01.7. The Saviour's Joy

Chapter 7 THE SAVIOUR’S JOY A SERMON FOR CHRISTMAS DAY.

"Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." - Proverbs 8:31.

There can be no great difficulty in finding the solution of this mysterious subject. The chapter from which our text is taken furnishes it amply. It shows us plainly that the allusion is to essential Wisdom, or the Son of God. Our Lord bears, in many passages of Scripture, the name of ’Wisdom." He says of himself, (Matthew 11:19,) Wisdom is justified of her children; " and again, (Luke 11:49.) " Therefore, also, said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles." And Paul declares, that " God hath made Christ unto us Wisdom." (1 Corinthians 1:30.) In our text, also, something is stated respecting Christ, the Wisdom of God, which, especially in the light of the joyous season of the nativity, it is not difficult to understand. Let us proceed, then, to consider the subject thus brought before us. And first let us observe the latter clause of our text.

1. " MY DELIGHTS WERE WITH THE SONS OF MEN."

O how bright and rich the meaning which flashes from these words upon our minds. They are like a costly jewel, which, however you may turn and examine it, is on all sides beautiful, and ever sends forth new rays of life and lovely coloring. Our Lord here informs us, that He had delights ― peculiar and special enjoyments. And where had He these delights? Where else, you say, than where the tree of life flourishes, and the streams of living water flow; (Revelation 22:1-2.) where the crown of glory encircles his brow, and ten thousand times ten thousand, with their golden harps, stand around his throne. (Revelation 14:2.) But no; his heart is elsewhere; " My delights were with the sons of men." You think, then, that he speaks of the beginning of time, and the last day of the creation. Aye, then was it indeed good to dwell among men; for it was pleasant to walk amidst the trees of Eden, when the inhabitants of the earth were pure and undefiled. (Genesis 2:8.) Nor yet, brethren, is this the tune of which our Lord speaks; but he alludes to a period when all the foundations of the earth were out of coarse; (Psalms 82:5.) when the imagination of man’s heart was only evil from his youth, (Genesis 8:21.) and the whole human race dead in trespasses and sins, (Ephesians 2:1.) tied and bound by the fetters of the wicked one, (2 Timothy 2:26.) and, bending under the wrath and curse of the Almighty, (Ephesians 2:3.) had sunk in deep mire, where there was no standing, (Psalms 69:2.) and the pit was about to swallow them up. (Psalms 69:15.) Well, therefore may we be astonished that, under such circumstances, the Lord of Glory should say, " My delights were with the sons of men."

" My delights " ― What, then, is implied in this expression? Many things, beloved; and, in the first place, that which, from the beginning, was His chief joy, His highest and most exalted pleasure. And what was that? It was Jesus himself; for he alone is lovely, and worthy to be loved; and every thing else is beautiful, only so far as it partakes of his beauty, and is derived from him. (Ezekiel 16:14.) For he is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. (Song of Solomon 5:16.) The rays of his own perfections delighted his eyes. And these delights " were with the sons of men." Yes, where else should they be! ― With the angels, perhaps? They have their own glory, but the glory of Christ is among sinners. Wonderful as it may appear, it is, nevertheless, a reality; and still more wonderful that it is so. He has disrobed himself of his kingly purple, (Php 2:7.) and given it to his flock. (Revelation 1:6.) He would not retain His white linen for himself alone, but presented it to his bride, (Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:14.) for her beautiful garments; (Isaiah 52:1.) he has decorated the "worm Jacob" (Isaiah 41:14.) with His splendid attire, with His jewels, and chain, and crown. (Ezekiel 16:10-13; James 1:12.)

How, indeed, could we have such confidence, if His righteousness did not cover our sins? How could we dare to lift up our eyes to Him, before whom the heavens are not clean, if we did not know that we are clothed with the purity of the most pure, and with the holiness of the alone holy? How could we, who are as weak as bruised reeds, with so much boldness, encounter the devil and all the powers of darkness, were we not assured that we are enrolled among the kingly hosts of the Saviour? How could we calmly anticipate the fiery tempest of coming judgment, were we not, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot enveloped with His perfect obedience? (Romans 5:19,) and could we not draw near to God, relying on His wisdom. His love, His glory ― as if it were our own?

