We might hide in the illicit romances of actors and actresses, but . The Spurgeon Library | Heaven and Hell 28). And even they, in a negative sense, bring Him glory, since He displays His holiness by judging them. He is sorrowful over the unbelief of the people as in Luke 19:41-44. Side note: for those more advanced in prophetic study or curious about these things, one of the things Beale and other see in Revelation is that at the beginning of some of the major sections/division there is a reference or allusion to something from Daniel chapter two (1:1, 4:1, and 22:6) Beale says that a pattern definitely emerges, John is employing the same allusion as a literary device to give structure to his whole book.. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to the praise of the glory of his grace. It is not that Peter is not valiant, or courageous, for perhaps he isthough I suspect he acted out of fear. Such is the mercy that He has showered upon each one of us, even if we dont think very frankly about our state prior to His saving work. Lastly, I think what is instructive about this verse is that the Lord spent His days on earth loving others. 27:15-31; Jn. Charles Spurgeon Quotes about Heaven - Lib Quotes It is always interesting when Scripture uses such a specific number to describe something. "The Hound of Heaven" was written by a young man named Francis Thompson over 100 years ago. Not Bound Yet "Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound." 2 Timothy ii. Chapter fifteen features three parables which showcase many aspects of the character of Jesus, but only one essential truth: God has gone to great lengths to save those who were lost and not thought worthy of the kingdom of God, and finds great joy in doing so! 113. By Steve Grafe Curator of Art. The second principle is tied to the first, and it is this: The kingdom of God is dynamic. That is to say it is more than just this idea of God separately reigning in heaven, He is working out His will in and amongst us in time and space. In fact that is what Jesus meant when He said He would draw all men to Himself. The cross is for Jew and Gentile alike. The Bethany mentioned here is not the one across the Jordan. Jesus is indeed our great Gardener! 15:3-7 So he told them this parable: [4] What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? The specific meaning, therefore, of, are there not twelve hours in the day is to remind them that the fullness of the days work (His ministry) had not yet faded. That cup was filled with the wrath that rests on your soul right now if you arent a Christian. Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said. [22] When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Is that how you answer the high priest? [23] Jesus answered him, If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me? [24] Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. The Hound in the poem is the Lord who continually seeks the writer even though the writer keeps running from Him. 314. Scholars are at odds as to why Jesus would tell Mary not to touch Him, only to subsequently instruct Thomas to do so. They failed to grasp the significance of Jesus teaching, and their failure cannot be attributed merely to intellectual incapacity. Thomas Schreiner[vii]. The "Hound of Heaven" is a 182-line poem written by English poet Francis Thompson (1859-1907). Listen to what God put in the mouth of Cyrus: Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: [23]Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. If God doesnt break through, then we wont be saved. The verse says that we get eternal life by believing, not by doing, not by working. Likewise you might think that if you were in the courtyard that night you wouldnt have betrayed Jesus. We love the world more than we love God. The Jesuit J.F.X. The search for God now became intense. He cares more about comforting them and keeping them from harm than saving His own skin. The immature are unskilled in the word of righteousness. What a wonderful feeling and a wonderful knowledge that is. Amillennialists believe that the binding of Satan took place during Jesus earthly ministry; Satan was restrained while the gospel was preached to the world, and this restraint continues today.[xii]. Johns point about the knowledge and planning of the Son couldnt be made more clear, knowing all that would happen to Him, John tells us that Jesus was in the drivers seat. If this is not implied, there was no point even in sending Christ the message. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. You see, death here seemed to have the last say, and the attitude of defeat among the mourners smacked of Satan. He isnt just saying, Im the dude youre looking for, Hes saying, I AM who I AM, He is disclosing to them the personal name of YHWY. 1094. Francis Thompson's "The Hound of Heaven" [3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. How is it said that we obtain this discernment? If there was no resurrection then we have no reason to believe anything Jesus said. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Jesus, the son of Man, and greater son of David, has taken up staff and rescued the sheep of His Fathers flock, delivering them from exile to a new exodus a spiritual exodus an exodus from sin and death. 11:4 But when Jesus heard it he said, This illness does not lead to death. Lastly, I am personally reminded of the nature of light and how it sort of symbolizes purity and cleanliness a sort of antitheses to darkness and sickness. The Jews were so angry and threatened by Christs ministry that they were seeking to kill Him. Sproul says, Mans natural tendency is to flee from the presence of God and to have no affection for the biblical Christ. 