Our Lord said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid” (Matt. 5:1414Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:14)). It is encouraging to consider the thoughts of dear Habakkuk, in a day of great need and ruin. “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places” (Hab. 3:17-1917Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. (Habakkuk 3:17‑19)). Oh! we need not be discouraged, for the Lord is our resource. Though all seems so dark, we can still be that light upon a hill; our high places cannot be taken from faith. That is the message that dear Habakkuk received from the Lord and acted upon. “The just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:44Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)). What a great cloud of witnesses has compassed us about. May we follow their faith (Heb. 11:12-1312Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:12‑13)).
Great Multitudes and Individual Need
In reading Matthew’s gospel recently, I was impressed with the expressions, “Seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain.” Then, “When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.” And, “Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave commandment to depart unto the other side” (Matt. 5:1; 8:1; 8:181And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: (Matthew 5:1)
1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. (Matthew 8:1)
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. (Matthew 8:18)). Our hearts would desire to be identified with “great multitudes,” but the Lord saw the need of separating from them, in order to have His own with Himself or to be alone with someone who had a need of Him. We delight in numbers. The Lord was content to meet the needs of individuals—even when they were found in their loneliness and isolation from the crowds.
The woman at the well, Bartimeus, Nicodemus and others were alone with the Lord. May we be encouraged by this and be content to be occupied with individuals, one here or one there, those individuals whom the Lord may bring into our lives.
Power and Persecution
In Matthew 10 the Lord calls the twelve apostles to Himself and prepares them to go out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Though they had been given power against unclean spirits and power to heal all manner of sickness and disease, He tells them they would be as sheep among wolves. They were to be wise but harmless, for they would be brought before kings. But they were to prepare no messages, for those would be supplied at the time of need.
They would be persecuted in this city (Jerusalem), and it was intimated to them that men would kill their bodies. Yet they followed their Lord. We would like to have power but draw back from persecution. Their power was to heal and do good in spite of the persecution. Oh! what an example the apostles have left us. Paul could say, “Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day” (1 Cor. 4). These dear men were told that “he that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.” May we seek by grace to follow their faith.
H. Short