"There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; the conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; the spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces."
In these verses we get many of the principles of faith. We see it first in the ant who, though she is not strong, prepares her food in the summer. Faith always looks to the future, and gives up present enjoyment for future blessing. The ant may be considered a mean, laborious creature, while it is preparing its food, and others are enjoying themselves in the summertime; but it reaps the reward of its toil in the winter when its storehouse is full, and others are wanting food. Thus the saint is despised and rejected now, but he will soon enjoy happiness when those who are now happy will be miserable. In the conies we see a picture of the Christian, feeble and unable to defend himself, but strong in the Lord, his ROCK. Away from Christ he is nothing, but in Him he is strong and invincible amid all the attacks of the enemy. Christ is our Rock, our Fortress, our God, our Strength, our Buckler, and the Horn of our salvation (Psalm 18:22The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2)). "The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands." This gives us a beautiful picture of the love and harmony that ought to exist between Christians; though they have no visible head, yet should they show the influence of their Head in the order and unity manifested in their assemblies. Though the locusts have no king, yet there is not the slightest disorder in their bands; all is closely compacted together; all is harmony and order. In systems of men's devising, there is always some head set up, and the worldling will mock those who have no head, because he would say, "There can be no order or regularity where there is no head." But though the worldling know it not, Christians have a Head, who by the leading of the Holy Ghost presides in their assemblies.
"The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces." Here again we see another picture of the Christian, disagreeable and contemptible in himself, yet he has access into the holiest. Mark the ambition of the spider; it is not in the lowest corner only that the spider is to be seen, but even on the golden cornice and the marble stone.
Thus let it be with the saint, endeavoring individually to be like the ant, providing for the future (Matt. 6:19-2119Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19‑21)); like the coney, trusting not in himself, but in the Lord his Rock; collectively, like the locusts in love and harmony; and like the spider, having boldness to enter into the holiest.