Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The one who was anointed
the great high priest over the house of God was indeed quite
mindful and desirous of this office, since he is the one who
ordained himself in this position before the foundation of the
world. Isaiah speaks of his view and satisfaction of the fulfillment
of the purpose for which he came into the earth. He shall see
of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities. The passage of time is of no
consequence to him who is eternal. He declares the end from the
beginning and sees all things as though they are already done.
Does not the psalmist allude to this very fact when he says
we spend our years as the tale that is told. It is also confirmed
by Peter who said, But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day. He is the High and Lofty One
that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy. He is before all
things, and by Him all things consist. How foolish is it for
men to think that God must twiddle His thumbs and wait to see what
men will do. He knows what is in the heart
of man, because he made man, and directeth his steps. All
things in the earth shall praise him, because he is the one who
has determined to get glory in the creation of the world, to
manifest the wonder of his grace in the redemption of sinners.
For this purpose Jesus Christ, the righteous, came into the
world and has indeed accomplished the complete and utter deliverance
of His elect from all condemnation. The very fact that it pleased
Him to come down to where we are and to make Himself of no
reputation, taking upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh,
is a most mysterious and yet glorious occurrence. God does
nothing out of a need because He needs nothing, being perfect
and complete in all of His resplendent and eternal glory. He does according
to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth, and none can stay His hand or say unto Him, What
doest thou? His predetermined purpose to
save those who were chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world is manifest, as Jesus Christ was born of a virgin
who came to fulfill the prophecy told to Joseph. And she shall
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins. Thus his joy was fulfilled when
he was anointed as our great high priest, before the first
molecule of creation was made. He was as a bridegroom coming
out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
The joy was set before him to deliver his elect, for both he
that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one,
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Those
for whom he came to redeem were his brethren, both before and
after he accomplished their redemption. In fact, it is because they belong
to him that he redeemed them. In this is demonstrated the unity
of the brethren wherein he has laid down his life for the brethren
and left us an example to follow in his steps. This is the very
heart of what he told his disciples, saying, A new commandment I give
unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye
also love one another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Paul goes
on to describe this in his exhortation to the Philippians. Fulfill ye
my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of
one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife
or vain gloating, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves. What greater joy can be had by
those who are the sons of God than to dwell together in unity
with their brethren? We read in John's epistle, we
know that we have passed from death unto life because we love
the brethren. He that loveth not his brother
abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother
is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life
abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren. The Holy Ghost causes the sons
of God to love their brethren for the same reason that Jesus
Christ loved his brethren. This is in the prayer of our
Lord as he agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane. that they all
may be one as Thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee, that they
also may be one in us, that the world may believe that Thou hast
sent me, and the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them,
that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and Thou
in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the
world may know that Thou hast sent me and has loved them as
Thou hast loved me. Do you love the brethren of Christ?
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