Moses, the man of God, in blessing the Children of Israel before his death, declared in the concluding part of his blessing this precious view he had of the blessedness of God’s spiritual Israel, and that indeed they were a people who had a right and reasons to be happy. They were a “people saved by the Lord,” and who was their divine shield and sword. They had their trials in the wilderness; and although about to enter the land of Canaan under Joshua, had difficulties and burdens ahead of them. Yet on many accounts they had God given reasons to be happy and to be viewed as a blessed people, and surely the words of Moses are most suitable and appropriate in their application to the children of God to-day, and with a view to their comfort, as they find their lot cast in extraordinary times in the history of the world.
In the year and years which have recently past, events, activities, circumstances and conditions, nationally and internationally, involving religion, morals, politics, social and economic problems, etc., have all contributed more or less to confront us with a dark and cloudy day, a day full of discouragements and anxieties. The Cause of Christ is weak, relatively, despite charitable views to the contrary. The threat of terrible conflict and war with nuclear weapons is constantly envisaged by the leaders of the great and opposing powers. And there is active strife and bloodshed occurring frequently in different parts of the world. Materialism and irreligion are leaving masses of men and women restless and covetous. Wickedness of all kinds is rife. And the year which has opened, does not begin with any manifest hope of improvement in spiritual or temporal affairs.
In addition, the people of God have their own personal and immediate spiritual and providential trials, temptations, conflicts, and adversities. As David reminds us “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Ps. 34, v. 19).
And yet in the midst of all that is fitted to cast down the true, living believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, there is an abundance of subject matter in the Word of God which points conclusively to the fact that they are to be considered a blessed people, with heavenly authority to draw consolation, comfort and happiness from many distinct truths revealed in the Holy Scripture.
There is the oft repeated assertion that God reigneth. “The Lord reigneth: he is clothed with majesty: the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself… Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting” (Ps. 93, v. 1-2). And in the Book of Revelation, John writes, “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Chap. xix. 6); and Daniel in addressing King Nebuchadnezzar on one occasion declared to him among other things, “that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men.” And later on the King uttered the following extraordinary words regarding the Most High, viz.: “And I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever and ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his Kingdom from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth 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?” (Daniel, iv. 34-35). Truly the Lord reigneth supremely to the fulfilling of His own counsels and purposes, and for the promotion of His own glory on the earth, and with respect to the salvation of His people and the overthrow of His enemies. And we read: “Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake and it was done: he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Ps. xxxiii. 8-11). And it is to be said to Zion, “Thy God reigneth” (Isa. lii. 7). And as those of the spiritual Israel are all the children of God by faith which is in Christ Jesus and by the indwelling in their hearts of the Spirit of God, even the spirit of adoption; they have thus a gracious, beneficial and comforting interest in the great and tremendous fact, that their God reigneth. “The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice” (Ps. xcvii. 1).
Then all things work together for good to the Israel of God. Paul by the Spirit leaves this on record as a precious truth which he and his believing brethren knew. As he writes: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans, viii. 28). All that they experience and pass through of even the severest spiritual and providential afflictions and trials, as well as all the sweet and comforting mercies which the Lord may bestow upon them, are measured and supervised and overruled by divine, loving and almighty hands for their advancement and growth in grace, and to the end that all things will contribute, one way and another, to their sanctification and their being made “meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.” For instance, Paul himself gloried in tribulation that the power of Christ might rest upon him. And the Lord is leading His people “by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation” (Ps. cvii. 7). At times they are brought to wells of spiritual refreshment on the way; being led by the Spirit into the Word of Truth and renewed views of their crucified Lord, and brought to taste afresh of the mercy of God in Jesus to their needy souls, but at other times they find the way to be crooked and rough and dark, in their inward experience and in their outward circumstances. But this is “the right way,” and the Lord makes the crooked things straight, the rough places plain, and darkness light before them, but in His manner and time. And they learn, and shall learn, that therein “all things work together for their good.” And thus the Lord will have them to draw comfort out of this truth and to derive that comfort by experience. Surely they are a happy people indeed of whom it is absolutely true, that all things work together to fit them for and to bring them to heaven.
Again, there are great and precious promises given by God to His spiritual Israel, which are yea and amen, in Christ Jesus. These promises are to be found scattered throughout Scripture, and are many and varied, holding out a wide range of favours, benefits and blessings, which God for Christ’s sake, intends for His people, and which He fulfils in His Covenant love and faithfulness as divine purposes and wisdom determine. There are promises having their fulfilment in time and there are other precious words of promise which hold out the expectation of the actual enjoyment of the fulness and perfection of salvation in the eternal world. The following beautiful words in Psalm 84, verse 11, embrace so much of what we have just stated, viz., “The Lord will give grace and glory.” He has fulfilled these promises to multitudes, He is doing so now, and will continue to do so to all His people; whatever their fears may be, and however deeply sensible they are of their own unworthiness. They are a people saved by the Lord, and He will not leave them, but fulfil to them all that He has promised to do for them; not one word shall fail. He will hear their prayers, He will sustain them in trouble, He will make ways of escape for them out of their temptations, He will keep them unto His heavenly Kingdom, and He will bring them to be where Christ Jesus is, and cause them to behold His glory. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me” (John xvii. 24). And Christ’s prayer here is in harmony with many of God’s promises to His people, and the Saviour’s prayer will indeed be answered. Aren’t those who have an interest in these promises a blessed people, and haven’t they reason to be comforted and encouraged, in an evil and dark day?
A happy New Year we may wish for one another, according to the will of God. But the spiritual Israel of God are destined unto a happy eternity. Readers thus should search and examine into their own relationship to the God of Israel, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to ascertain where they stand in this all important matter. Each day, month and year, brings every individual sinner nearer to the unspeakably solemn event of entering eternity and meeting with God. Have we an interest in Christ or not? Have we a good hope through grace of eternal life, or not? Is God the God of our salvation, or are we without God in the world? Let the Bible speak. Let conscience speak. Let conduct speak. Let the gospel of Christ Jesus speak. Let the Sabbath speak. Let the prayer meeting speak. Let the secret chamber speak. What is their testimony regarding us? Have we marks of being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, or do they indicate to some extent that we are of the living, spiritual, saved Israel of God? “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord . . .” (Deut. xxxiii. 29).