The Great Invitation

The Great Invitation THE GREAT INVITATION
By A. E. WALKER The descendants of Jacob moved into Egypt during a great famine to be nourished by Joseph, who was gov­ernor over all Egypt. After Joseph died, another king who knew not Joseph arose and brought the Israelites under cruel bondage. Many years later Moses was an exile in the land of Midian. The Lord appeared to him in the burning bush and told him to return to Egypt and lead the posterity of Jacob out of their bondage and to conduct them into the land of promise. Moses, follow­ing the instructions of Jehovah, finally brought them to the Red Sea where they were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. A few weeks later God called Moses unto himself on Mt. Sinai and gave him the law to govern and control these people. He also gave him full instructions concerning the making of that magnificent tabernacle, the like of which the world has never seen. God said to Moses: "See that thou make everything according to the pattern shown thee in the mount." In due time the tabernacle was erected. The glory of God rested upon it and his presence filled it. A cloud by day, which became a pillar of fire by night, abode upon it. When this cloud lifted and moved the standard of Judah, encamped on the East of the tabernacle, folded their tents and moved. The standard of Reuben, to the South,, did the same. The Levites unpinned the tabernacle and moved it with all its furnishings. The standard of Eph­raim, on the West, folded ther tents and fell into line. Lyng to the North was the standard of Dan which was the last to move. The world has never known a better way to handle three million people than the moves used in the wilderness. Even their sanitary laws were perfect for their time. God’s way is always best, and best al­ways. Who were these people? The Holy Spirit has answered saying: “Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a spe­cial people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest of all people.”

“If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my cove­nant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation.”

These chosen people of God were surrounded in that land by other nations which were greater in number than were these special people. They were not so rich as others, for they had been slaves for many generations past. Neither were they worldly wise nor educated, yet they were God’s chosen people. I had rather to have been one of them abiding in a tent, in that moving tented city, than to have lived in the most magnificent palace of the richest king on earth. The immortal Ruth very beautifully expressed a cor­rect estimate of this great people when she said to one of them:

“Entreat me not to leave thee nor to return from fol­lowing after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shallbe my people and thy God, my God: where thou diest, I will die and there be buried.”

Moses loved Hobab, the Midianite, and said unto him: “We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you. Come thou with us and we will do thee good: for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. This was a great invitation, coming from a great man. “Moses truly said unto the fathers: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me: him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be de­stroyed from among the people."

“When the fullness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to re­deem them that were under the law. God loved Israel and sent Moses from the land of Midian to Egypt to deliver them. God so loved the world that he sent his Son from heaven to earth that he might redeem a race of lost men. He came unto his own and they received him not. He was despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He died on a Roman cross and slept in a rich man’s tomb. On the third day of his prison confinement, he burst asunder the bars of death and arose from the dead, bringing life and immortality to light through the gospel. Just be­fore he took his departure to the land of glory, he com­missioned his apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and promised deliverance from the power of darkness to all who believe the gos­pel (which is God’s power to save-See Romans 1:16), and repent of their sins and are baptized for the remission of their sins. Wherever on earth the gospel of Christ is heard and obeyed by man, a new creature is made, a child is born from above into God’s family on earth and gladly wears and bears the holy name of Christ, after whom the whole family of God in heaven and on earth is named. But who are these people? The Holy Spirit said: “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a pe­culiar people, a holy nation; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; which in time past was not a people but now are the people of God.”

There are many religious families in the world that do not wear the name of Christ. Many of these fami­lies are great in number, wealth and achievements. They have spent many millions of dollars in building orphans’ homes, hospitals and 'higher institutions of learning. Their great missionary organizations cover the earth. Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many won­derful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you.” But I had rather be a follower of the Man of Galilee, though we be poor in this world’s goods, weak in num­ber, unlearned in the wisdom of the world and persecuted for his name, than to hold the highest position within the gift of the strongest church in the land today.

