The king, prophets, priests, the whole nation, had an outward
connection with Him, but it meant nothing. And this foreigner, a slave,
perhaps not even a proselyte, a eunuch, had what the children of the
covenant had not, a true union with God through Faith.
Judaism was not an exclusive system, but was intended to bring in the
nations to share in its blessings. Outward descent gave outward place
within the covenant, but the distinction of real and formal place there
was established from the beginning. What else than this is the meaning
of all the threatenings of Deuteronomy? What else did Isaiah mean when
he called the rulers in Jerusalem 'Rulers of Sodom'? Here the fates of
Ebedmelech and of Zedekiah illustrate both sides of the truth. The
danger of trusting in outward possession and of thinking that God's
mercy is our property besets all Churches. Organisations of
Christianity are necessary, but it is impossible to tell the harm that
formal connection with them has done. There is only one bond that
unites men to God--personal trust in Him as 'in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself.'
III. The possibility of exercising uniting faith even in most
unfavourable circumstances.
This Ebedmelech had everything against him. The contemptuous exclusion
of him from any share in the covenant might well have discouraged him.
The poorest Jew treated him as a heathen dog, who had no right even to
crumbs from the table spread for the children only. He was plunged into
a sea of godlessness, and saw examples enough of utter carelessness as
to Jehovah in His professed servants to drive him away from a religion
which had so little hold on its professed adherents. The times were
gloomy, and the Jehovah whom Judah professed to worship seemed to have
small power to help His worshippers. It would have been no wonder if
the conduct of the people of Jerusalem had caused the name of Jehovah
to be blasphemed by this Gentile, nor if he had revolted from a
religion that was alleged to be the special property of one race, and
that such a race! But he listened to the cry of his own heart, and to
the words of God's prophet, and his faith pierced through all
obstacles--like the roots of some tree feeling for the water. He found
the vitalising fountain that he sought, and His name stands to all ages
as a witness that no seeking heart, that longs for God, is ever balked
in its search, and that a faith, very imperfect as to its knowledge,
may be so strong as to its substance that it unites him who exercises
it with God, while the possessors of ecclesiastical privileges and of
untarnished and full-orbed orthodox knowledge have no fellowship with
Him.