We have considered the things which are avoided by the truly blessed
man. O, the miseries and the losses of those who fail to avoid them!
We have now to dwell upon the special characteristics of the man of
GOD, those which are at once the source of his strength and his
shield of protection.
"His delight is in the law of the LORD;
"And in His law doth he meditate day and night."
The unregenerate cannot delight in the law of the LORD. They may be
very religious, and may read the Bible as one of their religious
duties. They may admire much that is in the Bible, and be loud in its
praise--for as a mere book it is the most wonderful in the world.
Nay, they may go much further than this; and may imagine, as did Saul
the persecutor, that their life is ordered by its teachings, while
still they are far from GOD. But when such become converted, they
discover they have been blind; among the "all things" that become
new, they find that they have got a new Bible; and as new-born babes
they desire the unadulterated milk of the Word that they may grow
thereby. Well is it when young Christians are properly fed from the
Word of GOD, and have not their taste corrupted, and their spiritual
constitution destroyed, by feeding on the imaginations of men rather
than on the verities of GOD.
It is not difficult to discover what a man delights in. "Out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." The mother delights to
speak of her babe, the politician loves to talk of politics, the
scientific man of his favourite science, and the athlete of his
sport. In the same way the earnest, happy Christian manifests his
delight in the Word of GOD; it is his food and comfort; it is his
study and his guide; and as the Holy Spirit throws fresh light on its
precious truths he finds in it a joy and pleasure beyond compare.
Naturally and spontaneously he will often speak of that which is so
precious to his heart.
By regeneration the believer, having become the child of GOD, finds
new interest and instruction in all the works of GOD. His FATHER
designed and created them, upholds and uses them, and for His glory
they exist. But this is peculiarly true of the Word of GOD.
Possessing the mind of CHRIST, instructed by the SPIRIT of CHRIST, he
finds in every part of GOD'S Word testimony to the person and work of
his adorable Master and Friend. The Bible in a thousand ways endears
itself to him, while unfolding the mind and ways of GOD, His past
dealing with His people, and His wonderful revelations of the future.
While thus studying GOD'S Word the believer becomes conscious of a
new source of delight; not only is that which is revealed precious,
but the beauty and perfection of the revelation itself grows upon
him. He has now no need of external evidence to prove its
inspiration; it everywhere bears the impress of Divinity. And as the
microscope which reveals the coarseness and blemishes of the works of
man only shows more fully the perfectness of GOD'S works, and brings
to light new and unimagined beauties, so it is with the Word of GOD
when closely scanned.
In what remarkable contrast does this Book stand to the works of men!
The science of yesterday is worthless to-day; but history and the
discoveries of our own times only confirm the reliability of these
ancient sacred records. The stronger our faith in the plenary, verbal
inspiration of GOD'S Holy Word, the more fully we make it our guide,
and the more implicitly we follow its teachings, the deeper will be
our peace and the more fruitful our service. "Great peace have they
which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them." Becoming more and
more convinced of the divine wisdom of the directions and commands of
Scripture, and of the reliability of the promises, the life of the
believer will become increasingly one of obedience and trust; and
thus he will prove for himself how good, acceptable, and perfect is
the will of GOD, and that Bible which reveals it.
The words, "the Law of the LORD," which we understand to mean the
whole Word of GOD, are very suggestive. They indicate that the Bible
is intended to teach us what GOD would have us to do; that we should
not merely seek for the promises, and try to get all we can from GOD;
but should much more earnestly desire to know what he wants us to be
and to do for Him. It is recorded of Ezra, that he prepared his heart
to seek the Law of the LORD, in order that he might do it, and teach
in Israel the statutes and judgments. The result was that the hand of
his GOD was upon him for good, the desires of his heart were largely
granted, and he became the channel of blessing to his whole people.
Every one who searches the Scriptures in the same spirit will receive
and communicate the blessing of GOD: he will find in it the guidance
he needs for his own service, and oft-times a word in season for
those with whom he is associated.
But not only will the Bible become the Law of the LORD to him as
teaching and illustrating what GOD would have him to be and to do,
but still more as revealing what GOD Himself is and does. As the law
of gravitation gives us to know how a power, on which we may ever
depend, will act under given circumstances, so the Law of the LORD
gives us to know Him, and the principles of His government, on which
we may rely with implicit confidence.
The man of GOD will also delight to trace GOD in the Word as the
great Worker, and rejoice in the privilege of being a fellow-worker
with Him--a glad, voluntary agent in doing the will of GOD, yet
rejoicing in the grace that has made him willing, and in the mighty,
divine power that works through him. The Bible will also teach him to
view himself as but an atom, as it were, in GOD'S great universe; and
to see GOD'S great work as a magnificent whole, carried on by ten
thousand agencies; carried on through all spheres, in all time, and
without possibility of ultimate failure--a glorious manifestation of
the perfections of the great Worker! He himself, and a thousand more
of his fellow-servants, may pass away; but this thought will not
paralyse his efforts, for he knows that whatever has been wrought in
GOD will abide, and that whatever is incomplete when his work is done
the great Worker will in His own time and way bring to completion.
He does not expect to understand all about the grand work in which he
is privileged to take a blessed but infinitesimal part; he can afford
to await its completion, and can already by faith rejoice in the
certainty that the whole will be found in every respect worthy of the
great Designer and Executor. Well may his delight be in the Law of
the LORD, and well may he meditate in it day and night.