Jan 15
24
We did not ask God to elect us. We did not ask God to make a covenant of grace. We did not ask God to redeem us by the blood of His Son. All of these things were done before we were born. – C. H. Spurgeon
Joseph Hart
“All my springs are in thee.” Ps. 87.7
1 Bless the Lord, my soul, and raise
A glad and grateful song
To my dear Redeemer’s praise,
For I to him belong.
He, my Goodness, Strength, and God,
In whom I live, and move, and am,
Paid my ransom with his blood;
My portion is the Lamb.
2 [Though temptations seldom cease,
Though frequent griefs I feel,
Yet his Spirit whispers peace,
And he is with me still.
Weak of body, sick in soul,
Depressed at heart, and faint with fears,
His dear presence makes me whole,
And with sweet comfort cheers.]
3 O my Jesus, thou art mine,
With all thy grace and power;
I am now, and shall be thine
When time shall be no more;
Thou revivest me by thy death;
Thy blood from guilt has set me free;
My fresh springs of hope, and faith,
And love, are all in thee.
‘Ransom’ and ‘Redeemed’ – Defined
Clay Curtis
Ransom
In scripture the price paid for freedom is called the ransom.
God’s people sinned. Death had a lawful hold on them. Christ Jesus came to give his life a ransom to free them from death. He paid by dying in their place. His life was the ransom. Since he paid the ransom they are free. They can never die. The Lord Jesus said that he came to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20: 28.)
Redeem
In scripture the word redeem is very similar to the word ransom. For example, I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death (Hosea 13:14.)
In scripture, when a person owed money they would sell their things. Sometimes the person sold himself. He would become another person’s servant. God made a way for the person to be freed. First, the proper price had to be paid. This was called the redemption price. After the redemption price was paid, the person or things were freed or redeemed. In scripture the one who paid the redemption price was called the redeemer. When the person could not pay, then their nearest of kin became their redeemer.
The children of God lost everything when they sinned. They could not redeem themselves so their nearest of kin, God’s Son, paid all their debt for them. Christ is the Kinsmen-Redeemer.
The song of the glorified has three notes in it!
(Alexander Smellie, “The Hour of Silence” 1899)
“And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation! You have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth!” Revelation 5:9-10
The song of the glorified has three notes in it:
1. There is the note of Redemption. You purchased me with Your blood. Jesus ransomed me — the slave of sin, of frailty and futility, of dark despair! And not by a mere act of sovereignty and might. No — but by breaking the alabaster vase of His unblemished body for me, and by pouring forth the costly ointment of His blood. It will be the theme of my praise through the unending years of eternity!
2. There is the note of Royalty. “You have made us kings!” O wondrous thought to quicken the torpid pulses of my soul! I will sit down with Him on His own throne, and He will share His great empire with me!
3. There is the note of Consecration. “You have made us priests!” I am, through Jesus Christ my Lord, a white-robed, white-souled worshiper, thanking and adoring God, offering to Him the incense of prayer, presenting to Him continually the sacrifice of my praise, lifting up holy hands in ceaseless intercession!
Jesus has done it all! “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12
CHRIST’S PROMISE OF HIS PRESENCE
“Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The Lord promises His presence in public worship. If He is there, I want to be there every time. It is a sad day when someone can easily absent themselves from the place where He has promised His presence. Someone says, “I do not want to turn coming to church into bondage.” Since when is it bondage to always want to be where He has promised His presence? It is true that we all have ebbs and flows in our lives and sometimes are not even conscience of His presence in public worship. But whether we feel His presence or not, His presence is there every time two or three are gathered in His name. We don’t want to presume that or take it for granted, but this is still His promise, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” If He is there, I want to be there every time. That is not bondage. That is blessing! Todd Nibert.
There was not a speck of sin on the conscience, nor a principle of sin in the nature of His people for which Christ was not judged on the cross; and they are now looked upon as having died with Christ, lain in the grace with Christ, His people raised with Christ, perfectly accepted in Him – their sins, their iniquities, their transgressions, their enmity, their uncircumcision, having been entirely put away by the cross. The sentence of death has been written on the flesh; but the believer is in possession of a new life, in union with his risen Head in glory.
