Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Joseph was an illustration
of Christ. He was rejected by his brethren.
He became unknown to them, yet he never forgot them, and he
made provision for their sustenance even when they had no knowledge
of their need. In the Lord's time, Joseph came
to a place of power, and he whom they sold for money was made
manifest as the deliverer of his brethren, as they were fed
from the fruits of his table. Judah, on the other hand, demonstrated
the natural corruption of the flesh of man as he impregnated
his own daughter-in-law. Yet God would once again demonstrate
His glory even through the wickedness of men, for it is through that
lineage that He ordained Christ to come. He is indeed the One
who has prevailed to open the sealed book and to declare the
glory of God in the earth. And one of the elders saith unto
me, Weep not. Behold, the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book,
and to loose the seven seals thereof. For it is evident that
our Lord sprang out of Judah. Time would fail us to recount
the continual manifestations of the Lord's glory which He
has unfolded in the history of mankind. Every page of that epic
volume is written by his own pen and set forth by his own
interpreter, so that he causes those who see to see, and those
whom he has blinded to have no rejoicing therein. Yet to the
sons of God they can find no greater place of joy than in
contemplating the wonders which he is pleased to unfold day by
day. I am reminded of these sobering
words penned by Isaac Watts, Chained to his throne a volume
lies with all the fates of men, with every angel's form and size
drawn by the eternal pen. His providence unfolds the book
and makes his counsel shine, each opening leaf and every stroke
fulfills some deep design. Here he exalts neglected worms
to scepters and a crown, and there the following page he turns
and treads the monarch down. As Paul said, in who is sufficient
for these things, we are made to tremble before him. It is
pleased the Lord to most clearly manifest his glory in the redemptive
work of Christ, his only begotten Son, who has come into the world
in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, making himself an
offering for sin in his agony in Gethsemane's garden and his
suffering on Calvary. His glory there can only be seen
by those to whom it is given, and the further unfolding of
His glory in His resurrection from the dead and His ascension
back into the heavens, which forms the very basis of the hope
of those whom He has called from death unto life. We seek no other
revelation, nor do we look for another Deliverer. We are quite
satisfied with that which He has done. Yet that is not all
that he has done, though that forms the very basis of that
work which he is yet pleased to perform in those whom he has
called. He promised his disciples that
he would send to them a Comforter who would lead them into all
truth. Those whom he calls his own he will never leave nor forsake.
Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Those who are admonished to work
out their own salvation, He reminds of the source of their working.
For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of
His good pleasure. The psalmist describes this very
condition as he says, those that be planted in the house of the
Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. The purpose of this
flourishing is so that his name might be glorified as he is pleased
to bring life and immortality to light in the declaration of
the gospel. to appoint unto them that mourn
in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
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. The purpose of the
preaching of the gospel is for the glory of God. The Lord will
remain faithful to his people unto the end, as John gives the
record. Now before the feast of the Passover,
when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart
out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were
in the world, he loved them unto the end. The Lord will bring
glory to His name as He demonstrates His unfailing faithfulness to
those whom He loves. There is not even a shadow of
turning in Him, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the
veil, whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,
made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Do
you have this hope? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.