“We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” Hebrews 4:1515For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15). When passing through sorrow how instinctively we look for sympathy, and it is blessed to know that there is in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ perfect sympathy for every suffering saint. Think of Him now as seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high, and yet He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” so that we can always look up to Him and say—
“Jesus, my sorrow lies too deep
For human ministry,
It knows not how to tell itself
To any but to Thee.
It is enough, my precious Lord,
Thy tender sympathy;
There is no sorrow e’er so deep
But I may bring to Thee.”
The Lord Jesus Christ is able to sympathize with sorrow as none upon earth can. When down here there was no sorrow like His, and now that He is in the glory there is no sympathy like His. It is perfect, and the more you draw upon it, the deeper and fuller you find it. It satisfies and heals. Yes, the glorified Head in heaven knows and feels every sorrow, and all the suffering through which the feeblest member of His body upon earth is passing. He is touched by it, and able to sympathize with each one in it.
Mary of Bethany tasted the blessedness of His sympathy when she fell down at the feet of Jesus, saying unto Him, “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, “Where have ye laid him?” They said unto Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.
How those tears of Jesus must have spoken to the desolate hearts of the sorrowing sisters as they walked together with Him to the tomb of their brother Lazarus, and though He knew their sorrow would soon pass away in the joy of resurrection, they tasted and enjoyed His sympathy every step of the path. Do you think those sisters ever forgot that walk? Those tears of Jesus, all His deep sympathy? Never! And may we not say that, what they learned then of the love of His heart more than compensated them for all their sorrow and bereavement. They found themselves “more than conquerors” through Him that loved them. The widow of Nain knew something of the Lord’s love and sympathy when He bound up her broken heart with the words, “Weep not,” raised her only son to life again, and delivered him back to her. Jairus also knew it when the Lord said unto him, “Fear not, believe only,” and going with him to his house raised his only daughter to life again. How striking that in each of the three instances recorded by the Holy Ghost in the gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ raising the dead to life, it is an only one. Mary and Martha’s only brother, the widow of Nain’s only son, and Jairus’ only daughter. God knows how to estimate what He asks us for, or takes from us. He says to Abraham, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Genesis 22:1, 21And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. (Genesis 22:1‑2). How touching, the words “Thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest,” God thus giving a name to that deep well of joyful emotion which sprang up and filled Abraham’s heart when he received his Isaac as from the dead. How fitting that the blessed God Himself, who “is love,” should be the first to speak of love to His friend Abraham. Not till we come to Genesis 22 is the word love mentioned in Scripture, and then it is connected with an only son.
When the Holy Ghost would convey to our minds something of the depths of sorrow and repentance to which the people of God will be brought by Him in a time yet future, says, “They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Zechariah 12:1010And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10).
The Lord Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)), but we know Him now in a way that neither Mary of Bethany, nor the widow of Nain ever could have done.
When down here He was the Man of Sorrows; but having died, risen again, and ascended into heaven, he is now the Man in the glory, and He is our Great High Priest, set down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. (Heb. 8:11Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; (Hebrews 8:1).) “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25). “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15, 1615For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15‑16).
“Most merciful High Priest,
Our Saviour, Shepherd, Friend,
‘Tis in Thy love alone we trust
Until the end.
“Thou wilt our souls sustain.
Our Guide and strength wilt be
Until in glory, Lord, above,
Thy face we see.”
(Continued from page 129)
(To be continued)