I was much struck in reading Luke 3 this morning. There was the Lord's land, with the rightful heir to it lying in a manger, while it was parceled out among the Gentiles, and an anomalous condition existed in the religious polity of Israel-two high priests. Then a voice breaks in on this state of things, but it is not the rams' horn trumpets of Joshua's day, claiming the land for the Lord. That would not have been confessing the ruined condition and the sins of Israel. John is not driving back Jordan to prepare the way of the Lord, but calling a people down here to confess their sins. It is taking the true place of utter failure before the Lord, and Jesus joins this remnant. He can attach Himself in grace to such, and, when taking that position, was sealed by the Holy Ghost, and owned by the Father's voice. How good it is to be in the secret of the Lord! In later days He will write the name of His God, and of the city of His God, and His own new name on the lowly remnant who hold fast His word and do not deny His name.