The servant, with his sense of a divine call, equipment, and protection, sees through his temporary defeat to the ultimate glory which his God will enable him to achieve. The servant is Israel, languishing in exile; his destiny is to bless the world, to be “a light to the Gentiles.”

The people of God are liable to falling into temptation, into sin, into errors and mistakes, from an exercise of grace, or from a degree of steadfastness in Gospel truths, and even into a final and total apostacy, were it not for divine power; and they are not able to keep themselves.

Now to forsake such assembling, signifies a great infrequency in attending with the saints, a rambling from place to place, and takes in an entire apostacy.

There, in the safety of his retreat among the rocks, with the bit of level ground where he had fought Goliath ‘just at his feet in the valley, and Gath, from which he had escaped, away down at the mouth of the glen he sings his song of trust and praise; he hears the lions roar among the rocks where Samson had found them in his day; he teaches his ‘children,’ the band of broken men who there began to gather around him, the fear of the Lord; and calls upon them to help him in h

He who believing grasps the living Lord has a contact with Him as immediate and as real as that of the eyeball with light, and knows Him with a certitude as reliable as that which sight gives. ‘Seeing is believing,’ says sense; ‘Believing is seeing,’ says the spirit which clings to the Lord, ‘whom having not seen’ it loves. A bridge of perishable flesh, which is not myself but my tool, connects me with the outward world.

IN this book are many things difficult to be understood, and capable of being perverted by any one who desires to justify himself in an undue attachment to the world. But a reference to the condition of the author will enable us to explain the whole in a satisfactory and consistent manner.

The apostle tells us (1 Pet. 1:15, 16), the light of holiness should shine in the lives of those that are Christ’s; holiness both exercised and diffused.

God had an important work for Moses to do and for this he must be prepared. That work was to lead His people out of Egypt, and conduct them unto the promised inheritance. And for this work Moses was not yet equipped.

Thus, in Hebrews 9:11, 12 we have the actual ministry of Christ declared, in vv. 13, 14 the proofs that it was “more excellent.”

This is the prevailing disease of all our minds: not one of us is free from it. It spoils and injures us in every possible way: it makes all our life dull and insipid, and, what is far worse, it makes all our life unkindly and unfruitful.

The glorious results. The fifth chapter opens with a glorious summary of the results of what has gone before. Being justified by faith, we (for it is all personal now) who, as to our past, where enemies in our minds by wicked works, have peace with God through Jesus Christ who has become our Lord; by whom, too, as to our present, we have access by faith into this Divine acceptance in which we stand; and, as to our future we rejoice* in hope of the glory of God. Joy in hope of

And let us not be weary in well-doing. The reference here is particularly to the support of the ministers of religion (ver. 6), but the apostle makes the exhortation general. Christians sometimes become weary. There is so much opposition to the best plans for doing good; there is so much to be done; there are so many calls on their time and their charities; and there is often so much ingratitude among those whom they endeavor to benefit, that they become disheartened. Such Pa

The true servant of God cannot but be grieved that he must rebuke Christians for sin, nor can he shun to make those sorry for a season whom he would rather make glad. If the offenders will but let their sorrow work true repentance, God’s minister may rejoice in the nature of their sorrow when it is turned again to joy that is durable.

This principle is of far-reaching application. We are to serve Christ by discharging all the duties of life so as to please Him. This suggests a train of thought which has a special suitableness to young men. Note then the things which are essential to the realization of this lofty ideal of Christian service.

This poverty of spirit is a fruit that grows on no merely natural tree. It is a spiritual grace wrought by the Holy Spirit in those whom He renews. By nature we are well pleased with ourselves, and mad enough to think that we deserve something good at the hands of God.

For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

What it will mean when the Lord reigns is told out in these verses. His enemies will be defeated; He rebukes the nations and destroys the wicked; He judgeth the world in righteousness, and He is a refuge for His people. The Lord will dwell in Zion, Israel will sing praises and become the witness amongst the nations. Gaebelein, A. C. (2009). The Annotated Bible: Ezra to Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 228). Logos Bible Software. (Public Domain) “When my enemies turn back, they stumble and

The fact is still dwelt upon that God did not withdraw his gifts from his people after their great transgression in the matter of the calf.

‘Fourscore and six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’

The dry bones of Israel, of the nation as a whole, are gathered together by the power of God. God accomplishes this work by His Spirit, but by His Spirit acting in power on His people to produce certain effects rather than in giving spiritual life (although it is not to be doubted that those who are blessed among the Jews will be spiritually quickened).