20:2-4 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. [3] So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Realize that God is calling you not to a life of intellectual boredom, but to a renewed mind and transformed heart a mind which sees terrors as joys and trials as blessings. [iv], And so he stops and levels this charge against them (read verses 11-12). He was able to grasp the fact that since God controlled both life and death, that God could just as easily raise his son from the dead as he could bring him to life in the womb of a 100-year-old woman. I suppose it is also necessary to address the fact that some say that by the way Mary and Martha address Lazarus as the one loved by Christ, that Lazarus is perhaps the author of this gospel and not John there are other times, of course, when the author refers to himself as the beloved of the Lord. These are great ideas to reflect upon in the coming days, and a marvelous reminder of the richness of Scripture. It was perhaps at its height at the end of the 19th century when medical cures were being found, the industrial revolution was in full swing, and great revivals had swept across the world many times over the course of the past several hundred years. These angels had a perspective that was grounded in reality thats why they can rightfully and astoundedly ask, Why are you weeping???. When all else fails, kill the person who stands in his way. Francis Thompson, Gordon MacDonald. This is made plain even as far back as Moses interactions with the Israelites when he told them: And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Romans 8:31-39). This is the one question that every human being will eventually have to wrestle with. As we continue on, remember the power He displayed here, and marvel at His obedience. This is something that David realized as well: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Its a major clue into how Jesus behaved around others. How should we think of, and describe his reign? And yet again, we must read as much with our hearts as with our minds, applying both to the task. There is the hope of forgiveness now on earth, of course, and of forgiveness and Christs righteousness imputed to us which we will hear from Gods mouth on that Day of Judgment. A very straightforward proposition, however, just like not everyone would have been saved by the copper snake, not everyone is saved by Christs sacrifice. Im sure you can look back at times in your life when you wanted so badly to fly here or go there or do this or that but you couldnt and perhaps as you look back on it now, it was for the better. Sometimes God gives us the desires of our heart in order to show us that they are foolishness. Why are even his professed followers so cold in their affections to him? What a horrific state of affairs! She gets to the tomb and the stone which covered the tombs entrance has been rolled away. (1 Corinthians 15:14-19). Everything he does is supremely worthy of his effort. Ryle says, The amazing wickedness of human nature is strikingly illustrated in this verse. I find this extremely important when figuring out questions of interpretation. And he has set his affection on a chosen number to save from eternal punishment. Moses is talking to God and God says, This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name (vs. 17). Caiaphas was more astute politically than those around him, and what he was trying to explain here was that if they (the Jewish leadership) played their cards right, they could sacrifice Jesus on the alter of politics and have for themselves a scapegoat to be able to show to the Romans as if to say to them hey this man is the one responsible for all the hubbub around Jerusalem, if you get rid of him well all be a lot better off and you wont have to worry about anyone causing disruptions. In this way Caiaphas figured he could satiate the Roman authorities growing unrest with the disruptions among the Jewish people. THE HOUND OF HEAVEN 569 and friend of Francis Thompson, always assures me that The Hound of Hearven must be looked upon as an autobiography of the poet's life. They would have been happy for their suffering to be relieved Id wager. He is faithful, He will lift you out of the mire you find yourself in and set your life upon solid footing for eternity. God loves the world despite the fact that the world is evil. And ill can brook delay; A few things. If the Romans, they calculated, thought that there was an uprising among the people, they would move to squash it immediately perhaps even scatter the Jews and drive them from the land in order to save them the headache of dealing with them as a nation. His charge is a moral charge you treasure not them up in your hearts, consciences, and memories, but let them slip out, and forget them says Owen. Ordo we stay in our homes sobbing over a loss or a heartache. St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Christ is heaven and heaven is Christ.". [14] This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 118. While futurists await a future literal earthly kingdom (which we all look for), the way in which we speak about and think about Gods exercise of power and authority over the world, and the souls of lost people is important. His power is immutable, as are all His other qualities. As far as condemnation goes, John says that Jesus didnt come to condemn the world yet in verse 18 we read that those who dont believe are condemned! That one so young, so sheltered, trained from his babyhood in the ways of God, could have felt so much and have had such exercises of soul may seem impossible, his own account of his darkness and despair may appear exaggerated; but those who are versed in the ways of God will understand. She is weeping for her brother, but also because she has been stirred again emotionally by the presence of