God's works are a revelation of God.
There is nothing in effect which is not in cause, and the stability of
these ordinances carries our thoughts back to an unchanging Ordainer.
They witness to His constancy of purpose or will. His acts do not come
from caprice, nor are done as experiments, but are the stable
expression of uniform and unchanging will.
They witness to His unfailing energy of power, which 'operates unspent'
and is to-day as fresh as at creation's birth.
They witness to a single end pursued through all changes, and by all
varieties of means. Darkness and light, sun rising and setting, storm
and sunshine, summer and winter, all serve one end. As a horizontal
thrust may give rise to opposite circular motions which all issue in
working out an onward progress, so the various dealings of Providence
with us are all adapted to 'work together,' and that 'for good.'
They witness that life, joy, beauty, flow from obedience.
Thus, then, these ordinances in their stability are witnesses. But they
are inferior witnesses. The noblest revelation of the divine
faithfulness and unchangeable purpose of good is in Jesus. And these
witnesses will one day pass. Even now they have their changes, slow and
unmarked by a short-lived man. Stars burn out, there have been violent
convulsions, shocks and shatterings in the heavens, and a time comes,
as even physical science predicts, when 'the heavens shall vanish away
like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment,' but that to
which they witnessed shall endure, 'My salvation shall be for ever, and
My righteousness shall not be abolished.' The created lights grow dim
and die out, but in 'the Father of lights' is 'no variableness, neither
shadow that is cast by turning.'
Hence we see what our confidence should be. It should stand firm and
changeless as the Covenant, and we should move in our orbits as the
stars and hearken to the voice of His word as do they. Let us see to it
that we have faith to match His faithfulness, and that our confidence
shall be firmer than the mountains, more stable than the stars.