A WONDERFUL ADDRESS

Part II

Who dwell where Satan’s seat is, we may perhaps understand that literally in such a sense, that the angel of the church of Pergamus had his house near to the place where the highly honored idol was set up; while after that, in a general sense, it can be understood of the whole church, “Among you, where Satan dwells.” Sometimes the Lord leads His people beside the still waters, but they live in enemy territory. This is not the land of rest. The devil is also called the prince of the world. It is his work to oppress the church and to persecute God’s people. Often those of their own house are their enemies. Everywhere and at all times his aim is the down-fall and destruction of God’s favorites.

It is a difficult life. And it is also impossible to move away from all that misery. That sworn enemy accompanies us everywhere. Even in our home there is no place where he does not follow us. He is at our heels all the time. He is with us even when we bow to our knees, when we are given a little love and desire to pour out our heart before that all-knowing and Omnipresent God. Moreover, we always take ouselves with us. If it were possible to leave that greatest betrayer, our own flesh behind somewhere, then we would have heaven upon earth. But, O that abyss! The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; that heart which so often casts up mire and dirt, that hell within, which makes life so difficult and which restlessly goes forth to destroy and to draw us away from God, that Fountain of life. With all this misery it is still a privilege, if we may be burdened with it, and be grieved about it, and that we may take up the strife against it in the strength of the Lord. Alas, there are so many other times! So often we are brought into captivity of the law of sin which is in our members. So many times we let ourselves be carried and taken along, and we ourselves must pick the bitter fruits of it.

A short time ago I found a letter, which I had received from a much tried and exercised child of God, who now rejoices before the throne for a few years already, and at the bottom of that letter there was written: My address is prodigal and squanderer of the Lord’s goods; therefore I must often stay ashore, with a broken ship. For the world there is no other future, than soon to be separated forever from God, and cast into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But for God’s people it will be different.

Here they are strangers and pilgrims, wanderers, absent from the lord; but once they shall be delivered out of this vale of tears and delivered from the body of death. They shall be carried up to meet the Lord in the sky and in the clouds, and then they shall be forever with the Lord. They shall be brought to their destination. “I shall behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Then we shall never grieve God anymore and we will never have to condemn ourselves anymore.

And everlasting joy shall be upon our heads: and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

What a future! The ground for this lies completely in a Triune and Most Blessed Covenant God. It is eternally firm in the electing love of the Father, in the redeeming work of the Son and in the irresistible ministration and application of the Holy Spirit.

But the question is, shall it be for you and for me? It is a personal matter and it becomes more and more a personal matter. We cannot set forth on our journey to eternity with a “perhaps”. The state of those people, who dare to venture upon such a perhaps is very questionable. God’s Word teaches us something else. And the operation of God’s Spirit brings forth different fruits. There is no durable rest except only when our restless soul may find rest in God through faith in Christ Jesus. The truly convicted and discovered people of God yearn for the assurance. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “And this also we wish, even your perfection”, namely, to be confirmed in their state and confirmed in their condition. The Lord is free in alloting the measure of grace. We cannot take or seize it, but it is so necessary that we shall receive it out of grace.

David knew his condition when he testified in 2 Sam. 23:5: “Although my house is not so with God; yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.” He was in the firm covenant of God. And Paul knew where he stood when he wrote to Timothy: “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day”. There can never be any expectation from us, but happy are we if our anchor may he firm in the inner sanctuary, in the mediatorial work of Christ, in that Rock whose work is perfect.

Our address in not to honor, because it is all the fruit of our deep fall in Adam, but now to be glad with the proclamation of the Most Blessed and all sufficient God out of Isa. 57 and to find strength, in the fact that, although no one knows where to find us, the Lord knows where we dwell; and that He

favours us with His coming and visits.

“My Savior Thou art, and my strength evermore,

No longer Thy coming delay.’’

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