Venezuela is the sixth largest country in South America, and it lies just north of the equator. A great variety of wild animals and birds are found in its forests and on its plains, while its rivers abound with reptiles and fish. A missionary and his wife from Venezuela visited us the other day, and they told us some interesting stories.
Once when they were up in the hills of the backwoods, they met a hunter who had with him the skin of a cougar, or mountain lion. The hunter told them he had been out hunting with his dog one day when they came upon the track of the lion. The lion went into a hole in a great pile of stones, and the dog went in after him. To save the life of his dog, who was nailed down by the lion’s powerful claws, the hunter crawled into the dark hole underneath that pile of stones, with his knife in his mouth, to the spot where he was hidden, and he killed that lion all alone. The missionary bought the lion’s skin from the hunter and brought it home.
That hunter saved the life of his dog at the risk of his own! And this is but a faint picture of the Lord Jesus going into death, even the death of the cross, to save you and me from the grip of that roaring lion, the devil, who wields the power of death. The Lord Jesus went down into the very jaws of death to set us free. It was our sins that took Him there, for “the wages of sin is death.” Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). Such was His love for sinners, that though He, the holy, spotless Son of God, could have gone back to heaven without dying, yet He would not turn back from going to the cross. He laid down His life that we might have eternal life instead of eternal death. Now “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
In Ephesians 4 we read that He who descended into the lower parts of the earth, is the same One who ascended far above all heavens, “Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive.” He triumphed over Satan and has led him captive. But here He is seen as bringing with Him the Church also, His redeemed whom He has set free from Satan’s chains, and these He will display as trophies of His victory in that soon-coming day. They will be in that same glory with Himself, when He rides out of heaven in triumph and in power, to reign over the earth. Will our dear reader be among that number? We hope you too can sing:
He died for all; He died for me;
And when He died, He set me free.
The poor dog in our story was in a desperate case. No doubt it was his pitiful whines and howls of distress that brought his brave, faithful friend to his side in that dark hole in the rocks. But if you are without Christ, you are in a far worse case; for you are still under Satan’s power, and because of your sins, death and judgment stare you in the face. What the Lord Jesus wants to hear is your cry of faith, like Peter of old, “Lord, save me,” and He will save you in a moment’s time. “For whosver shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).
ML 08/09/1959