Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The Lord would surely teach
us of his hatred of sin as he poured out rain from the heavens
and water from the fountains of the deep to completely cover
the earth and in his judgment destroy all living creatures
which dwelt upon the land. Yet he would demonstrate the
wonders of his grace in this same cataclysm as he shut Noah
and his family and that animal creation which he would preserve
in the ark which was Christ. The earth was changed by that
deluge, and what men see as destruction, God meant for good to those who
are the called according to His purpose. The Lord would demonstrate
throughout the pages of the Bible His determined purpose to make
a differentiation between that which He would make acceptable
to Himself and that which He would cast away. All of this
is according to his sovereign will and purpose, and all of
creation is at his mercy. But oh, how great that mercy
is, as we see him subject the whole creation unto vanity, that
he might show the wonders of his grace and mercy to those
who are vessels of mercy, which deserve obliteration as much
as those vessels of wrath, which he has appointed unto destruction.
Nay, but, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall
the thing formed say to him that formed it, why'st thou made me
thus? Had not the potter power over the clay of the same lump
to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour? What
if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known,
endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction? and that he might make known
the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had
before prepared unto glory. Who is sufficient for such things?
The psalmist speaks of changes in the earth wrought by that
flood, which he describes, thou cover'st it with the deep as
with a garment. The water stood above the mountains.
Just as surely as these waters arose according to his command,
they did quickly subside according to the same. At thy rebuke they
fled, at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. Yet he would
reveal that he had a merciful use even for those floodwaters
which he brought upon the creation. They go up by the mountains,
they go down by the valleys into the place which thou hast founded
for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over,
that they turn not again to cover the earth. He sendeth the springs
into the valleys which run among the hills. They give drink to
every beast of the field. The wild asses quench their thirst. He gave Noah a promise that he
would not again destroy the earth and its inhabitants with water.
Yet to remind men that the flood belongs unto him, he appointed
a place for these waters to abide, setting their bounds that they
cannot pass over. We hear much from the wise men
of the world that rising sea levels are going to ruin the
earth as we know it. I don't know exactly where the
bounds of this water are that he has set, but I am sure that
this water can go no farther than he has appointed. And I
am equally sure that nothing that men shall do can prevent
it from occupying those bounds which he has ordained. These
waters which the Lord brought forth from the deeps and the
clouds have now been repurposed for the benefit of the beasts
of the field, including even the wild asses. We learn in the
gospel that it pleases the Lord to reveal his truth to babes
while hiding it from the wise and prudent. He upbraided the
Pharisees as they strutted about in their supposed righteousness,
pointing out that the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom
before them. How could the beasts and wild asses find water if
it was not that the Lord caused it to flow down from the mountains
into the valleys below? So too it is true that men by
nature cannot find out the place of his dwelling, nor enter therein
by their own power and thought. He watereth the hills from his
chambers. The earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy words.
In like fashion He has sent His Word into the earth, and prepared
a people to hear and rejoice in that Word according to His
purpose. None who hear it shall go lacking. These wait all upon
Thee, that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season, that
no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption, that according as it is written,
He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Do you hear his
call? While all our hearts and all
our tongues join to admire the feast, each of us cry with thankful
tongues, Lord, why was I a guest? Why was I made to hear thy voice
and enter while there's room, when thousands make a wretched
choice and rather starve than come? T'was the same love that
spread the feast that sweetly forced us in, else we had still
refused to taste and perish in our sins. For a free CD containing
15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at
windstream.net.