Ruler, because Deliverer
RULER, BECAUSE DELIVERER.
FOURTEENTH
DAY. eae (Qe Ruler, because Deliverer.
'Rule thou over us, ... for thou hast delivered us.'
; ee cae es the passage in which Judg. viii.2a. these words occur cannot be considered a typical one, yet we may perhaps take them as illustrating and epitomizing the desire of every one whom Christ has delivered.
But what about this deliverance which precedes the prayer, 'Rule thou over us'?
Is it ours?
Do we not know whether He has delivered us Isa. xxxviii, 17. or not?
It is no doing of ours, for 'we have not wrought any deliverance.
We have only His word about Isa, xxvi. 18. it, but that is indeed enough, in its absolute and unmistakable assurance :
'Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come ;' 'Who hath delivered 1 Thess. i.10.
Col. i. 13.
ROYAL COMMANDMENTS,
us from the power of darkness.'
This Luke iv. 18. | grand deliverance is accomplished, and Jesus Himself proclaims it.
Will you doubt His own proclamation of His Isa. xlii. 7, | OWn act?
He has opened the prison ib, Ixi, x. doors, and now bids the captives go free, and know that they are free.
He Lev. xxvi.r3.| has vanquished the foe and broken the bands of his yoke, and now tells you t Cor. xv.57.| that He giveth you the victory which Col. ii. 1415. | He has already won.
What can He do more?
He will do no more, because Isa. xliv. 23. | He has done all; therefore, if you. do not accept the deliverance which He has wrought, there is no other for you, Eccles.iii.r4. | and 'nothing can be put to it.'
Only believe it, and then you will joyfully say, Ps, Iv, 18, 'He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me.'
But you will not stop there.
Merely Luke i. 74. to be 'in peace' is not the end and aim of deliverance.
If we are truly deui viii.
38, | livered, the Deliverer will soon be more to us than even the deliverance, and et *, | the gratitude and love will seek expression in obedience.
Soldiers are ready to follow the captain who has won the
RULER, BECAUSE DELIVERER.
victory anywhere and everywhere; they will not want to be in any other service, least of all in that of his foe.
Rev. xiv. 4, XVil, 14.
We may take this as a test of the reality of our own participation in the deliverance which Christ has wrought for us.
If we are saying, 'Rule Thou over us,' it is a sure proof that we may add, 'for Thou hast delivered us ;' for it is As people who are willing in the day of His power.
Ps. cx, 3 This ruling is indeed the completion of the deliverance.
It is not merely that the enemy is conquered and expelled from the stronghold, but that the citadel is occupied by a stronger than he; otherwise the garrison would be Luke xi, 22, left headless and defenceless, and open at any moment to the fatal return of b. xi. 26, the foe.
So the Saviour, who has redeemed our life from destruction, is Ps. ciil. 4. the Jesus who shall save His people Matt. i. 21. from their sins, who shall cast down 2 Cote x. 5. imaginations, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
The Deliverer who comes to Zion is He who shall turn away ungodliness Isa. lix. 20.
Rom. xi. 26
ROVAL COMMANDMENTS.
from Jacob.
If we are not willing for this, we may well doubt whether we have any part or lot in the matter, and fear that we are yet in the bond of iniquity ; for Christ will not arrange Acts viii. 21. ib, vill. 23. a partial salvation to meet our partial desire.
He will not be our refuge from the penalty of sin, if we do not want Him as.our refuge from the power.
When the elders of Gilead turned to Jephthah in their distress, that he might lead them to victory over their oppressors, what was his condition ?— 'If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them before me, shall I be your head}?
Rom vi.t,22.
Titus tL 14, Judg. xi.4-8. ib. xi. 9.
Lord Jesus, Thou art exalted to be Acts v. 31 a Prince and a Saviour, and as such I need Thee and I desire Thee.
'Thou hast delivered my soul from death,' therefore I pray Thee to deliver my feet from falling, that I may 'run the way of Thy commandments.'
Oh, sit and rule upon Thy throne in my heart; reign there until Thou hast put all enemies under Thy feet!
Ps. lvi. 13. ib. cxix. 32.
Zech. vi. 13, x Cor, xv. 25,
SEPARATION UNTO.
FIFTEENTH
DAY.
———9—— Sevaration unto.
¢Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Num. xvi. O» congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself?'
HE thought of separation, so inag separable from true and growing Christian life, is sometimes invested
John xvii. 16. z John ii. 15. with an unnecessary sternness, because it is only viewed in one aspect.
Young Christians are tempted to think 'separation from .
. .'a hard thing, because they do not see how it is far more than outweighed by 'separation unio.'
Let us think a little of this bright and beautiful side of it.
