THE SEARCH OF THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD

Christmas proclaims God with us, Easter: God for us, and Pentecost: God in us. In these three holidays we see the love of the Triune God for His church. In the passion weeks much is spoken and written about the humiliation of Christ. We have followed the Man of Sorrows on the Via Dolorosa, that ended at Golgotha. How terrible has the agony been, but as the Lion out of the tribe of Judah He exclaimed: “It is finished.”

The Father showed that His attributes were satisfied in the work of His beloved Son, when the veil was rent from the top to the bottom. Now Zion could not be condemned anymore, because Christ had gone into their threefold death, wherein they had brought themselves. Christ could do this, because He had power to lay down His life and could take it up again.

Easter proclaims to us, what is impossible with man is possible with God. Let us see how it is experienced by the disciples and the women. After the death and burial of the Lord they had no hope anymore! This was the end. Even the enemies of Jesus are more careful because they remember His Words: “After three days I will rise again.” Therefore they placed a seal on the stone and a watch before the sepulchre. So all powers are organised to keep Him in the sepulchre. How foolish man is, because He has all power in heaven and in earth! What the Lord has promised to His disciples will happen, although they have forgotten in all their sorrow, what He had said to them. This happens time and again with the church and then they sink away in doubt and unbelief. When we receive a promise of the Lord it is so necessary to remember and to plead on these promises.

See now what happens in the life of the disciples, but especially of the women. They did not sleep much after the death of the Lord. Their main thought was: how can we show our love toward a dead Jesus. On Friday they must hurry with the burial, because the Sabbath was coming, but now they will embalm his body. This was a consequence of their true love for the Lord, although He had died. On their way to the sepulchre, they suddenly think of the stone. With their limited women’s strength they will never be able to move that heavy stone and still they walk onward. There are so many stones on the path of grace: doubt, fear, timidity, enmity, etc. The path of the Lord is often full of hindrances, while we desire a smooth path.

The women continue, even with this hindrance of the stone in mind; but when they come to the garden, the Lord already has solved their problem: And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. They entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

The women stand with spices in their hand, tears in their eyes, but also love in their heart: but they are not loose from the Covenant of Works, they have no knowledge of the Priestly office of Christ. They seek Him among the dead and find Him not. This way is not unknown for God’s people. Love is in their heart, but faith is so weak; then they look more to the circumstances than to the Lord, and then they will not receive the blessings of Christ’s merits. But they will not always be in sorrow. At God’s time they will hear the good tidings that the Lord is Risen. The angels of the Lord bring those good tidings to them.

Although the sepulchre is empty, the women did not know that the Lord was risen. No human eye has seen it, which is not necessary either. After this the Lord revealed Himself by many infallible proofs for forty days, but only to His children. The Father gave more glory to the resurrection of His Son by sending angels to honor Him. These messengers of the Lord speak to the women. Their shining garments make the women full of fear, so that they bow down their faces to the earth. Therefore they said: “Fear not.” There is no reason to fear. They must be glad! It is possible, you say, but it is for the women only; I wish it was for me, too: my heart is full of sorrow, I am in darkness, I miss the communion with God, and with the former blessing I cannot live. Still this message of Christ’s resurrection is a reason of gladness for the whole church, but we must be instructed in the mystery of Christ’s humiliation and exaltation.

This instruction is given to the women: Fear not, for I know that ye seek Jesus, which is crucified. He is not here: for He is risen. The angels reprove them: Why seek ye the living among the dead? This is a searching question to bring them to their senses again; there is love in the heart of these women for Jesus, but they cannot believe that their Master is risen, notwithstanding the promise: Break this temple down and in three days I will build it again. With the men to Emmaus, they don’t know the Scriptures. This the angel will show them and reprove them as the Lord did with Peter and Thomas. The word of the angel is to shame them in the weakness of their faith, that they forgot God’s Word and promise, but also to comfort them in the darkest moments of their life.