Christ. This is a real party going on here! The poem became famous and was the source of much of Thompson's posthumous reputation. It is at this moment that the story begins to turn from confusion and bewilderment to joy and restoration. The apostle knows that the Jews are familiar with the love God had for them as His special people, and Jesus relating to them the story of Moses and the bronze serpent would have certainly reminded them of Gods loyal love for them (hesed), all of this is contrasted with John now saying that God so loved the world this would have set alarm bells ringing for his audience. This is about Christ setting the record straight. Psalm 139: No Escape From God | Bible.org The word is actually embrimaomai, which literally means, snort like a horse! The idea here, as MacArthur says, includes a connotation of anger, outrage, or indignation. You see, God never gives commands (imperatives) without first laying the foundation for the ability to obey those commands. Thats where you need it! In John 11 this is what happens. Our very salvation is like this, for we are saved NOW, yet we have not yet fully realized that salvation. All of this when compared to Peters feeble efforts at saving his master surely puts our own human strength into focus does it not? For those without education are less apt to project their assumptions onto Scripture and are often open to correction. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. The church feeds off of the Word of God. The Hound of Heaven. In the first parable we see the lengths to which a good shepherd will go in order to find a lost sheep. He leads me beside still waters. No. For it is God alone working in the hearts of men, who melts those hearts, who changes those spots, who does a supernatural, miraculous work in our lives in order for us to see the majesty and great value of Christ. Mary then obeys Jesus and runs to tell the other disciples that He has appeared to her. There is no doubt that the world was in darkness before He came so much so that every other nation worshiped idols except Israel. It was the Fathers righteous allegiance to his own name that made recompense for the sin necessary. [3] Or are you compassionate, and full of wisdom? NOTES: so much so that when these Pharisees saw Jesus eating with sinners it was enough to throw them into convulsions. Come!, 11:38-40Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. (Colossians 1:17-18). [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. What am I doing here that He couldnt do in the blink of an eye? We would do well at this point to pull back and remember the bigger picture of Jesus ministry, and how it fits into the larger scope of redemptive history. He made more wine at Cana than was necessary, He made more fish in Luke 5 than the disciples could take in, He made more bread and fish for the 5000 than the crowd needed, and He healed hundreds if not thousands of men and women. Are you leaning on your own strength? But as well soon see, this verse must be read in its context if were to truly appreciate and understand our Lords message. The Hound of Heaven - Wikipedia Amen. It is significant to me that her first reaction is to run and find her sister. Make no mistake, every man, whether spiritually alive or spiritually dead, will face the judgment of Christ when He comes back in glory. Read by Richard Burton.Subscribe to our Yo. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it., What does it mean that God would be glorified through it? 20:5-7 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Cast away your pride and your old life and trust in the salvation that comes from believing in the name of Jesus Christ. But not everyone would look at the copper snake, and not everyone will look to Christ. In Eden, Adam fell; in Gethsemane, the Redeemer conquered. This is a beautiful place! Section 3 The Sovereign Power of the Son of God. It reminds me of when the early disciples of Christ ran to find other followers in John 1 (35-51). When they enter his airspace (so to speak) in that garden, they are on holy ground. [6] In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. We can do this, as Christians, by prayerful meditation on the Word of God. (John 17:9-10). I do not address a people this morning who feel no care as to whether they serve God or not. [14]Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 33:13-15, Phil. 45, [vii] Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future, Pg. You need milk, not solid food, [13] for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. As Sproul points out though, Caiaphas must have forgotten Proverbs 17:15, which says, He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.. Furthermore, it is the universal witness of Scripture that calls attention to ITSELF as the instrument by which God changes us and blesses us with a closer knowledge of Him: Consider just a few examples, o David begins the Psalms with this important exhortation, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; [2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. [16] I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. Therefore, if you have in your heart today any affection for Christ at all, it is because God the Holy Spirit in His sweetness, in His power, in His mercy, and in His grace has been to the cemetery of your soul and has raised you from the dead. Make yourself weak in your own eyes, and trust in His strength the strength of the great I AM who sustains you and the whole world. When I read this passage several years ago I thought (rightly) that I cant teach anyone now, but realized that my inability wasnt God telling me not to teach, but rather it was Him calling me to learn and grow closer to Him in obedience in order to teach when the time presented