediately we do, everything becomes as clear as daylight. 

As long as we try to serve two ends, ourselves and God, there is perplexity. The attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. When once we get there, there is nothing easier than living the saintly life; difficulty comes in when we want to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own ends.

Whenever you obey God, His seal is always that of peace, the witness of an unfathomable peace, which is not natural, but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, tarry till it does or find out the reason why it does not. If you are acting on an impulse, or from a sense of the heroic, the peace of Jesus will not witness; there is no simplicity or confidence in God, because the spirit of simplicity is born of the Holy Ghost, not of your decisions. Every decision brings a reaction of simplicity.

My questions come whenever I cease to obey. When I have obeyed God, the problems never come between me and God, they come as probes to keep the mind going on with amazement at the revelation of God. 

Any problem that comes between God and myself springs out of disobedience; any problem, and there are many, that is alongside me while I obey God, increases my ecstatic delight, because I know that my Father knows, and I am going to watch and see how He unravels this thing.

The Moral State of God's People Exposed

By C.A. Coates

    
Judges 19, 20, and 21.

From the beginning of chapter 17 to the end of the book there are incidents which expose the moral state of the people of God in a very sad way. Perhaps the greater evil comes first, that is, the connecting of idolatry with the Name of Jehovah; that is the greatest evil possible, but it did not awaken anything like the indignation that was aroused in Israel by the moral corruption that came to light in Gibeah. There are things against which the natural conscience revolts, and everybody would rise up against them, but those are not the worst things. An offence directly against God in holy things is the worst possible evil. There was no gathering of all Israel from Dan to Beersheba in connection with idolatry in the house of Micah, furthered by a grandson of Moses. It might have been expected that such a thing would rouse all Israel as one man, but it did not.

This history shows that we are more likely to be roused by something that offends moral propriety than by something that touches directly the service and the glory of the Lord. The natural conscience can take account of the former, but it needs real love for God to feel deeply what sets God aside, and what is due to Himself among the people. What was done was very dreadful; it was the result, no doubt, of the association of the people with the Canaanites, and they had learned their abominable ways. It was, as Scripture says, "lewdness and villainy in Israel"; all that the people said about it was true. So they all assembled unto Jehovah in Mizpah and the gathering was spoken of as the congregation of the people of God.

Dreadful as their state was, there was enough conscience left in them to be shocked at this gross wickedness. They used right terms about it. The Levite said, "They have committed lewdness and villainy in Israel", verse 6; and in the end of verse 10 the people said, "according to all the villainy that they have wrought in Israel", and in verse 13 they spoke of putting away evil "from Israel". But we often say right things without feeling them at all. They did not feel it as the sin of Israel, but as the sin of Gibeah. If they had felt it as the sin of Israel, they would all have been on their faces before God, confessing it as their own sin. They took it up in a way God could not support; they did not feel it, though they said what was right. There was a natural indignation about what was manifestly wicked, which was not the fruit of communion with God at all. 

There was no sign of their being humbled before God. They did not seek direction; they decided what they would do; they say, It cannot be tolerated; we must go and execute judgment on them at once. It was right, but they were not moving with God in it. So, while this evil was dealt with in faithfulness, yet it was only through much chastisement that the people were brought into such a state that God could be with them in what they were doing. Even then they had to go through the deepest sorrow about it, and realise that the thing had been handled in such a way that they nearly lost a tribe out of Israel. They did not take it up as the sin of Israel; they might have learned from the case of Achan when Jehovah said, "Israel hath sinned", and He held all Israel responsible. It should have been taken up as an assembly exercise.

If anything happens among the people of God that is unbecoming and offensive (there are some things offensive to the natural conscience), the first exercise should be that such a thing has transpired in Israel, so that it is for Israel to be humbled about it, to take up its shame and sorrow in deep humiliation with God. One can quite concieve that, if they had done so, it might have had a great effect on Benjamin; they would have said, 'Why, they are all breaking their hearts in sorrow about what we have done, and confessing our sin as if it had been their own'! I think it would have touched them.

This is a very important consideration for us about all disciplinary action, that is, as to our condition of soul in dealing with it, whether we are really with God in dealing with it. When there is anything glaringly wrong it is easy to say it is wrong and must be judged, but am I really with God in doing it? This is a searching exercise for us, because it is easy to see ten thousand things that are wrong, and many that are grossly offensive, but how do we feel them? Paul says to the Corinthians, "Ye have not rather mourned", 1 Corinthians 5:2. 