The instruction of the angel reminds them of the Words of the Lord. How beneficial is the reproof of these servants of the Lord. It is hard for the flesh, but beneficial for the soul. Therefore it is so necessary to be honest with each other also in spiritual matters. The Lord requires it, and will also give His blessing on it. Why seek ye the living among the dead? It is not yet the full Gospel of His resurrection, but the first rustling is heard. More instruction will follow.

Friends, is this also a reproof for you? Are you probably one of the many to whom it does not matter whether Jesus is dead or alive? In our days there are so many people indifferent about their eternal welfare, because this is really involved. By nature there is no true need for Jesus. The fact of Jesus’ resurrection is only important for us when we become a sinner before God. Were you ever grieved because you missed the Lord and your sin became a burden in your life? Or are you still satisfied with your religion and your daily life in the world at the same time? Then the preaching of the Easter Gospel condemns you. How terrible it will be when we read and hear the message of Christ’s resurrection, but remain estranged from Him, Whose resurrection we remember. May the Lord bring us in our inner chamber where we begin to cry for mercy. Not because of the prayer, but upon prayer the Lord performs miracles. True prayer is wrought by the Lord, but then it will be heard, too. Do you seek the living among the dead? Or is it worse: do you not seek at all? Probably satisfied with the historical knowledge that the Lord is risen? Even among God’s children we miss the love of the women, who are driven by a lively want; but then the Lord will not forsake them but will soon fulfill their need as He promised: “Before they call I will answer.” Why seek ye the living among the dead? Are there people in our midst in darkness like the women? Are you seeking the Lord on a place, where He is not?

Then this reproof of the angels must be repeated! Do you seek your rest in the works of the Law, in your tears, in your prayers, in your experience? It will be fruitless. How necessary it is that the Lord opens our eyes as it happened with the women, and that we may learn that the Lord is risen indeed. David has said: The entrance of Thy Word gives light. It gives understanding unto the simple. So it is also with the Words of the angels: He is not here, He is risen: remember…

What a simple but God-glorifying preaching; the Lord Jesus Himself foretold His death, His burial, His resurrection, but they had not understood it. This was also known to the Lord, that their faith was weak. Therefore they receive this instruction again, and now it was as if the women heard the Words of the Lord again in the preaching of the angels. By renewal they look in the empty sepulchre…and then their soul is filled with great joy as they believe the Word of the angel: He is not here, but is risen!

So we need personally an explanation of the Word, that Christ overcame death. Death is the King of Terrors, but here is preached that Christ is risen! This message is preached to all that live under the Truth, but it does not make us all partakers of His merits.

We must be called from death to life. Then God’s Word sounds in our ears: “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.” Christ overcame death, not for Himself, but for His church and that is the rich blessing of His resurrection.

Now lost sons and daughters of Adam can be called from the spiritual death to life. It is free, sovereign grace when the Lord looks upon us and when we hear His voice in the preaching of the Word, in a sudden death, or in a serious illness. Then we are stopped on our path and see that we have sinned against a beneficent God and are worthy of eternal destruction. This is acknowledged with our heart and confessed with our lips. It is by the power of Christ’s resurrection that lost sinners are made alive.

If it shall be well, then it must also happen in your life. We are conceived and born in sin, our whole life is full of sin and we are guilty of the Law. But the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all and He became a curse; He went even into death, but He is also risen. This means for the church: “So have I sworn, that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.” This is experienced by the women: their tears are taken away, their sorrow changes to gladness and they come to the full riches of grace. Here the water is not to the ankles, not to the knees, not to the loins, but water to swim in. This is the grace of justification, when it is applied to us: He was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification. What is given to the women, He can also give to His children. Blessed is the people that may meet Him by faith, because they will never be ashamed. Jesus reveals Himself and gives Himself away at His time. Stop seeking Him in places where you will never find Him, but in His Word and Spirit we may find Him and embrace Him; then it really becomes Easter in our life: He is risen!