What rest – perfect rest – for the heart and conscience is here! What full relief for the burdened spirit! All our sins buried in the grace of Christ, not one – even the smallest – left out! God did this for us! All that His searching eye could detect in us, He laid on the head of Christ when He hung upon the cross! He judged Him there and then, instead of judging us in hell forever. – C. H. Mackintosh
The King on His Throne!
James Smith
The Lord Jesus is a most wonderful person, and everything truly wonderful meets in him. God loves to speak of him. Angels love to praise him. All who are taught by the Holy Spirit love to exalt him. The inspired writers are always setting forth, and exalting Jesus. They are continually giving some new view of him, ever pointing to some fresh excellency in him. He is the great king, and the testimony is, “He shall sit and rule upon his throne!” Zechariah 6:13.
THE SOVEREIGN. The Lord is a great king — a great king over all the earth. JESUS is our king, God’s king — and a great and glorious king he is. Greater than David, the man after God’s own heart. Greater than Solomon, the wisest among men.
He is incomparable.
His wisdom is infinite, knowing neither limit nor bound.
His empire is universal, for all things are put under his feet.
His subjects are innumerable, like the dew drops of the morning, or the sands on the sea shore.
His resources are boundless, and his power to create more is infinite!
His laws are equitable, for justice and judgment are the basis of his throne.
His reign is eternal, for he shall rule forever and ever.
Wonderful Sovereign!
Wonderful Savior!
Sovereign and Savior in one!
CHRIST’S THRONE. Not constructed of ivory or gold — but glory. It is a glorious high throne, and it is the place of our sanctuary.
It is lofty, above the heavens;
it is magnificent, dazzling to behold;
it is eternal, and can know no decay;
it is encircled with a rainbow, the emblem of security and peace.
It is Christ’s own throne.
His by heirship, as the only begotten of the Father.
His by the ordination and appointment of his Father.
His by right of purchase, being founded in his own most precious blood.
His by the suffrages of his people, for they all unite to vote him the throne, and desire that he should reign forever and ever.
CHRIST’S HAPPINESS. He sits upon his throne! He has not to fight for it, or raise an army to defend it. But there he sits and fills it with calm dignity and majesty. He possesses it by lawful right. He retains it by the exercise of grace and justice. He enjoys it with holy satisfaction and pleasure. He satisfies the whole of his subjects — there is not a traitor among them.
He rules . . .
by love — pure and holy love;
by law — suited to the nature and character of his subjects;
by power — having authority to reign, and might to exercise that authority;
and by wisdom — the highest wisdom, which overrules all things for his own glory, and the highest good of his subjects.
His throne is now invisible to mortal eyes — but it will be seen by and bye. John beheld it in vision, and writes, “I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, before whose face the earth and Heaven fled away!” “And he who sat upon the throne, said, Behold I make all things new.”
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord Almighty shall reign in the new Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. Then shall be fulfilled the prediction, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”
His government will be successful and eternal, fulfilling all the Scripture has spoken, and answering every end designed by it. He will never be deposed. He will never abdicate, for the Lord shall reign forever, even your God, O Zion, unto all generations. All his saints are ordained to be sovereigns, and will reign by virtue of their union with him, and relation to him. “And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and have made us kings and priests unto our God — and we shall reign on the earth.”
Well therefore, may all who love his name unite to exalt him, and join in singing, “Unto him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen!”
The Lord Jesus is our judge, the Lord Jesus is our king, the Lord Jesus is our law-giver — he will save us!
Hark, ten thousand harps and voices
Sound the note of praise above!
Jesus reigns, and Heaven rejoices;
Jesus reigns, the God of love.
See, he fills yon azure throne,
Jesus rules the world alone!
King of Glory, reign forever:
Yours an everlasting crown
Nothing from your love shall sever
Those whom you have made your own.
Happy objects of your grace,
Destined to behold your face!
Savior, hasten your appearing;
Bring, O bring the glorious day;
When, the awful summons hearing,
Heaven and earth shall pass away
Then with golden harps we’ll sing,
Glory, glory to our King!