DOUBTLESS our youngest reader could tell us that Solomon was the wisest man the world ever saw, ― “the man Christ Jesus” alone excepted, ―and perhaps the above are the wisest words that he ever uttered or penned. It at once confronts us with the fact that if we want that which will prove lasting, “eternal salvation,” unceasing joy, unending happiness, enduring satisfaction, abiding peace, yea, “pleasures for evermore,” we must go to God for them. He alone is their source; none other can dispense them, and, blessed be His holy name forever, He offers them freely to “whosoever will.” It is just here, dear reader, that you have failed. Your heart yearns for satisfaction; you have tried the world, where all is transitory and passing, and you have failed; you have tried religion, which, without Christ, is but empty form, and it has failed. Let us most affectionately beseech you to be done with it all, and go to God to have your heart’s craving met; for “I know,” saith the preacher, “that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.”
Herein Solomon himself made the fatal mistake. He was a mighty monarch, swaying the scepter over a magnificent kingdom; he had wisdom unparalleled, and riches untold; yet, like every other man, he had in his heart that strange aching void, which we cannot describe, but all understand. He set himself to fill it: he ransacked the universe; every corner under the sun he tried; of every pleasure that the world could offer he drank deeply; every pursuit, whether literary, scientific, or philosophic, he followed, but he had to pronounce all a dismal failure: “All is vanity and vexation of spirit” (2:17). In this respect it would seem that David was wiser than his son; he had good experience of the world, he knew full well that there was nothing there to meet his need, therefore at once he soars above the sun, saying “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee” (Psa. 63:11<<A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.>> O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; (Psalm 63:1)); and immediately he can add, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness” (vs. 5). God, by His Holy Spirit, presents to man for his acceptance an inexhaustible store of eternal blessing through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is outside of the world, it is independent of man, it is all of God; and “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.”
Let us consider briefly those things done by God in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and which “shall be forever.”
THE WORK ON THE CROSS.
In Hebrews 10:1212But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12) we read, “This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God.” All who are conversant with the furnishing of the tabernacle, are aware that the one article of furniture conspicuous by its absence from that structure was a chair or seat of any description. From this we learn that the priest’s work was never done, the altar’s craving never being satisfied; therefore man’s need was never met. But now the Holy Ghost points us to One who made one sacrifice forever, and sat down on the right hand of God. Let us travel back in spirit to the cross of Calvary, and there we, as it were, hear the voice of God saying, “put thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground” (Ex. 3:55And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5)). On that cross there hangs One, who though very man is very God, the object of man’s contumely and Satan’s malice, ―shall we add? the object of angel’s wonder. His enemies have done their worst. Behold Him there! His thorn-crowned brow, His nail-pierced hands and feet; yet, as has been truly said, “No pain inflicted by man ever called forth a cry from His blessed lips.” But now, at midday, when the sun was wont to shine in meridian strength and splendor, the scene is shrouded in darkness. Oh sinner! couldst thou but penetrate that darkness, the sight thou wouldst behold would break thy heart.
But, indeed, what took place there none but the Divine and Holy Trinity shall ever know. The precious Saviour is there alone. He has been betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, forsaken by all His disciples; the creatures of His hand have spit in His face, and heaped upon Him all the ignominy of which their vile human hearts were capable. Now He turns to God, with whom He dwelt, and whose delight He was in the past vista of eternity, on whom He was cast from His advent to this scene, in whom He ever trusted, and not in vain; for once and again the heavens had been opened upon Him, and God Himself had proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17, 17:5). But He makes the awful discovery that He is forsaken even by God! Hear that piercing cry, wrung from the depths of His heart, “My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:4646And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)). The anguish that was His then no tongue can tell or heart conceive. He was alone, bearing our sins, and the righteous unmitigated judgment of a holy God breaking over His blessed head! But He endured it, yea, He exhausted it. The darkness lifted; with the shout of a conqueror He uttered these triumphant words, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)).
Hear, ye heavens! rejoice, ye ends of the earth! shudder, ye demons in hell! “It is finished.” God is glorified, the devil defeated, salvation procured and sin to be eventually abolished. The work is done, done by God, and done forever; for “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.” Skeptic! scoffer! careless sinner! anxious soul! He died for thee. Ye who seek reformation, self-improvement, &c., you are too late; to the winds with your works, your religion, and your so-called righteousness! Nearly two thousand years ago the work was done, done forever, and done to the absolute satisfaction and eternal glory of God; so that now, in virtue of that work, and that alone, God offers thee SALVATION FOREVER, here and now, without works, without effort of thine, “without money and without price.”
In Hebrews 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14) we read, “by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” The salvation of God is worthy of Himself; it is not temporal, or, connected merely with time; it is forever. We frankly avow that we have no sympathy whatever with those who disseminate the doctrine of saved today, and lost tomorrow; we do not hesitate to assert that such teaching is dishonoring to God. We can imagine a man having a besetting sin―perhaps a slave to drink―saying, “It is easy to write thus; I know I ought to be saved, and that now; nor have I any difficulty as to the way; but if saved today, Satan would tempt me tomorrow. I might succumb, dishonor Christ, and better not to have professed at all.” Friend, if it were the work of man you might argue thus; but we rejoice to tell you that it is all of God. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:99But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. (Jonah 2:9)), and “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.” “He is able also to save them to the uttermost (or evermore, see margin) that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 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)). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-3027My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one. (John 10:27‑30)).
Trembling soul, put thy foot down there, and believe God’s Son, and God’s record, and say: By grace I am saved, ―saved by God, and saved forever! for “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.” Hallelujah!
One more point, and that of deepest solemnity, we must bring before thee ere we dose. If thou dost still spurn God’s grace, reject His Son, neglect His great salvation, thou wilt most surely be
LOST FOREVER.
In Revelation 14 we read, “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever.” The soul who finds his or her everlasting portion in the lake of fire, has the awful knowledge of having been consigned there by God Himself, therefore “it shall be forever.” Read Revelation 20:11-15,11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15) and imagine what a scene it will be; God forbid that any reader of these lines should be there. “The dead, small and great, stand before God.” Out of that opened book the whole history of the individual sinner is disclosed; no extenuating circumstance is found, no redeeming feature can be produced, still God is slow to judge. How He hastens to bless! He has but to see the prodigal turn his step homeward, and He actually runs, falls on his neck, and kisses him (Luke 15:2020And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)). “But judgment is his strange work,” therefore yet another book is opened, heaven’s register is searched, but the guilty culprit’s name is not there. And now, from the lips of the eternal God, in the person of His Son, comes that dreadful word “Depart!” and thus banished from His presence, the poor benighted soul finds his or her portion in hell, and “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever.”
Thank God, it is still “the day of salvation;” and may He, by His Holy Spirit, lead thee to take thy place as a lost sinner. Trust in His Son, rest thy soul upon His finished work, and be saved now and saved forever, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake; then thy portion shall be “forever with the Lord,” and thou wilt join in the anthem-of the redeemed: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us a kingdom of priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:5, 65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6).)
W. B. D.