Norwich

MEDITATION for the DAY OF PRAYER

Proverbs 30:8, the last part: “Feed me with food convenient for me.”

It is a good custom for the congregations to have a Day of Prayer, so as to ask the LORD for a forfeited blessing for the labours in the fields, for the increase of cattle, for a plentiful harvest, for agriculture and fishery, for industry and commerce, and many other things connected with the necessities of life.

However, if we have no other needs on the Day of Prayer, it is but a meager request. For above all, it would be a blessing if there were a need to learn to pray for the welfare of our precious soul.

We must never forget that our ancestors always spoke about a Day of Prayer, but at the same time about a Day of Penance. They felt the need to ask the Lord humbly for forgiveness of their personal, congregational, and national sins.

The writer of this meditation shall never forget how the late Reverend G. H. Kersten at Rotterdam spoke three times on such a day. In the morning he spoke always about the necessity of God’s blessing on our labours; in the afternoon he spoke about the circumstances in God’s church; and at night he spoke about national sins and the necessity of repentance. Nowadays most churches have only two services; others regard one service to be sufficient. Some churches frequently mention this occasion only in a service on Sunday. Let us not forget what the wise Solomon said in Proverbs 22:28: “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.”

Oh, that it might not be just a habit that we go to church on the Day of Prayer, but a need to ask the Lord for forgiveness of all our wickedness: that we would feel the necessity of a blessing in regard to all our needs, not only of our body but especially of our soul. If our needs are spiritual first of all, then we may receive David’s good advice in Psalm 37:3: “Trust in the Lord, and do good: so shalt thou dwell in the land; and verily thou shalt be fed.” If our needs are truly spiritual, the Lord will provide spiritual food, but at the same time He will take care of all other matters as well.

As citizens of the United States and Canada we have to acknowledge gratefully God’s goodness and mercy.

At a time when many people are no longer free politically or church-wise, we have to be thankful that God thus far has blessed us with the freedom to worship Him as He directs. We have to praise Him also for having given us decent homes, adequate clothing, wholesome food, the freedom of seeking an education for ourselves and our children, and countless other blessings.

Is it not a worthy cause, then, to ask Him if He would continue to provide us and our children with these blessings, and that they may be restored to those, who in recent years, have been deprived of them? Indeed, even if we have to complain that our nations, and our congregations too, more and more walk in the ways of the devil and the world, still, we are blessed nations and blessed congregations. And it should become all the more urgent, therefore, that we—personally, congregationally, and nationally—confess our sins which we commit in spite of these blessings.

Do not forget that He can take away the necessary rain. He can withhold sunshine. He can come with great disasters and terrible diseases. He can punish us with war and total destruction. He can deprive us of freedom to worship Him. He can remove the candlestick of His Holy Word.

There is much in our life which might well cause us to weep and lament. There have always been many in our countries who have sought to live without God. And is not their number on the increase, especially when we consider the multitudes whose profession is merely an occasional lip-service while their hearts are actually far from God?

How is it with you and me? Can we faithfully ask: “Feed me with food convenient for me”? Can we sincerely pray for our daily bread and spiritual manna? Do not our iniquities cry to heaven for punishment? In view of these things, can we hope for a continuation of God’s blessings?

While God’s Holy Testimony declares that “righteousness exalteth a nation”, does it not add that “sin is a reproach unto people”? Can we hope to retain our blessings under these circumstances? Is there a humble prayer to be fed with food convenient for us, or do we often murmur against God? How much dissatisfaction is there even in our families! How much jealousy is present in the heart when we think that others have more than we do!

All of us, then, have to learn the ABC of right living. This can only be done if we have learned by the light of the Holy Spirit that conversion is necessary, that we must be taught to believe in the Lord and to trust in Him. Why? Because men and women, boys and girls without soul-saving faith in God and Christ cannot have true peace in their hearts. Consequently, they cannot live thankfully, that is, they cannot live in the way of keeping God’s commandments out of gratitude. And they cannot do works of thankfulness in their life because they have never learned to pray. Prayer Day comes before Thanksgiving Day! Then only, the Lord grants faith in our heart, and then we learn the way of right living.

Oh, were there more a need to understand spiritually the holy will of God that Christ must become the Guide of our entire life. Do you know how it should be in our life, as individuals as well as congregations and as nations? Such as is stated in Jeremiah 4:2 :”The nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall they glory.”

That would be a good frame to ask in a meek way: “Feed me with food convenient for me.” Then we may know what the poet sang in Psalm 37:”I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

Do not forget, however, that at the same time we have to learn: “The transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off” (Ps. 37:38). This calls for self-examination since “the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD,” not of themselves (Ps. 37:39).

Dear reader, may our earnest petition to the Lord on the Day of Prayer be: “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches.” We have to learn first things first. Before we can and may pray: “Feed me with food convenient for me,” we have to learn that from ourselves we are full with vanity and lies, yes, that we have the godless intention to strive for more and more without ever being satisfied.

Even with God’s children this is such a weak point that they have times in their life that they are looking more for the things and the values of this world, than for that which the Lord has promised to those that fear Him. If the Lord opens our eyes, there can be times that every day becomes a Day of Prayer. Alas, the living Church has to lament, that she is mostly, so far from God, that humbleness is in the background, and that so many times she follows the customs of this world. Many of God’s children are no longer satisfied with the necessities of life. But if a child of God may live near to God, he will have a better understanding of what Paul writes to Timothy: “And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.”

The Lord Jesus taught in His Prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread.” That includes food and clothing, health and strength to do our duty. Even though man does not live by these things alone, but by every Word which proceeds out of the mouth of God, yet God does not fail to bless His people with all manner of earthly blessings. Is not this a miracle? Truly it is, because we are not worthy the least of His blessings. Yet, people of God, despite our unworthiness and God’s faithfulness, we— like the world—often want more than just “this day our daily bread.”

When we look back and remember the poverty in the days of our youth, between the First and Second World War, we have to confess: The Lord has since poured out His gifts upon us and upon our nations in great abundance. Even though we, with the people of our nations, have been guilty of much that is displeasing to God, yet His benedictions have rested upon us. O that it be a need, therefore, to ask Him if He will take care of us also in the future. Might it be a need, also, to ask Him if He will make us satisfied, for to be discontent is also sin.

We can know that even in the wilderness the Lord continued to feed the people of Israel, and only when they rebelled and murmured against Him did He withdraw His hand. When His people needed food, He sent quails in abundance and showered upon their pathway the manna with the sweetness of honey, and with wafers. He is the same God still, Who can and will provide for His people when they confess their iniquity and humbly ask Him—when they have a Day of Penitance and Prayer.

But listen, far above material blessings are experiential and spiritual blessings. It is not without purpose that the Lord Jesus spoke: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Oh, were there more a need for soul-food! Surely, Agur’s prayer would take on added and greater meaning: “Feed me with food convenient for me.” We would then pray if the Lord would deal with us as He pleased, for He knows best which food is convenient for us. He knows best how much and what kind of food we need.

On such a Day of Prayer we should in the first place beg for a hunger and a thirst after the righteousness of Christ. We should beseech the Lord if He would empty our soul, because we are so full with the things of this world. We should cry out for true conversion and with it the knowledge from heaven: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim. 6:6).

May He give on the Day of Prayer that we learn to say with Psalm 106:6; “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.” In Psalter 290:6 we have the same words and they become true for us on a true Day of Prayer:

In evil we have gone astray,
And sinful is our race;
Rebelliously our fathers walked,
Forgetful of Thy grace.

If this is the case, there comes a place in our heart for the work of Christ. But it is a greater blessing still, if He would teach us that we need to know His Person, because He alone is the Bread of Life.

What a Day of Prayer it would then be! Amen.

Chilliwack, B.C.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen