II (a) All power in heaven and in earth. What a change! From the immeasurable depths of his humiliation to the equally immeasurable heights of exaltation. From weakness to power and the latter the direct result of the former, according to his own prayer “I have glorified thee on the earth, and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory I had with thee before the world was.” This glory is restored to him now not merely as the Son but as the Mediator. Having laid the foundations of his kingdom on earth in righteousness, he now ascends the throne, thereby to ensure that all the blessings purchased and won are effectually bestowed.
There are two spheres wherein this power operates: (1) In heaven. In the heavenly state the power of the Mediator will be exercised without opposition, restraint or restriction. In a sinful state, faith sees as through a glass darkly, and so our views of heaven are at the best but imperfect and entirely dependant on what has been revealed. Perhaps it is easier for us to think of it in a negative rather than in a positive way. The state of glory will admit of no sin, no misery, no death, no tears, no temptation. All these and much more that mars our peace here have gone for ever. Now there is joy, holiness, realisation, fellowship, life everlasting without a shadow of sin, doubt or fear; each soul itself “perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity,” and each in company of myriads all perfectly blessed to the same fullness. Oh, what a happy community of joy will that be! And to ensure and perpetuate that state of glory, all power in heaven is in Christ’s hands. No doubt love—holy, triumphant, divine love—will be the prevailing element in the exercise of his power realising itself in that joy unspeakable and full of glory with which all the redeemed shall be eternally satisfied. As each little shell in the sea-shore is filled up to capacity by the incoming tide so shall each glorified saint receive to the utmost capacity of all his powers what will fill him with joy, and what will eternally maintain that fulness as out of the infinite ocean of the Redeemer’s merits. And this is the Redeemer who waits to welcome home each of his redeemed at the moment of death. “Absent from the body, present with the Lord,” “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.”
(2) On Earth. Here conditions are very different and the powers of evil very much in evidence. Doubtless by the cross the head of the old serpent has been bruised, and his ultimate destruction rendered certain; still until the restitution of all things come he is the recognised god of this world, and uses his vast power, as far as he is permitted, for evil ends, and in inveterate opposition to the Redeemer and all that is His. The Scriptures make it quite clear that the powers of Satan himself and all satanic forces under his control are much greater than is generally supposed. When we consider that much of this power is used to blind, delude and deceive those subject to it, this is not surprising. “He would deceive even the very elect were this possible.” Over against this power of evil in all its confusing forms—ranging from a roaring lion to an angel of light—and in deadly conflict with it, is the power of the risen and glorified Redeemer—”All power on earth is given unto me.” Doubtless there are times when the true minister of the gospel, burdened as he is with concern for souls, and labouring often in much weakness and fear, and seeing no apparent results, may often enough be tempted to conclude “I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and in vain.” As he sits quietly by the fire thinking over the labours of the past Sabbath Day weary in body and dejected in mind let him recall with deep and humble gratitude that all his labours have been put into the blessed hands of him who is exalted to the right hand of power and that he shall not permit even one of those given to him to be lost. Mighty though the powers of evil are in this world and vast their influence in any generation and terrifying their possibilities for eternity, they are not all powerful. This supreme distinction is reserved for the Son, and the far reaching and blessed effects of this supremacy shall give just occasion to every redeemed soul for praise and thanksgiving to the Lamb world without end.
(b) This earth is the sphere of Providence, and providence covers all things great and small which happen from day to day in the ordinary course of this world, in all their vast variety and complexity—from the rise and fall of empires to the clothing of a lily. That Satan has a large part in these happenings there can be no doubt. His purpose is always evil; filled with the enmity and malice of the pit he aims at the overthrow of Christ’s kingdom, and all that belongs to it, and the destruction of precious souls. Although Satan’s power for evil is great nevertheless all his activities are under the permissive control of a mightier than he—they are bounded, restrained and over-ruled for the accomplishment of ends altogether worthy of the glory of him in whose hands all power in earth is; ends realising the eternal good of all who trust him, and the ultimate destruction of all who oppose him. No doubt in particular cases concerning individuals the complexity and sometimes the apparent contradiction of providential happenings are often exceedingly perplexing, even for men of outstanding faith and godliness. This is the case with Abraham and the birth of Isaac: “Then Abraham . . . said in his heart, shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old bear?” Jacob and the selling of Joseph: “All these things are against me.” And the trials of Job: “O that I knew where I might find him! . . . I go forward, but he is not there: and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him.” But in each such case we see by the marvellous turn of events, events quite unforeseen by men, and indeed in contradiction to all human likelihood, the Lord himself controls, bounds and guides the course of events; and finally puts the finishing touches to the whole work, confounding the designs of evil and glorifying his great name in bringing about the highest good of his people and fulfilling his purposes regarding them. Isaac is born by a miracle and through him, according to the flesh, Christ came; the dreams of Joseph are fulfilled and Jacob lived to see this, “And they told him all the words of Joseph . . . and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the Spirit of Jacob, their father revived: and Israel said, It is enough, Joseph my son is alive: and I will go and see him, before I die.” Throughout his long and difficult trial Job preserved his integrity, and in the end his health, property, family, and above all his God, are abundantly restored to him. “All things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to his purpose.” The complicated working together of all things completely coincides with the gracious purpose and is the realisation of it. How sweet and humbling it is to see the fulfilment of this promise in the light of such happenings as these; and then by faith to use it as a key to open the dark providences of our own lives as we journey on our way “following in the footsteps of the flock.” With the events of Providence under the all powerful care of such a Saviour as Christ has many times proved himself to be, surely, with the Apostle, every believer has cause to say, and according to the measure of faith will not hesitate to say, “I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.”
(c) It is on this earth, and out of the sinful mass of fallen humanity upon it that the Lord calls his church. “From eternity God elected some to everlasting life,” a great number which no man can number out of every nation, people, tribe and tongue. Whatever they may afterwards become by grace, in their natural state they are born in sin, children of a fallen parentage. The indictment of Scripture on this point is most solemn, emphatic and unmistakable, leaving no room for doubt “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The testimony of Scripture is supported by the sin, original and actual of the millions of men and women born into this world by ordinary generation since the fall of Adam without one exception. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, not one.” Even the children of pious parents are born in sin, and neither the will of man, nor the will of the flesh can change them. But all who shall ever reach glory must be changed. There is no escaping this: “Ye must be born again.” And those so born must be sanctified and conformed to the image of Christ in the beauty of holiness. All this preparation for heaven must take place upon this earth. But against this the whole power of the world, the flesh and the devil in unholy combination is arrayed. If they were to have their will and way not even one sinner would ever reach heaven; and to make matters more favourable for Satan, and more difficult for the sinner who is to be saved, the Evil One finds his greatest support in the desperate wickedness and deceit characteristic of every sinful heart. From such considerations how utterly sad and hopeless would be the case of fallen humanity were it not that Jesus says, “All power in earth is given unto me.” In the glorious light of these precious words the blackness of despair gives place to the dawn of gospel hope, “The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
To the Mediator, raised to the right hand of power, has been committed the realising of God’s eternal purpose of salvation. From what we know of the Redeemer in his person, work and character we have every reason to be assured that he will not fail nor be discouraged until the work of ingathering be just as complete as the work of atonement is, and he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.” It is through the Holy Spirit the Third Person in this Godhead, the Spirit of all grace, that the power of the Mediator is rendered effectual on this earth. He makes use of the Word of God, read, heard or recalled to mind to bring saving grace, spiritual light, repentance, faith etc., and thereby makes it a convincing, convicting and regenerating Word; and on the Day of Pentecost the result was three thousand brought out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. The marvellous history of the church in past ages indicates to us something at least of what has already been accomplished in the onward march of the Redeemer’s power, and provides us with a promise of what is yet to be, “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon. clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives the answer, and thereby bears eloquent testimony to the facts of redeeming power in the lives of men and women actually living upon this very earth, and possessed of all the sin and weaknesses common to fallen humanity. This great chapter should be read and read again, and again! and again! the prayerful reading of it will act as a tonic for fainting souls! “Therefore sprang there even of one and them as good as dead so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore innumerable.” “Each one of that unnumbered host was a miracle of divine power. Every step of their way heavenward was a constant miracle of divine keeping, “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” and the ultimate entrance of each one into heaven, “spotless in the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” is a miracle of gracious power. All this variety of miraculous power working salvation manifold throughout the earth stems directly from the Mediator’s Throne. This marvellous work often hidden, but always effectual is going on, and will never cease to go on to the end of the world. The history of the church in Scotland at and since Reformation times bears no mean testimony to the wonder working triumph of a Saviour’s love and power. And who knows what glorious things shall yet be said of Zion? “His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in him: All nations shall call his blessed.”