itself. [6] And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. [7] Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. There are no choices here. Or are you resting in the name of the Son of God. The covenant of grace is not a charter of exemption from consumption, or rheumatism, or asthma. The Master-Key, Opening the Gate of Heaven. Autobiography, Vol. Yes while most everyone else in the world is either trying purposefully to spread the word of God, or trying hard to stop the spread of this word, the Catholic hierarchy is content to slow drip the Word to a body that is thirsty and dying of starvation. I like to think of myself as a patient man except, of course, when the kids or the co-workers, or someone (anyone) else has really pressed my nerves or my buttons repeatedly. I think theres something to this. This is a truth which finds is greatest expression in the person of Jesus: I am the good shepherd. So should it be with us but this means we must have hearts that are desirous of this and not simply our own obsessions and hobbies. He could have said to Himself I am really dying for this? but He did not. I think the difference lies in whether or not one believes that His current reign is somewhat lesser or mostly spiritual (i.e. Mark emphasizes that the same malady afflicts the disciples. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. The millennium is not a literal period of only one thousand years that will occur much later; rather it is that period of victorious outreach of the Gospel to the nations: a time that last from Jesus first coming to his last.[iv]. John uses the word world in ten different ways in his Gospel. The great signs (of which this is the 7th and final in Johns gospel) of this book point to the character of Jesus Christ and His true identity as the Son of God. 15:11-13 And he said, There was a man who had two sons. 13:47, 48, and an indication that all kinds of people are going to be saved. Just a few sentences later Spurgeon goes on to say, It is the spirit, the real inner meaning, that is sucked into the soul, by which we are blessed and sanctified. Yetin his flesh Peter cannot own Jesus. (2 Corinthians 4:6, ESV). It is easy to fall into a legalistic mindset, so much so that you are unwilling to have a beer with a colleague after work. For the last two weeks Ive been preaching a message from Hebrews 5 and 6 to several different churches. The Word is what changes lives, and therefore must not be adulterated or watered down by our own ideas. The truth is that unless God does a supernatural work in your heart you will always be dead in your sin and will always rebel against God. but that book really helped open my eyes to see Gods beauty & truth in literature. Proper 19C'19. Of course they do for it is obvious who is controlling this situationthe man without a club, sword or staff. An important part of the gospel is the hope for eternity with God. in the hearts of his people). The Lord was upset on several levels. As Paul says: But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. [xiii], Amils believe that the first resurrection is simply that spiritual resurrection that has taken place and realized during the intermediate state. It takes a lot to get up that early in the morning. In that culture, one of the most tangible ways to establish this kind of friendship was to share a meal.[2], You have to ask yourself this: Are you so outwardly religious that no sinner would want to get near you? He does not glory in your pain, but sees past that and rejoices in the glory to be revealed to you His glory. o Memorize Scripture:[xiii] Chuck Swindoll says, I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. It is a kingdom which will cover all the lands as the water covers the sea. Its a different way of saying what Spurgeon says about the corruption of the intellect. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake. Its hard to read 1 John and really put your finger on how that will happen but we can look to how it happens in inches during our lifetimes here on earth and thats exactly the purpose of what Paul was writing in 2 Corinthians, and why Christ came to raise Lazarus from the grave in John 11. Let us cease to expect that missionaries and ministers will ever convert the world, and teach all mankind to love one another. I must admit that when I study the history of the world since the spread of the gospel, I do not see a uniform trajectory upward toward a world of people who are united in morals and standards. . But we know how the story ends, do we not? If God is for us, who can be against us? John later would say this in his epistles: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. Jesus obeyed the sovereign timing of the Father rather than His emotions. 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Colossians 2:15), Frame describes how the Amil views the future, Amils affirm that toward the end of this era Satan will be released briefly, as Revelation 20:3 indicates (also verses 7-8). This isnt the only place we read this in the Bible. I do not think that anything is a coincidence or that anything is out of the control and plan of God Almighty. Therefore, as D.A. [18]Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, [19]and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. Gods desire and purpose for His image bearers is that we know Him. [26] The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Is it not significant that Martha had a better understanding of the resurrection than the Sadducees? love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5]or rude. This also sets in sharp relief once again just how dangerous it would have been for Jesus to go back to the Jerusalem area.
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hound of heaven spurgeon