There are many, perhaps, who may think that to be arrayed in the merit of another, and to shine in borrowed light, is altogether easy. It may be; and yet how few are content to be saved in this way ― the only way of salvation. This privilege is, however, ours. Father, says our blessed Saviour, briefly, but in words which cannot be misunderstood, "The glory which thou gavest me I have given them." (John 17:22.) As the great delight of the Lord Jesus is in his own perfections, so is the pleasure not less which he derives from the operations of his hands. "The Lord," says David, " shall rejoice in his works." (Psalms 104:31.) But where are his works manifested? ― with the devils in hell? God forbid. Their state has been determined by themselves; their condition is the result of their own unhallowed devices. ― With the angels in heaven? By no means. The crown has not fallen from their head, nor has the lustre of their original glory been sullied. ― With the virtuous and righteous according to the flesh? Far otherwise. They have acquired their fancied goodness of themselves, and must depend on themselves for its preservation. ―

But, where a publican strikes upon his breast, " God be merciful to me a sinner," and a Bartimeus cries out by the way-side, " Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me; " where a woman of Canaan speaks of herself as a dog desiring the crumbs under the table, and a poor Magdalene would weep day and night at the feet of Jesus; where a Paul exults in that he has obtained mercy, and a Peter professes with trembling lips, " Lord, thou knowest that I love thee,’’ and a Job declares, " Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" ― Behold! where such things come to pass, and similar emotions are manifested; where stony hearts are made as potter’s clay in the hand of God, and brazen brows become as wax, that he may impress his mark upon them; and glassy eyes are changed into a gushing fountain, the waters whereof flow towards the East; where the righteous begin to rejoice over the ruin of their righteousness, (Isaiah 64:6; Php 3:8-9.) and the wise over the destruction of their wisdom; (Jeremiah 9:23-24.) where poor sinners acquire a heart to love Him, and the workers of iniquity are changed, and with joyful lips are enabled, before these accusers, to make mention of Christ as their Advocate, and Spiritual Head ― there, there beloved brethren, is his work, and where his work is, there is his delight. Thus are his delights with the sons of men, and especially with his poor penitents. On them his eyes rest with pleasure. That which a beautiful prospect is to a lover of nature, or an exquisite painting to the admirer of the arts; the same is the new creature in a sinner to our Lord and Saviour, He is never weary of beholding it, for it is the workmanship of his hands. Have we now seen the full meaning of the first words under consideration? No, brethren; more is contained in them. The Lord expresses himself with brevity; but such is his ordinary method, to say much in a few words, whilst we are wont, with many words, to say but little. ’ My delights," he says, " were with the sons of men;" but he withholds one word, viz. " to dwell." And why does he withhold it? Is he ashamed to give expression to all his love towards poor sinners? No; you know not our Saviour. What does Paul declare concerning him? " He is not ashamed," he says, " to call us brethren." Nor is he ashamed to dwell among us, for that is his delight; "For thus saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15.)

