“Four Bright Jewels” From Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
There are four bright Jewels in the crown of forgiveness. The first is a full forgiveness. Whoever God forgives, He forgives all every sin be it ever so dark and deep.
“The Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). “Our God will abundantly pardon.” It is a full forgiveness.
The second Jewel also sparkles; it is “freeness.” Yes, thank God, forgiveness is free. Free.
“I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake.” It is a free forgiveness.
It is neither goodness in man that makes God willing; nor yet evil in man that makes Him unwilling to forgive. It is only and entirely “for His own sake” (His love), that He pardons the guilty sinner. The words in every language which express pardon and forgiveness, all imply a free gift.
We have a third Jewel in this crown: Christ’s forgiveness is final. No after charges. No blotting out today and writing down again tomorrow. The sins of a believer are “cast behind God’s back into the very depths of the sea.”
But there is yet one more Jewel in this crown. Forgiveness is a present blessing. It is not something in prospect, but for present possession. It is not a mere plank on which to cross the stormy waters of Jordan at death, but a staff on which to lean all our journey through life. It is not a promissory note payable in the next world, but a treasure possessed and enjoyed now in this world.
Unconverted men take a different view of forgiveness. They think about it only in connection with the time when they come to die, not before; they only hope to be forgiven then.
Fellow sinner, sin is no trifle, or fancy, but a dread reality. And thank God, “forgiveness” of sin is also no mere fancy, but a grand truth. It is our first, our greatest need, and obtained only through accepting the substitutionary work of this Man Christ Jesus.
“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 man pluck them out of My hand.” (John 10:27, 28).
“Parlor” From Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(speaking chamber). King’s audience-chamber (Judg. 3:20-25).
“Bed, Bedstead” From Concise Bible Dictionary:
In the East the beds were simply mats that could be rolled up in the morning and put away in any corner. This explains why the persons who were healed were told to “take up” their beds (Matt. 9:6; Mark 2:9, 11-12; John 5:8-12). For covering, a quilt sufficed, and in cold weather a thicker one; but often they used their own garments only: this accounts for the law that a garment taken in pledge must be restored when the sun went down, that the owner might sleep in his own raiment, or outer garment (Deut. 24:13). For bedsteads, simple couches were commonly used, and where there was no separate bed-chamber the divan on one side of the room, that was used for reclining on in the day, served for the bedstead at night. Doubtless light movable couches were also used as bedsteads, (2 Kings 4:10), under which a lamp could be placed, (Mark 6:21), and on which the man was let down through the roof (Luke 5:18). The bedstead of Og the giant king of Bashan was of iron, 9 cubits long (about 13 feet 6 inches) and 4 cubits wide (6 feet) (Deut. 3:11).
“Parlor” From Concise Bible Dictionary:
An inner or upper private apartment (Jud. 3:20-25; 1 Sam. 9:22; 1 Chron. 28:11).
Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:
Meaning:
from 2314; an apartment (usually literal)
KJV Usage:
((bed) inner)chamber, innermost(-ward) part, parlour, + south, X within