34. Divine Patterns and Encomiums
Divine Patterns and Encomiums
Chapter 33 The precepts of God are, in all important departments, both exhibited and illustrated in practice in scripture. To help human infirmity, a visible actual model, example or pattern is furnished which gives divine teaching a practical form, by embodying the principles of the Word. Such pattern, whenever provided, should always be kept in view and all departures from it sedulously avoided. It will be found that every great abstract truth or doctrine is thus somewhere exhibited in a concrete form both for apprehension and illustration. So comprehensive and complete is this practical exhibit of doctrine and duty that probably there is no important precept or idea presented in Scripture without its corresponding pattern or ideal. This accomplishes two main results; first, it illustrates and incarnates truth in example; and, second, it brings what might be vague or obscure within the apprehension and comprehension of the simplest and humblest.
Already, in another connection, we have glanced at the Tent of meeting, and its counterpart, the Temple, as a pattern of a building for worship; but many other equally instructive models are supplied, of which the following may be cited as a few examples of divine patterns for human guidance:
1. First, we instance the pattern of Liberal giving, on the part of His people, toward the making and furnishing of His sanctuary; an example without a parallel for universal participation, variety of offering, and liberal spirit (Exodus 35:5 to Exodus 36:8).
One New Testament example of liberal giving to the necessities of saints is its counterpart (2 Corinthians 8-9).
2. Of a moral code, in the Decalogue, or Ten Words of Jehovah, twice written by Him upon Tables of Stone (Exodus 20). Its counterpart in the New Testament may be found in the sermon on the mount, where there may be traced some ten corresponding commands for human guidance, based on a higher ethics (Matthew 5-7).
3. Of acceptable Prayer, in the model furnished by our Lord to His disciples, singularly brief yet as singularly full and comprehensive: three petitions as to God, Himself—His name, kingdom, will; four, as to man—his wants, sins, leadership and deliverances. “After this manner therefore pray ye” (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4).
4. Of Holy Living and Loving, obedience and suffering, in the supreme “example left us that we should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Other minor examples are furnished of particular virtues as in Abraham, Daniel, Nehemiah; but in Him all virtues combine, and in perfection.
5. Of a forgiven sinner, in Saul of Tarsus, outwardly righteous, yet chief of sinners in his own sight, and who himself declared that he “obtained mercy that in him first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:16).
6. Of a church assembly, presided over by the Holy Spirit, indwelt by Him, witnessing, working and warring for God, cemented by mutual love, pervaded by common self-sacrifice, and daily having additions of saved souls. Never before nor since has there been any such church pattern (Acts 2-4).
7. Of the City of God, the final community of the Redeemed, when all things are become new, where nothing enters that defiles, works abomination or makes a lie, and where all sin and sickness, sorrow and pain, darkness and death are forever banished (Revelation 21-22).
Upon some of these divine patterns, it may be well to dilate, that we may catch their inspiration.
Macedonian benevolence is a noble example and illustration of New Testament principles. How cramped and uninviting does the mere legal “tithing system” appear in comparison with this wholehearted devotion to God! In 2 Corinthians 8, 9 is the one discourse on “giving” that makes needless all other treatment of this great theme. The two chapters not only present every grand principle and motive of consecrated giving, but they present seven paradoxes that are very remarkable. These Macedonians seem to have furnished the most singular example of Christian benevolence to be found anywhere in sacred Scripture; their giving was a sort of reversal of all ordinary experience.
1. They gave out of the abundance of their poverty, not out of the plenitude of wealth.
2. Their willingness exceeded their ability, instead of their ability exceeding their willingness.
3. They were urgent to be allowed to give rather than reluctant, while those who received the gift were reluctant to take it, knowing how deep was their poverty.
4. They made the greater gift first (of themselves), and the latter gift was the less (their money). Usually people give the least they can, to begin with, and have to be educated up to giving themselves at the very last.
5. In these chapters value of gifts is reckoned, not by the amount given, but by the degree of willingness and cheerfulness exhibited.
6. We are here taught that increase comes not by keeping, but by giving; that the way to get more is to give more, and the way to lose is to keep.
7. And the crowning lesson of all is that they regarded giving, not as a privation to be evaded and avoided, but as a privilege and a blessing to be courted and cultivated. The Life of Christ which is held up as a “writing copy” for our close imitation is presented First in its practical sinlessness—“who did no sin.”
Second, its faultless speech—“in whose mouth no guile.”
Third, its perfect self-control—“when He was reviled,” etc.
Fourth, its faultless temper—“when He suffered, threatened not.”
Fifth, its absolute committal to the Father—“but committed Himself,” etc.
Sixth, its self-sacrifice for human salvation—“who His own self bare our sins,” etc.
What is further to be desired in an example for imitation?
Disciples may here see a pattern of faultless conduct, speech, disposition and even manners; with a will full of energy in all self-government, yet in all things surrendered to the will of God, and, to crown all the rest, sublime self-oblivion for the sake of others.
The pattern of a church assembly in the Acts of Apostles is very instructive, and in the following particulars:
1. A holy unity and community—not a breath of discord or division until the murmurings were heard (chap. vi).
2. A universal participation in witnessing—no line between “clergy” and “laity” yet appearing, to limit or restrain testimony.
3. Constant spiritual fellowship and growth—accessions from without and increase of life and power within.
4. Unselfish benevolence to a remarkable degree—those who had possessions turning them into a central fund for redistribution.
5. Bold and uncompromising witness to the Lord, amid great and growing opposition and persecution.
6. Presence and presidency of the Holy Spirit, so that His personal control was more absorbing and actual than even apostolic guidance.