But, blessed Saviour, how can thy pleasure be in that world which is the scene of thy greatest displeasure? How canst thou delight to dwell where no man seeks his delight in thee? ― no man, certainly, of himself ― and how canst thou rejoice in those who cannot but distress and grieve thee? It must, however, be so; for he again repeats, " My delights were with the sons of men." And that this is not a transient emotion, but a deeply rooted and eternal affection, hundreds and thousands of years without intermission, from the beginning of the world to this very day, abundantly declare. For consider, the tender concern which a God of love manifested towards man before He had yet created him; for He called not into being in a moment this lord of creation by a word of his mouth and an act of power, as he did all other creatures; but as a potter maketh a vessel unto honour, and with great care and close attention fashioneth it; so the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground in his own image, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, the breath of the holy and ever-blessed God; then man became a living soul. And scarcely were our first parents placed upon the earth when the Saviour was also with them, walking in their company among the trees of the garden. Then you think, then all was well. Nothing that was opposed to God at that time existed among men; nothing that could disturb the harmony. But if I tell you that it was through our fall and our sin, that his delight to dwell among us gained strength and warmth, how will you give credence to the assertion? Yet it was so in reality. For then the bowels of his mercy began to yearn towards us; and then first did that which Zechariah says bear its full sense and meaning; ’ Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation." (Zechariah 2:13.) And now, dear brethren, I would go back with you to the period of the old covenant, and show you how the Saviour, from the beginning, went in and out among sinners, and erected his habitation among men who are dust and ashes. (Genesis 18:27.) I would accompany you into that wilderness where He found Hagar, an Egyptian maid, and addressed to her words of tenderness. (Genesis 21:17-21.) I would conduct you further, into the plains of Mamre, and disclose to your view the wondrous sight of the Lord of Hosts sitting, in the heat of the day, under the shade of the trees with our father Abraham. (Genesis 18:18.) I would go with you to Bethel, (Genesis 18:19.) and thence to Penuel, (Genesis 32:30.) and to Horeb, where the Lord revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush. (Exodus 3:1; Exodus 17:6.) Then I would open, if it might be, for a moment, the pillar of cloud and of fire, that you might there behold His face. (Nehemiah 9:12; Psalms 99:7.) Forty years long did He thus conduct them, as their guide and protector, though they were a stiff-necked people. 0, is it not wonderful? What is there wanting here of delights with the sons of men? And now I would pass onwards with you to Ophra, where with Gideon, you might behold the Saviour of men sitting under an oak. (Judges 6:11.) Then I would repair to Jerusalem, where, over the mercy seat in the temple, He dwelleth between the cherubim. (Exodus 25:22; Psalms 80:1.) This would I do ― But, dear brethren, what need of journeying so far? He is near at hand. Where are we to-day? Are we not at Bethlehem? ( Luke 2:4-7.) O look then into the stable and the manger. What do you behold there? " A child." Yes, a child; and indeed the same that has said, " My delights were with the sons of men." God incarnate ― in a manger ― in swaddling clothes ― at a mother’s breast ― " Great, great, is the mystery of godliness!" Here the mind can proceed no further: the knees tremble, and the heart is filled with amazement; the wonder is too great for the weakness of human nature. It is well that our eyes are dim-sighted; it is well that we behold it only from afar, and scarcely understand the thousandth part thereof: it would otherwise deprive us of our lives; it would overpower us; we could not endure it.

