And when we speak of Him as a Leader, we must not connect His office
merely with the idea of war, for it is the office of peace also. When
our Lord compares Himself to the Shepherd He says He “leadeth them out.”
{45b} Nor is His office of a leader given up even in the peaceful rest
of Heaven. There is a leading Hand even there, for when St. John was
permitted to look in and to see the great multitude before the Throne,
the Angel referred him to words from the blessed promise in Isaiah. {45c}
In heaven, therefore, the promise is both fulfilled and known. It is
fulfilled, for there the saints of God are refreshed by the living
waters; and it is known, for the Angel himself, while describing the joys
of heaven, calls attention to the ancient prophecy, and shows how in the
peaceful scene around him it was receiving its complete fulfilment.
Now what is implied when we are taught that the Lord Jesus is a Leader
for His people? It implies much more than teaching, and therefore the
office of the leader is far beyond that of witness. It would be of but
little use to explain to a blind man the windings of some narrow path.
But it would be an act of great kindness to take him by the hand and lead
him. And this is what our Leader does for us, for He says, “I will bring
the blind by a way they knew not.” {46a}
Our proud hearts may dislike the dependent position of either the feeble
or the blind; but, whether we like it or no, we are both blind and
feeble, unable to trace our path amidst the perplexities of life, and
equally unable to move safely alone even when the path may be discovered.
It is, therefore, in mercy and in tender love that God has given Him to
be a Leader, and our part is to accept the gift and trust Him. When we
are brought into perplexity, into one of those positions of life where
two ways seem to meet, we may fall down before Him as our great Leader,
and say, “For thy name’s sake, lead me and guide me.” {46b} When we find
ourselves in slippery places and scarcely know how to stand, we may come
into His presence and cry, “Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.” {46c}
When perplexing doctrine is presented to us, and false teaching abounds
around us, we may spread out His word which contains His testimony, and
say, “Shew me Thy ways, O Lord.” {46d} And when we come to the valley of
the shadow of death, when no human hand can help us, and no human
sympathy reach our necessities, even then we may be perfectly sure that
our great Leader will never leave us; but as we part from all friends
here on earth, and as all earthly helps fade away, we may lean more
simply and more heavily than ever on Him and say, “Though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with
me.” {47a}
So again for the Church of Christ. Our lot is cast in very perplexing
times, and those who really care for the Church of God must often have
their hearts filled with deep anxiety. It is a happy thing to know that
God has given him to be a Leader of the people, and “Head over all things
to the Church.” {47b} We may trust Him, therefore, to take care of His
own truth, and rest assured that amidst all the perplexities of these
latter days He will guide His own people safe to the end, until every one
of them appeareth before God.