xxxiii. 15-17. _He that walketh righteously, &c._
This is a gleam of bright sunshine after a heavy storm. It describes
a truly happy, holy life, such as we may all attain, and may all well
desire to be ours.
1. It is _a gracious life._ This is not especially mentioned here. We
have only what is outward and visible described. But this always
implies an inward hidden life. When we see such a great, green,
spreading, fruitful tree of righteousness as this, we may always
assuredly conclude that, deep in the heart out of sight, there must
be a great, strong, living Lebanon-root of faith and love (Tit.
ii. 12). This is the secret or source of all that follows (H. E. I.
2840, 2841, 4092-4095).
2. It is _an upright life._ "He that walketh righteously." A man's
"walk" is his whole conduct in all the positions and relations in
which he stands. _All_ that this man does is conformed to the law of
God and the example of Christ (Luke i. 6). "He speaketh uprightly."
Most important (Jas. iii. 2, i. 26; P. D. 3384, 3394). "He despiseth
the gain of oppressions." He will not take advantage of his
neighbour's distress; will not be hard upon him when his back is at
the wall; will not abuse his ignorance or simplicity by charging more
than a commodity is worth. "He shaketh his hands from holding of
bribes." He abhors such temptations. Judas, from an awakened
conscience, horror-struck at what he had done, cast the blood-money
which he had received on the ground; but this man, from a clear,
enlightened conscience, at peace with God, casts from him all that
would offend the Lord. "He stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood."
There is a killing of character by slander and insinuation, but he
will have none of it (P. D. 3108). "He shutteth his eyes from seeing
evil." He is like God; he _cannot_ look upon sin. He hates it; can
find no amusement in it; knows its tendency and its fearful end.
Through the unguarded eye comes ruin (Josh. vii. 21; 2 Sam. xi. 2).
Pictures and descriptions of evil often destroy. Have we not here a
beautiful, noble character? and yet this is what believing in Christ
and walking in His footsteps will always produce. But there must be
the root, Christ dwelling in the heart by faith, else the outward
life, however fair and seemly, will be only a make-believe, a
wretched caricature, that will break down in the time of trial, and
be rejected in the day of the Lord.
3. It is _a heavenly life._ "He shall dwell on high." His heart is
set on things above (Eph. ii. 5, 6; Col. iii. 1-3; Phil. iii. 20). He
has already come to Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem; he really dwells on high (H. E. I. 2766-2779).
4. It is _a safe life._ His real all is above, beyond the reach of
chance and change. He is still beset by foes, but he is safe. "His
place of defence is the munitions of rocks" (Ps. xviii. 2, 3, &c.)
5. It is _a well-supplied life._ "His bread shall be given him, his
water shall be sure" (Ps. xxxiv. 10). But man needs more than bread
to eat and raiment to put on; like the Master, the servant has meat
to eat of which the world knows not (Ps. iv. 6, 7, liii. 5, 6). He
has growing light, increasing life, fuller assurance, and fresh
Ebenezers from day to day.
6. It is _a hopeful life._ "Thine eyes shall see the King in His
beauty." There is a blessed beginning of the fulfilment of this
promise now (John xiv. 21-23; H. E. I. 974, 975). "They shall behold
the land that is very far off." To Christ's friends things to come
are revealed by the Holy Ghost. They see Jesus, already crowned with
glory and honour, and fairer than the sons of men. Like the
patriarchs, they see the city which hath foundations, whose builder
and maker is God. Like Moses, they gaze the landscape over and gird
their loins; they take courage and press on (H. E. I. 2771-2779).
Such a life leads to a blessed death. The two go together. We cannot
have the one without the other. Balaam thought he could, but it was
in vain. Such a life prepares for a happy meeting with the Lord, if
He should come while we are still present on the earth (Matt.
xxiv. 46).--_John Milne: Gatherings from a Ministry,_ pp. 325-331.