Yes, though the intercourse of the Son of God with Israel was sweet and refreshing, it cannot be considered, in the full sense of that expression, as His dwelling among men: it was, as a relationship, too distant, too cold a friendship. He, the God of heaven, and they poor sinners ― the disparity was too great. He thence became incarnate, a child, our kinsman, our brother. Yet all that we can say respecting this great mystery is as nothing; for even the seraphim, who now for nearly two thousand years since this great event have looked into this abyss of love, and vainly tried to fathom it, and who never cease from their astonishment, and the matter of all whose hallelujahs is derived from the cleft rock of the living fountain ― even they cannot fully declare it. But what moved the great God to humble himself thus? Nothing but his love to man. "My delights were with the sons of men." But whence were they derived? Whence but from Himself? Here we have traced love to its source. Higher we cannot ascend. And now, brethren, I would briefly observe to you, that though the Saviour is no longer cradled in a manger, yet he still bears the human form,, and is our Brother, even to the present hour, though he again sits upon his throne; and he has the same tender heart, having been tempted in all points like unto his brethren, that he might be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, and sympathize with us, and succour us in our distress. And though we cannot take up in our arms the holy child Jesus, as did Mary and Simeon, yet his delight to dwell with the sons of men has not diminished, and his communion with us is equally near; yea, much nearer and more intimate. And he does not merely tarry for the night, but he dwells with us as one of the household; and therefore he says, that though he is ever in the high and holy place, yet he is also continually among his people upon earth. He taketh up his abode with us. ― let us praise the Lord. And how doth he dwell with us? Is it as a superior in rank, who deems it a sufficient honour to mingle in our society, that we may offer him our services, and from whom we are to expect no service in return? Far otherwise. He has himself said, that He is as one that serveth. (Luke 22:27; John 13:4-17.) how precious is the Saviour, how worthy of our love! Doth He then dwell with us as a counselor, whose advice we may ask in matters of great moment? But why only in such? He would that we should regard him as one of the family, and He gladly receives us and resolves our doubts, in little as well as in great things. You should lay all your concerns unreservedly before him, and not think that you are permitted to communicate with him only respecting spiritual things. I say unto you, that he will be careful of the meal in the barrel, and the oil in the cruse. (1 Kings 17:14.) He will inquire after the provision which is made for your wants; (John 21:5-13.) and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. (Psalms 84:11.) 0, if you would believe, you should see the glory of God. " What nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?" (Deuteronomy 4:7.) He is about our bed and about our path; He would have us take no thought what we shall eat or what we shall drink, nor wherewithal we shall be clothed, for He careth for us, and knoweth that we have need of these things. ( Matthew 6:31-32.) His delights are with the sons of men. ― And yet more, for He is described in my text, as, 2. REJOICING IN THE HABITABLE PART OF HIS EARTH." The Son of God here expresses the joy which he received from dwelling among men. And why should we doubt that the Saviour literally rejoiced among the inhabitants of the earth? Was he not once a child, like other children, in all things the same, sin only excepted? Was there not a time when his heart had never been oppressed with any burden, nor his eyes suffused with tears; when his infant feet were not wounded and bleeding by the thorns and thistles, which grow on the path to the altar of sacrifice; and the cross, and shame, and death, and all that was before him, were concealed within the veil of futurity? He was no wayward or fretful child, but serene and affable, and therefore, as we are informed by St. Luke, he grew in favour, not only with God, but also with men, and the mutual endearments between a child and his mother must have been exquisitely enjoyed by him. And the angels of God may be supposed to have come down, not only to witness, but also to participate in these joys.

We may well imagine the existence of such delights, when the aged Simeon took up the little child in his arms, and his soul was so transported, that the old man became himself almost a child again, and embraced the Holy Babe, and leaped, and wept, and smiled, at the same moment, feeling that nothing more was left for him to desire, for his eyes had seen God’s salvation. But more is contained in the expression. It leads us to think also of the day of creation. In the verses preceding our text, it is said, " When he gave the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment; when he appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before Him." What would the Son of God teach us here? What else, than that He created the world not only with wisdom, but also with love; not alone for the use and benefit, but for the happiness and joy of the children of men, of whom even then He thought with tenderness.

Yes, dear brethren, as the Lord clothed the flowers of the field, and decked the lilies with their festal garment ― as He suspended the azure canopy in the heavens, and beautified the fields with living verdure ― as he lifted up on high the lofty mountains, and formed the peaceful valleys among the hills ― the quiet lonely dales with their cool and shady brooks; as He gave their cheerful notes to the songsters of the grove, and to those which fly heavenward with the voice of praise ― as he adorned and diversified the workmanship of his hands, with such, decorations and embellishments, with such lovely hues, and sweet and melodious sounds, and goodly prospects; ― in all this we see the Saviour’s delight and rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth. And since He has so determined, that the external objects of nature should be as a sacred volume, which we can only partially understand; since He has made the creatures to be as shadows and representations of invisible and spiritual things, and comprehended all high and eternal. truths therein, as in pleasing emblems and pictorial delineations, which it is our privilege to read, even in the present day; since He has appointed the sun to be an image of himself, and set forth in its effects his own operations in the kingdom of grace; since He has decreed that the corn of wheat, in that it dies, and puts forth its tender blade and fruit-bearing stem, should teach us that, " except a man be born again, he cannot sec the kingdom of God; and since He has made the butterfly’’, which, with beautifully painted wing, rests upon the rose, to be a joyful herald of the resurrection from the dead, and of the future glorious liberty of the children of God: ― in these things, brethren, in all these, which are His own works, is the Son of God made manifest, as rejoicing in His habitable part of the earth and delighting with the sons of men. And that which we behold in his works, we are taught also by His dealing with the children of men. See how he condescends to our ideas, desires, and expressions. Thus, in His word he is not ashamed to accommodate himself to our weakness, but employs language adapted to our infantile condition. " For whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Is it not them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts? And therefore precept hath been given upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little. And with stammering lips and another tongue doth he speak to this people." (Isaiah 28:9-11.)

