The Christian extends his survey far beyond the limits of his individual sphere
Posted : 1 Jun, 2013 02:01 AM
Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness is unto all generations; You have established the earth, and it abides. 91 They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants.
The Christian extends his survey far beyond the limits of his
individual sphere. His view of the operations of God in
creation enlarges his apprehensions of the Divine attributes,
and especially that of unchanging faithfulness. Indeed, the
very fact of a creation in ruins-a world in rebellion against its
Maker, failing of the grand end of existence, and yet still
continued in existence-manifests His faithfulness unto all
generations. How different is the contemplation of the
Christian from that of the philosopher! His is not a mere cold,
speculative admiration, but the establishment of his faith upon
a clear discovery of the faithfulness of God. Thus he stays his
soul upon the assured unchangeableness of the Divine word-
"Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old, that You
have founded them forever. Your word is true from the
beginning: and every one of Your righteous judgments
endures forever." How striking is the contrast between the
transient glory of man's goodness, and the solid foundation of
all the promises, hopes, and prospects of the children of God!-
"The grass withers, and the flower fades; but the word of our
God shall stand forever." "Unbelief" is the character of our
"evil hearts." Man chooses his own measure and objects of
faith; he believes no more than he pleases. But it is a fearful
prospect, that the threatenings of God rest upon the same
solid foundation with His promises. "Heaven and earth shall
pass away but My word shall not pass away." Need we any further proof of His faithfulness? Look at the
earth established by His word of power. See how "he hangs it
upon nothing," as if it might fall at any moment;-and yet it is
immovably fixed-it abides-and with all its furniture, continues
according to His ordinances. This-though the scoff of the
infidel-is the encouragement to Christian faith. It is at once a
token of His covenant with nature, that "while the earth
remains, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and
summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease;" and
an emblem of His covenant with the seed of David, that He
"will not cast them off for all that they have done." Thus every
view of the heavens-yes-every time we set our foot on the
earth-shows the unchangeableness of His everlasting
covenant, and the security of the salvation of His own people.
In this vast universe, all are His servants. "The stars in their
courses"-"fire and hail, snow and vapors, stormy wind-fulfill
His word. He sends forth His commandment upon earth: His
word runs very swiftly." Man-the child of his Maker-"created in
His image"-destined for His glory-is the only rebel and
revolter. Most affecting is the appeal, that his own Father and
God is constrained to make concerning him-"Hear, O
heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken. I
have nourished and brought up children, and they have
rebelled against Me!"
Is not then the universe of nature a parable of grace-setting
out on every side-in every view-a cheering display of the
faithfulness of God? If His providence fails not, will the
promise of His covenant disappoint us? Why should He
change? Does He see or know anything now, that He has not
foreseen and foreknown from eternity? What more sure
ground of salvation than the unchangeableness of God? If I
can prove a word to have been spoken by God, I must no
more question it than his own Being. It may seem to fail on
earth; but it is forever settled in heaven. The decrees of the kings of the earth, "settled" on earth, are exposed to all the
variations and weakness of a changing world. They may be
revoked by themselves or their successors, or they may die
away. The empty sound of the "law of the Medes and
Persians that alters not," has long since been swept away into
oblivion. But while "the word settled" on earth has "waxed old
like a garment," and perished; the word settled in heaven-is
raised above all the revolutions of the universe, and remains
as the throne of God-unshaken and eternal; exhibiting the
foundation of the believer's hope and of the unbeliever's terror
to be alike unalterably fixed.
But we also remark the foreknowledge as well as the
faithfulness of God. From the eternity that is past, as well for
the eternity that is to come, Your word is settled in heaven.
Before this fair creation was marred, yes, before it was called
into existence, its ruin was foreseen, and a remedy provided.
"The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world," and
fore-ordained before that era. Concurrent with this period, a
people "were chosen in Him," and forever the word was
settled in heaven.-"All that the Father gives Me shall come to
Me." For the establishment of the Redeemer's kingdom upon
earth "the decree is declared;" however earth and hell may
combine against it- "Yet have I set My king upon My holy hill
of Zion." And what a blessed encouragement in the grand
work of bringing back "the lost sheep of the house of Israel,"
and those "other sheep" with them, "which are not of this fold"
is it, that we do not depend upon the earnestness of our
prayers, the wisdom of our plans, or the diligence of our
endeavors; but upon "the word" forever settled in heaven!-
"The Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn
from transgression in Jacob, says the Lord. As for Me, this is
My covenant with them, says the Lord-My Spirit that is upon
You, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not
depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed,
nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed, says the Lord, from henceforth, and forever." "I have sworn by Myself, the word is
gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return,-
That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall
