Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The mercy and kindness
of God toward sinners is evidenced in His covering of them. In all
ages this covering is the only righteousness in which any man
has ever stood excepted before God. It was in this righteousness
that Enoch stood who walked with God and was not. It was this
garment which was wrapped around Noah as he found grace in the
eyes of the Lord and was seen righteous in his generation as
the multitude around him perished. It was this garment in which
Abraham was clothed even while yet in Ur of the Chaldees as
the Lord called him from darkness to light. It was in this righteousness
that Moses was covered as he led the children of Israel out
of Egypt and to the very brink of the promised land. And it
was while clothed in this covering that Joshua led the nation of
Israel to victory in the conquest of that land of promise. Not
one deed which any of these men accomplished enhanced their standing
with God, nor did any failure they might have exhibited along
the way disqualify them in his sight, since he had already made
them perfect in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who bore their
sin and clothed them in that garment of holiness which belonged
to him alone. They were and are complete in
him, even as every one of his children, both before and after
them. For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is
the head of all principality and power. In John's vision on
the Isle of Patmos, he describes seeing Christ clothed with a
garment. Now he had walked and talked with this man, Christ
Jesus, for a period of about three years. He even described
himself as the disciple whom the Lord loved. Yet this vision
of Christ overwhelmed him. His head and his hairs were white
like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame
of fire, and his feet likened to fine brass, as if they burned
in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. And
he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went
a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength. Rather than running to embrace
him or seeking conversation with him, he says, and when I saw
him, I fell at his feet as dead. While he had seen and talked
with him for many days as the Lord walked among men clothed
in the garment of humility, yet now he sees him as he is, the
Lord of glory, who dwells in the light to which no man can
approach. It is impossible for man to stand in the presence
of his glory, except that he should be pleased to reveal himself
as he walked among men. As he told Moses, Thou canst
not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live. John
would have remained in this state of abject fear and silence were
it not that he who is the embodiment of grace and mercy lifted him
up. And he laid his right hand upon
me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the first and the last.
I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore.
Amen. And have the keys of hell and
death. He who could not be covered or
bound with anything clothed himself with light, that he might be
the light of the world, drawing his children unto himself in
his own time. Paul describes this calling when
he said, For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And so we consider
this garment in which Christ is clothed, a garment of light
and life which belongs to him and is representative of that
righteousness which is his possession. He has demonstrated his perfect
willingness to show mercy to all who call upon his name. For
as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy
toward them that fear him. As far as east is from the west,
so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth
his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth
our frame, he remembereth that we are dust. His mercy caused
him to speak words of comfort to John, saying, Fear not, I
am the first and the last. Even now does he comfort those
who mourn for their sin, and who feel their separation from
him, by sending the gospel of his free grace to their ears,
which he opens to hear this glorious message, to appoint unto them
that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil
of joyful mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord, that he might be glorified. This is the garment
of Christ, which He is pleased to give to those who tremble
in His presence. Have you heard His glorious word
and believed? He is the Savior of sinners. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.