The Great Commission Part 10

PERFECTION IN OUR EQUIPMENT FOR SERVICE.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of G.o.d, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of G.o.d may be _perfect_ (a?t???) thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17). Here, again, we have a different word, and one which only occurs in this one place in the entire New Testament. It is most expressive.

It signifies _present readiness_ for any exigence. The man who is acquainted with, and subject to the word of G.o.d, is ready for every emergency. He has no need to go and cram for an occasion--to consult his authorities--to make himself up on a point. He is _ready now_. If an anxious inquirer comes, he is ready; if a curious inquirer comes, he is ready; if a skeptic comes, he is ready; if an infidel comes, he is ready. In a word, he is always ready. He is perfectly equipped for every occasion.

The Lord be praised for all these aspects of Christian perfection!

What more do we want? Perfection as to the conscience; perfection in object; perfection in walk; perfection in the character of service; perfection in our equipment. What remains? What wait we for? Just this--perfection in glory--perfect conformity in spirit, and soul, and body, to the image of our glorified Head in heaven!

May the Lord so work on our hearts by His Spirit, producing that which is well-pleasing in His sight, that we may stand "perfect and complete in all the will of G.o.d!"

C. H. M.

THE TRIBE OF LEVI ARRANGED ACCORDING TO THEIR FAMILIES.

First Cla.s.s.

GERSHON, meaning, _A stranger, or exile_.

LAEL " _Dedicated, or belonging to G.o.d_.

ELIASAPH " _G.o.d hath added_.

s.h.i.+MEI " _Renowned_.

LIBNI " _White_.

Second Cla.s.s.

KOHATH " _a.s.sembly_.

HEBRON " _a.s.sociation, communion_.

AMRAM " _Exalted people, or of the exalted One_.

IZHAR " _Oil_.

UZZIEL " _The strength of G.o.d_.

Third Cla.s.s.

MERARI " _Bitter_.

MAHLI " _Sick, sickly_.

MUs.h.i.+ " _Yielding, forsaking_.

ABIHAIL " _Father of strength_.

ZURIEL " _My rock is G.o.d_.

THE HISTORY OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI CONSIDERED

There are few exercises more profitable for the Christian than that of reflecting upon the character of G.o.d as unfolded in the history of the saints and fathers of ancient times recorded in the scriptures of the Old Testament: and indeed this might be expected from the very nature of the subject, which is such that, whatever be its extent, it unfolds principles to us which stand intimately connected with all that is important for us to know or be established in. Thus, whether we get the dealings of G.o.d on a limited scale, as with any one of the fathers _personally_, or more widely extended, as with the seed of Israel afterwards, it is nevertheless the same lesson we are called upon to learn, namely, _G.o.d and man_. Now, this is what should enhance exceedingly the value of the Old Testament to the Christian; almost the great body of its teaching is of the above character: and not only so, but it also (as looked at in this point of view) guards effectually against the mere exercise of imagination; for when we consider the history of any man or people, it is not necessary that we should decide positively what is _shadowed out_ therein;[5] it is enough for us to see that we have before us a more or less extensive development of the character and actings of G.o.d and man; and this, without ever descending beneath the surface of Scripture, cannot fail of being instructive and edifying to the soul.

[5] In many of the Old Testament narratives, however, the instruction is so manifestly typical that even the most cautious reader, if at all familiar with Scripture, cannot refuse to look at it in that point of view.

But, of all the histories of the Old Testament embodying instruction of the above character, I believe there are few more copious, deep and varied than that which is about to engage our attention. If the narrative of a soul taken up by sovereign and eternal grace from the pit of corruption and deep depravity, carried through the various stages which grace and truth had enacted for sinful man, until at last he is set down in the very sanctuary of G.o.d and established in the enjoyment of the covenant of life and peace forever; if, I say, such a narrative would possess charms and present attractions to us, then does the history of Levi abound in this. It is only a matter of astonishment that a history fraught with such rich and varied instruction has not occupied more of the thoughts of those luminaries of the Church whose writings have been a source of comfort and instruction to all who have been taught to value the truth of G.o.d.

Yet, much as I see in the history of Levi, and much as I admire what I do see, I could not think of directing the reader's thoughts to the subject without informing him that I purpose doing little more than to bring before his mind in a connected way the various scriptures which treat of this most interesting question; however, these scriptures are so plain and striking that no one who is at all familiar with Scripture truths can fail to enter into them. Now, as I purpose, with the Lord's blessing and grace, to follow the history of Levi through all the scriptures in which it is brought before us, I will commence with

HIS BIRTH,

As recorded in GENESIS xxix. 34.

"And she (Leah) conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Now this time will my husband be _joined_ unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi" (that is, 'joined;' see margin).

Here, then, we are presented with the birth and name of this most remarkable character--a name of wondrous significance as looked at in connection with his after history, whether in nature's wild and lawless extravagance, in which we find him "_joined_" with his brother in the perpetration of a deed of blood and murder (Gen. x.x.xiv.), or in the day when he was called to drink deeply and largely of the cup of G.o.d's electing grace, when "_joined_" with Aaron in "the work of the tabernacle" (Num. viii.).

GENESIS x.x.xiv. 25, 26.

"And it came to pa.s.s on _the third day_, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went out."

As the Spirit of G.o.d in Jacob has furnished us with a striking commentary on the above piece of cruelty, we will consider the scripture in which the commentary is given, namely:

GENESIS xlix. 5-7.

"Simeon and Levi _are brethren_; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, _come not thou into their secret; unto their a.s.sembly, mine honor, be not thou united_: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel; _I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel_."

We have here a truly humbling view of human nature as looked at in the light of the holiness of G.o.d. It is as if the Lord would say to us, Look here! behold a man clothed in nature's blackest garb, and presenting nature's most forbidding aspect. Examine him closely, in order that you, seeing what _man is_ when stripped of all that false clothing which ignorance or vain self-righteousness would put upon him, may know the rich aboundings of My grace, which can avail to lift even such a one into the loftiest heights of communion--heights which human conception would utterly fail to mount, but which My grace, through the blood of the cross, can make available to the very chief of sinners.

In reading such a description as that which the above pa.s.sage presents to us, how needful it is for the sinner to bear in mind that it is not only in the light of _G.o.d's holiness_ that he is called to look at himself, but also in the light of _His grace_. When this is learned he needs not be afraid to penetrate deeply into the dark recesses of his heart's corruption; for if G.o.d in grace _fill_ the scene, the sinner (so far as his own righteousness is concerned) must necessarily be _out_ of the scene; and then it is no longer a question of what _we_ think about sin, but how _G.o.d_ will deal with it in grace, and that is simply to put it away forever--yea, to bury it forever in the waters of His forgetfulness: thus it will be placing _our sin_ side by side with _G.o.d's grace_; which is what the gospel invites us to do, and which, moreover, is the only way to arrive at a proper settlement of the question of sin. On the other hand, where this saving principle is not known--not believed--the sinner will undoubtedly seek to make the load of his guilt as light as possible, in order that he may have as little to do as he may. This will ever lead to the most unutterable and intolerable bondage; or if not to this, to that which is much worse, even to detestable religious pride, which is of all things most truly abominable in the sight of G.o.d.

Reader, if you have not as yet got the question of sin settled between your conscience and G.o.d, ponder, I do beseech you, what I have now stated; for to know this principle in spirit is life eternal. Christ has, _once for all_, borne sin's deepest curse in His own body on the tree, and now even _Levi_ can lift up his head; for although he be by nature only conversant with "_instruments of cruelty_," things which must have kept G.o.d forever at a distance from "his secret and his a.s.sembly;" although he be by nature _cruel_, _fierce_, _self-willed_, _scattered_, _and divided_, yet G.o.d can, in the exercise of His mercy, make him conversant with "the instruments of the tabernacle," bring him into the enjoyment of the covenant of _life_ and _peace, in union_ with the great head of the priestly family, and, in the power of this blessed union, cause him to have his "_lights and perfections with his Holy One_" (Deut. x.x.xiii. 8; Mal. ii. 4, 5). However, we must not antic.i.p.ate the teaching of pa.s.sages which are yet to come under our notice; I will therefore close my remarks on this part of our subject by requesting my reader to compare attentively the character of Levi, as above recorded, with that which the apostle Paul, quoting from the Psalms, has given of man generally, whether Jew or Gentile: "There is _none_ righteous, no, not one; there is _none_ that understandeth, there is _none_ that seeketh after G.o.d. They are _all_ gone out of the way, they are _together_ become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: _their_ FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD: _destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known_: there is no fear of G.o.d before their eyes" (Rom. iii. 10-18).

EXODUS x.x.xii. 25-29.

"And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord G.o.d of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that He may bestow upon you a blessing this day."