Behold how He stoops to our conceptions and modes of life. He draws near to us. He comes down to the level of the comprehension and understanding of poor blind sinners who are but dust and ashes. Observe how in one place he speaks of " repentmg;" and yet he cannot in reality repent; in another place, he assures us that his heart yearns towards us as that of a tender father; and again, to reveal to us our future glory, the representations are taken from the sources of human delight and pleasure, from banquets and marriage feasts, and beautiful houses and palaces; from brilliant stones of varied hue, and precious metals; from green trees and pleasant fruits. Is not this condescending accommodation to our thoughts and imaginations an illustration of our text, that the great God rejoices in the habitable parts of his earth, and his delights are with the sons of men? And truly, whoever has not found God thus revealed in his word, is ignorant of the God of the Bible. And now recall to mind the manner in which God is wont to bring near to us the mysteries of his will, and how he strengthens our faith in his word and promises. He places before us, as is our custom with children, all kinds of beautiful pictures, and figures in various coloring, to attract and fix our attention, and thereby he enlightens our mind, and enables us to consider and understand that which would otherwise be beyond our apprehension. Thus, for instance, that we may retain with freshness in our memories the promise which he gave to Noah, and be assured of its certainty, he has suspended in the clouds a lovely bow, painted with seven colors, to which we may direct our eyes; and he tells us, that as often as he shall look upon this bow, he will remember his promise that he will no more destroy the earth by a flood; as though God must needs place a memorial before his eyes, lest he should forget his word of promise. But he knew that this would minister to our comfort, and tend to confirm our faith. Thus, again did our Lord very graciously condescend to the weakness of Gideon, when He acceded to his request, and so quickly and readily performed that strange mystery which Gideon besought of Him, as a new sign under the promise he had received from the Lord. First, the dew was to be upon the fleece alone, the earth around it remaining dry; and then the fleece was to be dry, and all the ground covered with dew. (Judges 6:37-39.) And God did both these things, just as Gideon requested. How much tenderness and kindness is here! But the things of God have all a deep signification. Thus, as the Lord in the rainbow of Noah, depicted with fine touches for spiritual perception, an emblem of the promised Mediator, so did he intimate, by prophetic representation, in that miracle with which he pleased Gideon, how He would, in after ages, visit mankind with the heavenly dew of his appearing, and of the out-pouring of his Spirit. First, the dew of his grace was upon Israel alone, whilst the whole of the earth beside was dry, and afterwards, the dew was diffused over the whole of the earth, Israel alone being dry, as it is to this day.

Look again at the tabernacle and temple of Solomon. There, by multitudes of allusions and shadows, and cunning works of certain signification, did wisdom bring near to the Jews all the great and blessed mysteries and truths of God. And to us also, she speaks, in like manner, by the sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, and by the rite of Confirmation. Is there not, in this, evidence of the delights of the Lord with his weak children, who have need of something sensible and perceptible that they may be able to know and believe? And how much grace and lovingkindness is manifested therein!

Let me now remind you of God’’s daily dispensations towards us. By them he designs to teach us important lessons, the attainment of which should rather be sought than the indulgence of superfluous sorrow or distress, whenever we are brought into painful circumstances. Thus, for instance, the Lord sometimes hides himself from our view; we are then ready to think that he has forsaken us and forgotten us; but He would teach us our entire dependence upon himself, and when he hears our voice entreating his return, he lifts up the light of his countenance upon us, and gives us peace.