Moses said, “Come thou and we will do thee good.” Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in lieart and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’’ God’s people have it within their power to bless and help all who will journey with them. There is a dis­tinct honor conferred upon each person who becomes a Christian. The man may reflect no honor upon the church, but the church becomes to him a city of refuge in which he finds peace to his heart and rest to his soul. The old Roman patriot and statesman was elected by his enemies to the office of scavenger. He said if the office reflected no honor on him, lie would reflect honor on the office. So Christ graciously gives his blessings to all within his church. Christianity does not give intellectual power to man but it does sanctify and direct these powers in the right way.

We prefer the laivyer who is a Christian to draw up our legal papers. We call the Christian physician to prescribe for the loved one who seems near the gates of death. And when we go under the anesthetic we are glad to know that the surgeon who holds our life in his hands has just come from his knees in humble prayer to Almighty God.

It means much here and now to belong to God’s royal family.

“God hath spoken good concerning Israel.” He hath also spoken good things concerning Christians. “He will withhold no good thing from them that love him.” He has made to them some “exceeding great and precious promises.” These promises are not only exceedingly great, but are precious. An honest young man who made his living by the sweat of his brow, held in his strong arms a beautiful child—his only son. A good man with much wealth offered the young father a fortune for his son. “No,” was the answer given, “He is precious to me.” God’s promises are precious to his faithful children. His eyes are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers. “All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord; who are the called according to his purpose.”'

John says, “These things I write unto you that ye sin not; but if any man sin he hath an advocate with the Father through Jesus Christ, the righteous.” Yes, he has promised salvation from sin, salvation from the grave and eternal salvation just over there.

Moses said, “We are journeying unto the place which the Lord said, I will give it you.” The land of Canaan—the land of promise—was to them the most wonderful land in all the world. We are told something of that land in a few choice words by Moses, that matchless leader of men: “The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of the valleys and hills: a land of wheat and barley and vines, and fig trees and pomegranites: a land of oil, olive and honey, a land wherein thou slialt eat bread without scarcement.”

We are journeying toward that better land, the heav­enly country, of which the land of Canaan was only typical. In that sinless, glorious land there is a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. God has his throne in that city and the river of life flows out from it; on either side of the river is the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. The streets of the city are paved with pure gold. Its walls are jasper. Its gates are made of pearls. I think not so much of the streets of gold; the walls of jasper; or the gates of pearl, but more of those gen­tle spirits which dwell contentedly in His holy presence. A sweet little girl lived in a mansion. Her mother became sick and the child was carried to the home of a friend. The mother died. It was thought best not to let the child see its mother in the embrace of death. After the funeral the child was carried back home. When she passed from one room to another calling her mother, and no mother was found, she cried to be car­ried back to the home of the friend. The mansion meant nothing to her without the presence of her mother in it.

Heaven will be the home of every child who has lived and died, whose heart was never stained with sin. Men who ought to know, tell us that fully one-third of the human family die in that innocent state of purity; hence are safe forever. This fact alone, when rightly consid­ered, is sufficient to lead men who love children to God. People who do not love children are going to that place where children are unknown except as a sad memory. The hardy pioneer who has been a long time with men only, on the outpost of civilization, weeps when he hears the voice of a child.

What would an eternity be where its presence is never felt nor its voice heard? The good and the pure of all ages will be in that city of God. Those who lived from the days of righteous Abel to the days of faithful Abraham; and from Abra­ham to the time of Christ and his apostles and from that glad day till time shall be no more. Then shall Jesus return to earth to gather up his chosen and take them all to his eternal home. Yes, good old Brother Faithful, whom I have known so long and loved so well, will be there. John and Mary, friends of my youth and com­panions in labor of my riper years, will be there. I shall see Him who gave himself for me and won my heart and life to his delightful service, and I shall be like him, for I shall see him as he is.' He redeemed me with his blood and helped me in every time of need. He has been my advocate with the Father; he is my elder brother, my high priest; my king. Blessed thought, that if faithful to him here, he will be able to present me faultless before the throne of his Father.