Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of the Morseals for Zion's 4. Yet to contend that natural men
cannot read it with some prophet is to deny that it was recorded
by men for the benefit of men. We are sure that every word of
these holy scriptures was dictated by the God of heaven and earth,
and nothing in its pages is derived from the creative abilities of
those who penned its words. But we are quite sure that every
word of it was recorded by the hands of sinful men, of like
passions as we are, with a purpose to record these things for the
profit of those who would later read them. In many cases these
men recorded prophecies which they had no understanding of
when they wrote them. Yet the author of them gave the
ability to transcribe them in perfect detail so that not one
jot or tittle of what was written should ever fail to come to pass
exactly as the prophecy is given. They often wrote them with current
events in mind and saw those events transpire in the kingdoms
and governments of the time. Yet in most cases the greater
application of the prophecy was to occur long after they were
dead and was hidden from them. It takes no spiritual understanding
to read the scriptures and take them at face value, and there
are many very profitable practical lessons which are taught in its
pages. These things are useful to men, but a man can never arrive
at the true meaning and purpose of the scriptures apart from
divine revelation, to behold the unsearchable riches that
are within their pages, where they are hidden from the wise
and prudent. The reason the Lord taught in
parables was in order to establish this very fact. Therefore I speak
to them in parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing
they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled
the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear,
and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and not
perceive. So it is a true thing that men
do not arrive at an understanding of spiritual truth through their
own efforts and cannot grasp the true import of the scriptures
by their diligent study apart from the pleasure of the Lord
to open their blind eyes. This privilege is given to those
whom the Lord is pleased to visit with the new birth. Even then
He gives to them but a measure of understanding and applies
the truth to each one according to the measure of faith which
He is pleased to grant. The Lord gives His children the
measure of understanding which is in keeping with His purpose
for each one, and all of His children do not possess the same
level of comprehension of those things, yet each one is thoroughly
equipped for their calling according to His purpose. All scripture
is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good
works. So we often see in the Bible
a practical lesson for the sons of God, which is the framework
for the greater lesson, which is applied to the heart and head.
One of these instances which stands out to us is the Lord's
teaching about the Sabbath day. If all that a man sees in the
scriptures when he reads of the Sabbath day is simply one day
out of the week, then he can see no more than the Pharisees
did, who were of their father the devil. The keeping of the
Sabbath is not primarily given so that men might observe one
day above another in some religious ritual. For the Lord Jesus Christ
is the Sabbath for His people. In Him alone do they find rest,
and He is the complete fulfillment of the requirements of the law
which says, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. So there
is no legal reason wherein the people of God who are found in
Christ have any obligation to a particular day. Yet there is
clearly a benefit for the sons of Adam in the institution of
a day of rest, for a man who works seven days a week will
soon burn himself out. Though there are no set times
given in the scriptures wherein the sons of God are required
to meet together, it is quite clear that such is vital to their
spiritual well-being. How foolish it is, then, for
those who consider themselves to be the followers of Christ
to neglect the regular meeting of the saints. It is in these
gatherings that we bear one another's burdens as we pray and seek the
face of the Lord together. It is here that we build up one
another in the faith as every joint of the body supplies that
which the body lacks. If we love the brethren, can
we neglect them?