Again, our former sins, which we have long thought to be buried in the depths of the sea, arise before our view in fearful array, and we tremble, as at first, when awakened to repentance. Our first love has, perhaps, grown cold, and He would thus rekindle it in our souls.

Now, He sets before us the greatness of our misdeeds, and we become fearful of His wrath; but his design is to manifest more fully the sweetness of his grace, and the all-sufficiency of his merits and righteousness. At another time, He permits our enemy to stretch forth his hand as if he would seize our crown, and also suffers him to attempt to shake the foundation of our comfort and our hope beneath our feet. We cry in the agony of the disciples in the storm, " Lord, help us, we perish." But the danger is not so great as we apprehend. He has brought us into such a state, that we may grasp more firmly that which we have, not, as we imagined, that we should lose it. And when, by various means. He gives us counsel in dark parables for our conduct, that thereby, as also by reason of use, our spiritual senses may be exercised to discern both good and evil; (Hebrews 5:14.) and when He makes use of apparently the least important circumstances in our life, that by means of them he may speak to our heart something consolatory, instructive, or profitable; when He selects ordinary subjects, arising from our every-day conversation, and, with Divine wisdom and skill, makes them the channel for conveying a rich and full supply of manifold spiritual mercies, or converts them into tablets on which he inscribes a doctrine, or warning, an encouragement, a promise or historical incident of his word; when He so tenderly has respect to our most trifling desires, and in the most minute circumstances surprises us by the ready communication of his counsel and blessing; and, in our reading the Holy Scriptures, when He takes, if I may so say, the least significant passages, and by them instructs us in the deep and mysterious things of God, conveying them to our souls with lively apprehension and quickening power ― when such is the method of God with us, we are furnished with additional proof of His rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and that his delights are with the children of men. To allude, in conclusion, to the lovely tones which issue from the tabernacles of the righteous ― He, who is the Wisdom of God is the source of all harmony. All music upon earth, but that which proceeds from Him, is dissonance in his ears, and like the hoarse croaking of the raven. As it was He who gave the harp of David its heavenly sound, and touched its strings upon the hill of Bethlehem, and sang the pleasant Psalms with the voice of the royal Psalmist; so is it He who, even in these days, opens the lips of the spiritual choir, and gives the full tone and sweet expression to their voice; it is He who awakens the melody in their hearts, and moves the hidden chords of their soul with the breath of his mouth. He is in their soft and solemn sounds, and in their lofty songs of praise. He speaks within them in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. He is in their loud cry to the cross, and their rejoicing on the hill of the sealed ones; (Revelation 7:1-17) yea, He is in every Alpha and Omega of the new heart, in every Hosannah of sacred homage, in every Hallelujah of heavenly joy, and in the great universal temple-chorus of his sacred worshipers; " Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen." In all this the Lord himself is manifest ― the Lord and his Spirit. It is He that plays and makes melody on the harp of our souls; and only those songs to which He himself gives utterance within us, fall harmoniously on his ear, however weak and imperfect they seem to ourselves.

Behold, my brethren, thus doth the Lord rejoice in the habitable part of his earth, thus are his delights with the children of men. Happy, truly happy, are the people who have the Lord so nigh unto them, and to whom he manifests himself in such tenderness and love! Of such is the kingdom of God. Forget not that the great and the wise, namely, they that consider themselves such, are not of that number. Hear the voice of Christ himself, " Verily, I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein." (Luke 18:17.) Let us then be children, dear brethren, little children. Towards such is the desire of Immanuel; only among children will he dwell. And wherever He dwells, surely it is good to be there, it is already a heaven in the wilderness; and therefore has it been said. And be my home a straw-built cot, Yet happy will I deem my lot, If there Thou dwell’st with me; Or bid me go through deserts waste, E’en to the stake, I’ll joyful haste, If guided there by Thee!

How sweet this little verse! When will the Lord enable us to adopt it as our own? May it be very shortly! May the name of Jesus become more precious to us, more loved and honoured every day; and may we know and possess, more and more, the joys and delights which He shares on earth with his dear children, his adopted ones; and, finally, may we participate in the glories of His kingdom.

Amen.