Evening, February 27
“Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting”
Micah 5:2
The Lord Jesus had goings forth for his people as their representative before the throne, long before they appeared upon the stage of time. It was “from everlasting” that he signed the compact with his Father, that he would pay blood for blood, suffering for suffering, agony for agony, and death for death, in the behalf of his people; it was “from everlasting” that he gave himself up without a murmuring word. That from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot he might sweat great drops of blood, that he might be spit upon, pierced, mocked, rent asunder, and crushed beneath the pains of death. His goings forth as our Surety were from everlasting. Pause, my soul, and wonder! Thou hast goings forth in the person of Jesus “from everlasting.” Not only when thou wast born into the world did Christ love thee, but his delights were with the sons of men before there were any sons of men. Often did he think of them; from everlasting to everlasting he had set his affection upon them. What! my soul, has he been so long about thy salvation, and will not he accomplish it? Has he from everlasting been going forth to save me, and will he lose me now? What! Has he carried me in his hand, as his precious jewel, and will he now let me slip from between his fingers? Did he choose me before the mountains were brought forth, or the channels of the deep were digged, and will he reject me now? Impossible! I am sure he would not have loved me so long if he had not been a changeless Lover. If he could grow weary of me, he would have been tired of me long before now. If he had not loved me with a love as deep as hell, and as strong as death, he would have turned from me long ago. Oh, joy above all joys, to know that I am his everlasting and inalienable inheritance, given to him by his Father or ever the earth was! Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night.
This reminds me of a criticism I once read (from a probably non-Christian source, IIRC) that Christians (by which he meant those he was familiar with) were too tied to the notion of the existence of time. He argued that God lives outside the world, in eternity, and is thus outside of time, and can access any and all parts of time at once. I didn't see anything unreasonable in what he was saying.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I'm saying is, "from everlasting" might be a bigger idea than just endless time :).
Wow your writing is sheer poetry.
ReplyDeleteI had this excerpt taped to my mirror at one time. Thank God for His everlasting love.
ReplyDeleteTim - It's called a devotion for a reason... :-P Save the theological analysis for lectures ;-)
ReplyDeleteR&R - Tis Spurgeon not I. But yes it is beautiful writing :-)
Persis - I like that idea!
Hmm. Maybe I should do some theology units at some point :). But now that you've cleared up the genre for me, I'll keep that in mind :). I guess I just find the idea of God being completely outside time somewhat awesome, and wanted to share it :), and didn't intend it to be a criticism of the post, although in hindsight, that is an obvious interpretation of my post (even though I didn't intend it).
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