Reality

In living a life of sight, it is amazing how little is seen of reality. I have been often struck in reading the histories of the gospels with facts apparently underneath, "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed" or enrolled. It was the first census ever made, a most important thing, for it was the empire bringing men under a power never known before; through it, the whole political world was set in commotion, and all was overruled to bring Christ to Bethlehem. Again, when the thief had his legs broken, that Sabbath day was a high day, and they broke his legs so as not to have a dead person on the cross that day.
Little did they think they were sending him off to heaven! But they wanted simply to get rid of anything that might interfere with their ceremonial.
What is most important is that which lies behind and is unseen. The Lord "withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous." We see this again in Job. The Chaldeans were going out on a laid but it was all taking place under God, through the devil's hands, and it has served for instruction to the saints ever since.
When we come to details, there is, I think, a double judgment of God indicated. We find, first, the judgment of God as to responsibility where we are, and then, the judgment of God as to what can approach Him where He is, and as He is. Both are His judgments, but it is just the difference between the brass and the gold. The brazen altar was judgment as regards the responsibility of man where he was; he had to bring a sin-offering, and meet God according to his responsibility and failure in it. But the cherubim on the mercy-seat were all of gold, and that was approaching God according to what He was in Himself, "His feet like unto fine brass," that is the firmness of His judgment as regards human responsibility. The sinner comes to the brazen altar where the question of his previous responsibility is met, but he is not really clear and settled in his soul until he has passed right within the veil. We cannot have the full value of righteousness unless we have to do with the gold, that is to say, unless we can walk in the light as God is in the light. I cannot now have merely my responsibility as a man met, I must go further than this.
Editorial
July and January bring the extremes of summer and winter. and they never fail. It is interesting to consider that these seasons are reversed when changing from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere. Still God's Word is accurate and His promise given in Gen. 8:22 abides. "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
It is the faithful Creator who has established and kept these seasons and times for man. Seedtime and harvest are absolutely necessary for food production for life, and the cold and heat serve their proper purpose too. The length of the summer and also of the winter at different latitudes of the earth are just right for the kind of life found in each region. What would we do without day and night? Each is necessary for mankind. Sleep is essential so we have night, but work must be done so we have day.
Of this same faithful Creator, Peter wrote these words for us, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if' the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." 1 Peter 4:17-19.
We can then, trust the keeping of our souls unto this faithful Creator. He has sustained this creation for thousands of years and He will keep our souls. We may say that we cause God some difficulty (if the righteous scarcely be saved), but He faithfully trains and keeps His children. We have already received the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. (1 Peter 1:9.) Now we are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." chap. 1:5. For us who trust the gospel, this salvation will be the receiving of our new bodies and will take place at the rapture.
In that millennial time that we read of in Rev. 22:5 it says, "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light.”
Then in that day of eternity we read this in Rev. 21:4, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed may." Meanwhile, may we hearken to Peter's last words, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen." 2 Peter 3:18. Ed.
Like Christ
I am going to be like Christ in glory. This wonderful truth should produce in me the desire that I must be as much like Him now as. I can be.
The position that each Christian holds before man is that of an epistle of Christ. We are set for this, that the life of Christ should be manifested in us. Christ has settled the question with God. He appears in the presence of God for us, and we are in the presence of the world for Him. "At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you." If I know He is in me, I am to manifest the life of Christ in everything. If He has loved me with unutterable love which passes knowledge, I feel hound in heart to Him. My business is to glorify Hint in everything I do. "Bought with a price" that is settled; if bought, I am His. But I press upon you that earnestness of heart which cleaves to Him, especially in these last and evil days, when we wait for the Son from heaven. Oh! if Christians were more thoroughly Christians, the world would understand what it was all about. There is a great deal of profession and talk, but do you think if a heathen came here to learn what Christianity meant he would find it out?
The Lord give you to have such a sense of the love of Christ that, as bought with a price, the only object of your souls may be to live by Christ and to live for Christ. The more of Christ you manifest down here, as an epistle "known and read of all men," the more you will draw other sin-weary souls to Him.
Bible Treasury