Matt. xiii.44.
Rom. i. 1.
There is no true separation from the things which Jesus calls us to leave, without a corresponding separation Matt. iv. 1, 20.
ROYAL COMMANDMENTS.
unto things which are incomparably ee x29, | better.
One hardly likes to speak of it as compensation, because the ' unto' is so infinitely more than the 'from ;' it is like talking of a royal friendship
Phil. iii,8; | COMpensating for dropping a beggar's ¥ Cora. eee acquaintance, or the whole Bank of 3:
Ps. xlv. x5. | England for a brass farthing, or palace life for ' giving up' workhouse life!
Num. vi. 2.
First, and chiefly, we are separated Ps. iv. 3. unto the Lord Himself.
He wants us John xv. 15. | not only for servants, but for friends ; Prov.xxii.rr. | and He makes the friendship a splendid and satisfying reality.
He wants to bring us 'near to Himself,' that we Ps.cxlviii.r4. | may be 'a people near unto Him.'
He will not have a half possession in Lev. xx. 26. | us, and so He says He hath 'severed you from other people,' why? 'that ye Cant. vii. 10.
| should be Mine!' 'chosen unto HimPS. cxxxv, 4. ue viii. | self,' ' His peculiar treasure,' ' separated
Titus ii, 14. | from among all the people of the earth to be Thine inheritance."
Is it 'a small thing' thus to be the Lord's Num. vi.8. | Nazarite, 'holy unto the Lord all the days of his separation'? is any earthly ib. vie 7. crown to be compared to 'the consea |
SEPARATION UNTO.
ek ee i Ee ee ee cration (margin, separation) of his God upon his head'?
We are separated also to far happier human friendships than the world knows.
There is no isolation intended.
'The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.'
Those who separated themselves from the people of the land unto the law of God, ' ¢hey clave to their brethren.'
That is just it; we may lose 'people,' but we find 'brethren,' with all the love and pleasure and freedom of intercourse—yes, and even mirth—which that relationship brings. eg. 1 Thess. il. 17-20, i. 9:
2 John i. 12.
Heb. x. 24, 25.
2 Chron.
XXV. Qe.
Neh. x. 28, 29.
Mark x. 30.
1 Johnini. 14
Ps. cxxxiil. k Is not this 'much more' than the society of 'people' ?
But we do not get this, perhaps do not even guess its existence, as long as we try for both.
Both means neither, in this case; we are conscious of the hollowness of the one, and we are not separated unto, and therefore cannct possibly know the enjoyment of, the other.
Matt. vi. 24
Jas. iv. 4
( Tos. vii. 8.
Then we are separated unto work, 'the work whereunto I have called them;' very different kinds, but to Acts xiii. 2,
ROYAL COMMANDMENTS.
every man his own work, and thereby an end of all the gnawing purposelessness, and down-weighing uselessness, and miserable time-killing, and sense of 'helpless waste of life. nnud is no part of a separated life; there is no room for that wretchedness any more.
Mark xiii.
34s 'Whose I am, and whom I serve,' fills it up.
Some are separated more especially 'to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord.'
Some only to stand before Him, it may be 'by night,' so that 'songs in the night' may ascend to His glory.
Some in a thousand ways 'to minister unto Him,' to His poor, to 'His prisoners,' spiritually or temporally ; always 'unto Him' in His representatives.
But af 'to bless in His name ;' for praise is the invariable service of separation.
Acts xxvii, 23.
Isa. lil, rx.
Deut. x. 8.
Ps. Cxxxiv.1.
Job xxxv. 10.
Ps, Ixix. 33.
Matt.xxv.4o.
1 Chron.
XXlii, 13.
'Ye see your calling;' is it not a high one?
. 'Seemeth it but a small thing to you?'
Seemeth it too stern a thing?
Is it not rather a 'better thing' than fallen man could have dreamt of aspiring toP a brighter life than has entered into the natural heart of man x Cor. i. 26; Phil. iii. 14.
Num. xvi. 9. x Cor.ii.g, 10, oS ee
SEPARATION UNTO.
Sk 2 SESS a seen even toimagine?
Isit for you? Listen!
Be ye se 2S: and, what then?
'7 will receive you.'
'This is His commandment' to you, and this is His promise.
Will you obey?
Then you shall know a little, but every day more and more, of that unspeakable blessing of being 'received' by the Father, until the day when Jesus shall come again and receive you unto Himself for the grand separation of eternity 2 Cor. vi. 17.
1 John iii,23.
John xiv. 3. ib. xvil. 24 with Him.
* As by the light of opening day The stars are all concealed, So earthly pleasures fade away When Jesus is revealed.'
Joun NewrTon,