There is one precious truth which stands out in relief, in God’s dealings with sinners, which I desire to press upon my reader’s soul. It is this: The moment a sinner is in the truth of his state, or that he has (in other words) got a true sense of his state as a sinner before God—God has nothing for him but grace!
Many a sincere and honest soul has never discovered this -never has found out for itself the God with whom it has to do—the God of all grace, who has to do with sinners in their sins, as a Saviour. Such are trusting, and praying, and hoping for the mercy of God; and at the same time they are turning Him into a Judge, instead of apprehending Him as a Saviour; because they are hoping that God will consider their condition at some future time, more worthy of His grace than now. Thus constituting Him a Judge of the state in which they would be fit to receive His grace. Grace has to do with sinners in their sins.
How the heart in such a state tries to hide its true condition from Him, as from itself. If it had discovered its true state, which sooner or later it must, it would thankfully be cast over on His richest, fullest mercy. It would find that God, so to speak, only desired the truth of one’s state of ruin to be known and owned, that He might fill the soul with the sense of His unfathomable and limitless grace!
Now, God has very plainly revealed the judgment which hangs over the sinner. A judgment, while as yet unexecuted, is not one whit less sure. The long suffering and sovereignty of God, in still averting the blow, is salvation. But still the sword of divine judgment is suspended over every sinner who is without Christ! Who knows how soon the thread on which it hangs may be snapped, and the wail of an eternity of woe rise up from the inmost depths of the soul of a (then irrecoverably) lost, self-ruined sinner!
We have a very beautiful illustration of the work of God in grace, in the 21St chapter of 1St Chronicles. We find that David had sinned a terrible sin-Satan stood up against the people of God; and to carry out his ends, had used David as his instrument, and provoked him to number Israel. The result was that the nation fell under the judicial dealings
of God, and the sword of judgment was unsheathed against them, He might most righteously have allowed the judgment to take its course; but instead of that, in sovereign mercy, He stays the blow (v. 15), and reveals the judgment to David and the elders of Israel; the “angel of the Lord standing between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem.” (v. 16.)
What a vivid picture of the poor sinner, led away captive by Satin, and under the impending sword of the just judgment of God. Why has not the blow fallen? Why, has not the Mercy of God been long since exhausted? Simply because God in His own sovereign mercy has stayed the blow—not willing that the sinner should perish forever in his sins.
Mark the attitude of David and the elders of Israel. Clothed with sackcloth; and fallen on their faces, owning the righteous sentence. Fit and beautiful attitude of the true repentance of a sinner towards God!
Have you ever been in the dust before God, with the sense in your soul of what you are in His sight—lost—ruined —utterly undone? No extenuating causes pleaded—no desire to conceal the grand truth of your state. An utterly ruined sinner, over whose head hangs the wrath of a justly offended God, against sin. No hope to be better lurking in the mind. No suggestion from the heart as to how God was to act; like the Prodigal who wanted to suggest to his father how lie was to be allowed back into his house. But the heart and conscience fully alive to the truth of the condition one is in, and the sense in the soul that it deserves nothing but the impending blow of judgment.
Mark the result: The way is now open to the full display of God’s provisions of grace. Christ comes in and charges Himself with the whole case. Behold Him in the last moments on His way to the Cross, as we read of them in John 18:4-114Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 6As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 7Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. 10Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (John 18:4‑11). “Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? and they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.”
Here we find the Blessed Lord Jesus standing in the breach, and presenting Himself as the victim; to answer for the guilty; and in the full intelligence of what he would have to bear for them before God—and what God required so as to establish His righteousness— “Knowing all things that would come upon him.” The true David says (as it were), “Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand be upon me, and on my father’s house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.” (1 Chron. 21:1717And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. (1 Chronicles 21:17).)
What a fitting substitute was the true David for His people. He, sinless and spotless. They, guilty and ruined. He alone could answer for, and atone for their sin.
The Lord now instructs David what is to be done that the plague might be stayed. “The threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite,” is now to be the scene of the rich display of the unfoldings of grace triumphing over sin, and the place where the punishment due for the plague of sin can be averted, and the sin put away, as afterward Calvary must witness the savor of the sacrifice of Christ. “And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offerings. And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.” (1 Chron. 21:20-2720And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. 21And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. 22Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people. 23And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all. 24And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. 25So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. 26And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. 27And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof. (1 Chronicles 21:20‑27).)
What a wonderful scene! The sweet savor of the sacrifice of Christ ascending to God from the Cross. A sin-hating God hiding His face from His Son when made sin. The whole earth darkened for three solemn hours. (Mark 15:3333And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. (Mark 15:33).) The whole moral nature of God displayed there—His righteousness against sin—His love to the sinner—His truth vindicated—His Majesty displayed—all His moral character so brought out, as nothing else could ever have done! Just as the Lord owns the sacrifice which David offered in Oman’s threshing-floor, sending fire from heaven to consume it. So does God display His satisfaction in the atonement for sin which His son offered, by rending the veil which heretofore concealed Him from the sinner. Then turning towards a fallen world He beseeches men to be reconciled to God! (2 Cor. 5:1919To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19). &c.)
How righteously then, poor trembling one, has He not commanded the sword of judgment which hung over your head to be sheathed? Because His judgment against your sin has been borne by Jesus. Is your face in the dust now before Him, and your heart full of worship and praise, as before it was filled with terror, under the dread of the impending sword of judgment? Will you believe this? Believe how it is that the moment you are in the truth of your condition before a sin-hating God, He has nothing but the riches of His grace for you? Turn then your eye away from yourself, and behold the sword of divine judgment against sin, satisfying itself in the atonement which Jesus offered to God; the sword of impending judgment which hung over your head, sheathed at the righteous command of Him whose satisfaction is without limit in Christ! If God is thus satisfied, so should you; and the full assurance of faith, is that only which does honor to the sacrifice of Christ. Your satisfaction rests in the satisfaction of God. In ordinary things, the person who has been offended and outraged, is the one who is to be satisfied—not the person who offends. How much more when it is God who was outraged and offended by your sin; but who has declared His full satisfaction in Christ for all you are, and all you have done.
The Lord give you to rest peacefully before Him in His own gracious thoughts toward you, for His name’s sake. Amen.