Even though they did not know how to deal with the wicked person, if they had mourned, the Lord would have dealt with him. Israel had to go through sorrow and very much exercise; they had to weep and fast, and bring burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and to recognise that after all Benjamin was their brother. Then they had to be severely chastened; 22,000 of them were killed in one day, and 18,000 on the next day. They were doing what was right, but God did not support their action. They were so indignant that they put themselves under a solemn oath to deal with it in the most drastic fashion, but they were not with God.

Then we see a very much worse condition in Benjamin. It was not the whole tribe that was guilty, but certain sons of Belial in a certain city; yet the whole tribe of Benjamin refused to judge the matter, and that was worse than the sin; to refuse to judge the evil is worse than the sin itself. Someone asked Mr. Darby how much evil would justify one in leaving a company of Christians, and he answered, No amount of evil would justify anyone in separating from any company of Christians, but the refusal to judge the least bit of evil would justify separation. 

It is important to understand that. Evil may come in anywhere, but, if it comes in, it must be judged. The holiness of God and the righteousness of His throne demand judgment, and, if we refuse to judge, everything is forfeited. Benjamin refused to judge the evil; they would not deliver up these sons of Belial, so Benjamin came under the avenging stroke that was really divine justice.

There is twice an appeal to the whole company to deliberate and give counsel. It is sometimes easier to do that than to ask counsel of God. We do not find that they enquired before they decided their course. This represents a state of things, no doubt, very likely to be found in the last days of the church. There may be a certain indignation about that which is wrong, and faithful dealing with it, and yet it may not be handled in a spiritual way, and the result may be very solemn. ...

There is often a refusal to judge things on the part of even chosen men. They are very accurate men too; they could sling stones at a hair and not miss. How sad that men like that should refuse to judge what is evil! It is sad to see better men than ourselves who are not prepared to judge what is manifestly evil. We ought to feel it. I have seen it - able men, accurate men, chosen men - the more excellent they are, the more we should feel it if they are not prepared to judge evil. We see earnest, devoted and godly men, not prepared to judge what is evil, and we ought to feel it much. ...

Self-righteousness can come in in a very subtle way, even in connection with the judgment of evil. If I am on the line of 'You are wrong, and I am right', that is pure self-righteousness, and that is just the point God had to bring the people to. They had to be brought to the house of God, to Bethel, to weep and fast, and offer burnt-offerings and peace offerings. They had to come to the foundation on which they stood with God, and the foundation on which they could go on with one another, and that is the death of Christ. It is not that Benjamin is wrong and I am right; that is not the point.

When they went to Phinehas they brought the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. A remarkable cluster of ideas is brought forward; the ark of the covenant and Phinehas are there. Now Phinehas was a man who in his day executed summary judgment on what was evil. No man in Scripture was more noted than Phinehas for judgment of evil; he judged it unsparingly, but God says of him, "He was jealous with my jealousy", Numbers 22:11. We have to be brought to this, that we are not jealous with natural indignation, but with God's jealousy. 

We have to ask when we judge any kind of evil, Is this my jealousy or God's? If we have God's jealousy we shall have a blessed sense of the burnt-offerings, the peace-offerings, and the ark of the covenant. These are fine things to take account of when discipline is on hand. Phinehas had the covenant of the everlasting priesthood; he was entirely apart from any human motives; he took the javelin in his hand in jealousy for God; there was no natural indignation with him at all, but holy, priestly, and spiritual indignation. We have to come to that. 

A man of the world can judge what is wrong, for men have their code of good and evil, but God says to His people, I want you to judge it with Me - I want you to be in communion with Me about it, and judge it far more deeply than you would judge it with your natural conscience. Paul was the Phinehas of the New Testament.

On what ground are we? If we are going on with God it is on the ground of the value of the burnt-offering; we are with God entirely on the ground of the death of Christ. We are with the brethren on the ground of the peace-offering; that is the death of Christ in another aspect. That preserves us from any feelings of self-righteousness when judging evil. If not, we shall have the spirit of self-righteousness; I should say, That brother is wrong, and I am right. God will not have that spirit. ...

These closing chapters give us the moral state of Israel generally. It is not like a political history, under judges, but they are incidents brought in to show us the actual moral state of the people, how far they were from God, even in judging evil; they were doing what was right in their own eyes. All this is very exercising for us. This would not be put in God's word if we did not need it.

From An Outline of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, by C. A. Coates. Pages 184-191.

"Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own. For I know this, that there will come in amongst you after my departure grievous wolves, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall rise up men speaking perverted things to draw away the disciples after them. Wherefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I ceased not admonishing each one of you with tears. And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give to you an inheritance among all the sanctified. I have coveted the silver or gold or clothing of no one. Yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my wants, and to those who were with me. I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring we ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:28-35.