Expositions of Holy Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers Part 8

He that loves and trusts G.o.d possesses G.o.d.

He that possesses G.o.d has enough for earth.

He that possesses G.o.d has enough for heaven.

1. It is possible for a man to have G.o.d for his. 'I am thy Reward,'--not merely Rewarder, but Reward.

How can one spiritual Being belong to another?--plainly, By mutual love.

The Gospel a.s.sures us of G.o.d's love, and makes it possible for ours to be fixed on Him.

Faith gives us G.o.d for ours.

The highest view of the blessings of the Gospel is that G.o.d Himself becomes our reward.

How sad the insanity of men appears, in the ordinary aims of their life, its rewards and its objects of desire! How they chase after variety!

How much loftier and truer a conception of the blessing of religion this is than notions of mere escape and the like!

2. The possession of G.o.d is enough for earth.

G.o.d the all-sufficient object for our spirits, His love, the communication of Himself, the sense of His presence, the depths of His infinite character, of His wondrous ways, of His revealed Truth as an object for thought: of His authoritative will as imperative for will and conscience: aspiration towards Him.

G.o.d the Eternal Object.

To find Him in everything, and everything in Him, is to be at rest.

This is what He promises--

Not a life of outward success and ease--much n.o.bler than if He did.

Take Abram's as a type.

In war He will be our Defence.

In absence of other joys He will be Enough.

Sphered and included in Him is all sweetness. He sustains all relations, and does for us what these other joys and goods partially do.

The possession of His love should put away all fear, since having Him we are not at the mercy of externals.

What, then, is Life as men ordinarily make it?--what a blunder!

3. To possess G.o.d is enough for heaven.

Such a relations.h.i.+p is the great proof of immortality.

Christ and Sadducees.

The true glory of heaven is in fuller possession of G.o.d: no doubt other things, but these subsidiary.

The Reward is G.o.d.

The idea of recompense ample and full for all sorrow.

More than adequate wages for all work.

That final reward will show how wise the wanderer was, who left his father's house and 'looked for a city.' G.o.d is not ashamed to be called their G.o.d.

Christ comes to us--offers Himself.

Think of how rich with Him, and oh, think of how poor without Him!

Which will you have on earth?

Which will you have in another world?

FAITH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

'And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.'

GENESIS XV. 6.

It is remarkable to find this antic.i.p.ation of New Testament teaching so far back. It is like finding one full-blown flower in a garden where all else is but swelling into bud. No wonder that Paul fastened on it to prove that justification by faith was older than Moses, than law or circ.u.mcision, that his teaching was the real original, and that faith lay at the foundation of the Old Testament religion.

1. The Nature of Faith.--The metaphor in the Hebrew word is that of a man leaning all his weight on some strong stay. Surely that metaphor says more than many definitions. It teaches that the essence of faith is absolute reliance, and that unites us with Him on whom we rely. Its result will be steadfastness. We are weak, mobile, apt to be driven hither and thither, but light things lashed to fixed things become fixed. So 'reeds shaken with wind' are changed into iron pillars.

2. The Object of Faith.--'Lord.' It is a Person, not the promise but the Promiser. Of course, reliance on the Person results in acceptance of His word, and here it is G.o.d's word as to the future. Our faith has to do with the future, but also with the past. Its object is Christ, the historic Christ, the living Christ, the Christ who will come again.

How clear the nature of faith becomes when its object is clear! It cannot be mere a.s.sent, but trust. How clear becomes its ident.i.ty in all ages! The creeds may be different in completeness, but the object of faith is the same, and the emotion is the same.

3. The effect of Faith.--Righteous is conformity to the will of G.o.d.

Abram was not righteous, but he yielded himself to G.o.d and trusted Him, and G.o.d accepted that as the equivalent of righteousness. The acceptance was shown by the Covenant, and by the fulfilment of the promises.

So here is the great truth that faith is accepted for righteous. It is rightly regarded and treated as righteous, by the estimate of G.o.d, who estimates things as they really are. It _is_ righteousness, for--

(_a_) Faith is itself a supreme act of righteousness, as being accordant with G.o.d's supreme desire for man.

(_b_) Faith unites with Christ the righteous.

(_c_) Faith will blossom out into all righteousness.

WAITING FAITH REWARDED AND STRENGTHENED BY NEW REVELATIONS