Jul 12
28
DIVINE TREASURES
“How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!”
And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. Malachi 3:17
The preceding context tells us of “a book of remembrance” that was “written before Him, for those who feared the Lord, and who thought upon His name.” That book of remembrance was a record of the believer’s “thoughts” towards God. We have here the wondrous counterpart—God’s thoughts towards the believer. Two beautiful pictures of earth and heaven! On earth, His children are gathered together, speaking “often one to another”—of the great and glorious Being they delight to serve. In heaven, He who sees in secret, “hearkens”—and thus records His own gracious thoughts respecting them in the book of life—”They shall be Mine in that day when I make up My jewels,” (margin, “My precious treasure.”)
With what eager thoughts—ardent aspirations—do men look forward to the attainment of some cherished hope or prize or treasure, for which, as the case may be, they have wisely or unwisely toiled. The money-seeker for the day when he shall collect and store his coveted heaps. The historian for the day when his hoarded facts—his lettered wisdom—shall be compiled into a volume. The architect for the hour when the last plank of scaffolding shall be removed from the building on which he expects his renown to rest. The sculptor for the last touch being put on the breathing marble, that he may set it among the finished works of his studio.
The great God, here as elsewhere, is represented as anticipating with complacent joy and satisfaction the day of “the consummation of all things”—the day on which the top stone of His temple shall be brought forth with shouting—when the now compiling volume of remembrance shall be finished—when the now filling treasure-box shall be complete; and He shall display His jewels before an admiring and adoring world. And what does He say is to form, amid these lustrous jewels, His most prized treasure, that on which His eye seems most lovingly and fondly to rest? “They,” says He, “they,” (My believing people, the trembling band that feared Me and spoke of Me on earth,) “they” on that day “shall be Mine!”
Oh most precious, most wondrous thought of God! Can it be that He can think of treasuring me—a poor, unworthy, contemptible piece of clay, in His treasure-box now, and at last of setting me a jewel in His crown? Yes! What has He given for that jewel? Estimate its worth by the purchase-price—”You were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.”
And, as if this one exquisite figure were not enough, He adds, “And I will spare them as a man spares his own son that serves him.” Jewels are precious; but what are they compared to a loved and dutiful son? If jewels were in a burning house, a man would rush to save them. But if the alternative lay between saving them and a precious child, would he for a moment hesitate? I will spare my believing people, says God, as a man would rush, heedless of the flames, to rescue his darling son. When the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, not a hair of their heads shall perish. I will save them with a great salvation. They are Mine now—Mine, justified in Christ, Mine, adopted into My family; Mine they shall be—acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment; yes, Mine forever and ever!
All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children. Rev. 21:7
July 27—Morning—Proverbs 22:19
“That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.”—Prov. xxii. 19.
My soul, mark for thy morning meditation, what is here said. Observe, in the first place, the general knowledge the Lord hath given of his saving truth and mercies in Christ Jesus, and which becomes a sufficient warrant and authority for all the world to believe in Christ, and to accept of Christ, to the salvation of the soul. Christ in the word is the Father’s authority for every sinner to believe the record God hath given of his Son; and the rejection of this command will be the condemning sin to every one who despises this plan of salvation, because he hath heard and then turned his back upon this love of God in Christ Jesus the Lord. My soul, ponder over this view of the subject, and then turn to another sweet and distinguishing property of God’s revelation which he makes by his blessed Spirit, in the particular apprehension of it. And this is done in every heart that is made willing in the day of God’s power, when the same grace which reveals Christ in the word, reveals Christ also in the heart, the hope of glory. Here the verse of the morning is confirmed in what God saith, that in order to every child of God putting his trust in the Lord, he hath made known to thee, even to thee, this day. Observe, my soul, the personal application of the divine truth. God, by his Spirit, makes it known to thee. It comes like a letter sent down from heaven. Who is it for? Read the direction. It is for thee, my soul. Thus faith takes home the contents to the heart, and finding how exactly every thing in Jesus and his salvation suits his own case and circumstances, he lives upon it, feeds upon it, takes it for his portion, trusts in God for the truth of it, and rejoiceth evermore. My
soul, hast thou marked these distinct things? and dost thou know how to distinguish rightly between general proclamations of mercy, and special, personal enjoyments of it? Oh then, live up to the full enjoyment of God’s rich mercy in Christ; accept Christ, and use Christ, daily, hourly, to the glory of Father, Son, and Spirit; as the redemption by Christ was intended; and bless God more and more for his unspeakable gift. Robert Hawker poor man’s morning and evening devotions.