Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. It is impossible that any
of the sons of men could ever grasp the depths of the soul
sufferings of Christ. Yet for our learning and humbling,
he has seen fit to give us a record of them in the Psalms. In many
of these Psalms, we get a small glimpse of some of that grief
which he underwent in our behalf. Psalm 102 is one of those Psalms. He says, for my days are consumed
like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. What anguish
of heart is upon him as he sees his life consumed and feels the
pain of the sin of his people in his very bones. Every day
of his life he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, and
not one of those for whom he underwent this suffering either
understood it nor could any stand with him in the midst of it.
He says, my heart is spitting and withered like grass so that
I forget to eat my bread. We read that he spent much time
in prayer and fasting. His fasting was not some religious
exercise which he undertook out of habit or conformity to dogma,
but rather the burden of our sin which he bore was so great
and occupied his mind and heart to the extent that he simply
forgot to eat. He says, I'm like a pelican of
the wilderness. I'm like an owl of the desert.
I watch and amaze the sparrow alone upon the housetop. Both
the owl and the pelican are solitary birds. The Lord Jesus Christ
had meat to eat that the world knew not of. He trod the winepress
of God's wrath alone. While sparrows are generally
seen in great flocks fleeting about here and there, yet he
likens himself to a single sparrow, which is indeed an oddity in
the natural realm. There is none like Him, who verily
was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest
in these last times for you. He says, thou shalt arise and
have mercy upon Zion for the time to favor her, yea, the set
time is come. How glorious it is to consider
that before the world was ever formed, the Lord of glory determined
a particular hour wherein he would manifest the deliverance
of his people upon whom he would show mercy. But when the fullness
of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman made
under the law to redeem them that were under the law that
we might receive the adoption of sons. Herein he has demonstrated
his great favor to Zion, which he chose in Christ from before,
the foundation of the world. The whole creation centers around
this set time. God, who at sundry times and
in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the world, who, when he had by
himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high. This is indeed that set time
which prompts all of creation to fall upon their faces and
worship Him, who is the beginning and the end. The kingdoms of
this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ,
and He shall reign forever and ever. We give Thee thanks, O
Lord God Almighty, which art and wast and art to come, because
Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power and hast reigned. The reign
of Christ is set forth as we see him fulfill that new covenant
which he promised to give. I will put my law in their inward
parts and write them in their hearts, and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. Not only has he canceled the
debt of sin which his people owe, but he has made an offering
which could and has taken away their sin. not only judicially
but in their heart and mind. For the law, having a shadow
of good things to come and not the very image of the things,
can never, with those sacrifices which they offered year by year,
continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For it is not possible
that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever,
sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, that is,
set apart. This is reconciliation. Those
who were rebels by choice and nature now throw down their arms
and worship at his footstool, loving even the dust and stones
of his kingdom. He whom they despised is now
the one whom they desire to abide with. For a day in thy courts
is better than a thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God than to dwell in tents of wickedness.
Are you reconciled unto him? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.