7. And consequently superhuman power in prayer and the continual working of miracle.
These are some of the marks of the church of apostolic days as seen in the first five chapters of the Acts, and there has been nothing like it before or since.
Paul is a pattern for all penitent believers in at least eight respects:
1. He was a self-righteous sinner—a pharisee, and therefore very difficult to reach.
2. He was a persecuting sinner, full of antagonism to the church and Christ.
3. He was a conscientious sinner—he verily thought that he ought to do as he did.
4. He was a conspicuous sinner—he had the highest human authority back of him in his career.
5. He was a successful sinner—his whole course was one that tempted him to continue in it.
6. And yet he was a thoroughly penitent sinner—and saw himself as guilty of an almost unpardonable crime.
7. And he was an instantly converted sinner—proving the possibility of an immediate radical change.
8. And finally he was a thoroughly transformed sinner, becoming at once a disciple and evangelist, a witness and an apostle; and from that moment completely dedicated to the service of God.
Subordinate patterns may be traced in the Word, exhibiting, in an inferior degree, individual traits, imitable but imperfect human examples of fidelity, faith and virtue. In compassion for human infirmity, God records a few cases of His Encomiums, to help us to see what He approves, and how, even amid most hostile surroundings, men and women have attained lofty heights of holy living and serving. He rarely deals in praise, and for the obvious reason, that, were He lavish of His approval, He would both lessen its value, and lower its standard. But, when God does deign to commend, and especially in strong terms, His words of praise reveal deep secrets of what is well pleasing in His sight. To know what He approves must be of transcendent value to one who seeks to be well pleasing in His sight. While we may not hope here to reach perfection, we may “stand complete in all the will of God,” “blameless and harmless,” if not “faultless.” We therefore call attention to a few of these lesser patterns for imitation.
1. Abel, the first who offered acceptable sacrifice, God bearing witness of his gifts (Hebrews 11:4).
2. Noah, preacher of righteousness, witnessing to a world of ungodly (Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5).
3. Enoch, example of an intercessor, in the midst of a godless, prayerless world (Hebrews 11:5-6).
4. Job, one who feared God and eschewed evil, and patiently endured (Job 1:2; James 5:11).
5. Abram, as a friend of God, who believed against human hope and obeyed sometimes against reason (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-22; James 2:21-23).
6. Moses as renouncing pleasure and treasure for the sake of Jehovah and His people (Hebrews 11:23-29).
7. Caleb, as one who followed the Lord wholly and fully and dared to be in a minority (Deuteronomy 1:36; Joshua 14:8 to Joshua 9:14).
8. Elijah, as a reformer, separate from idolatry and the corruptions of a wicked court, mighty in prayer (James 5:17-18).
9. Nehemiah, as a zealous, prayerful, self-denying governor in the days of reconstruction.
10. Daniel, on the whole the most faultless example of godliness in all Old Testament history (Daniel 6:4-5; Daniel 10:11).
God’s special commendation is recorded, of the youthful Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 3:5-15; 1 Chronicles 1:7-12), for “an understanding heart to judge the people.” “And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.” Manifestly, no greater quality in a ruler of a great nation could be desired than a true wisdom in administration; and what pleased the Lord was that, instead of asking anything that terminated on himself, personally and individually, he had sought that which would insure his being a capable, faithful, efficient ruler. Thus having first sought the higher good for the greater number, God added the lesser good for himself that he had not even asked (comp.Matthew 6:33).
Proverbs 31:10-31. Who can find a virtuous woman? This is apparently a product of the pen of that same mother of King Lemuel, whose wise words on the virtues of a true king occupy the first third of this closing chapter. Here is an alphabetic and acrostic poem, meant to outline the portrait of an ideal woman. Much in it is local and exceptional, for it is associated with a royal writer, but, aside from all this, there are a great many features of universal application, and from these we select the following:
First of all, a true woman is trustworthy. At the bottom of every noble character lies truth, without which nothing else is true or genuine.
Then she is industrious—no idler, and not ashamed of any honest toil. She does not stand aloof from what to some is drudgery, but worketh willingly with her hands.
Again she is unselfish. Those same hands that handle the spindle and distaff, the needle and the shuttle, reach forth to the poor and needy.
Again, she is domestic. She is not impatient of the narrow sphere of home, of which she is the radiant center, most loved and honored of those who know her best.
Again she is self-controlled. Her mouth is opened only to utter wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Whatever her natural temper, it is under discipline, and obeys the law of love.
Again, she wears the rare clothing of strength and honor. “If your honor be clothing, the suit will wear a life time; if your clothing be your honor, it will soon be threadbare”—Arnot. And once more, her beauty is that of character. Other charms soon fade, but this never loses its attraction.
Thus, in this brief eulogy of womanhood, we learn what are the qualities of her heart, her hands, her tongue; what is her true clothing, her riches, her beauty, and what is the sphere where she most shines.
Turning to the New Testament, two examples of faith conspicuously confront us—the only occasions when our Lord attributed to any human being “great faith”—the centurion of Capernaum, and the woman of Canaan (Matthew 8:5-10; Matthew 15:22-28).
Conspicuous also is His commendation of Peter’s grand confession: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” He immediately followed this fearless declaration of His Messiahship and divine Sonship by a special word of blessing, affirming that such confession was both a result of divine supernatural revelation, and that it would prove the impregnable rock basis upon which the church should be built, and which should assure the church’s absolute triumph over even diabolical assault.