Short Thoughts

Open thou mine eyes,
that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
~ Psalm 119:18

Wondrous things are truly contained in the Word of God. Many men have seen the Book and not thought that anything so special was there. They have maybe seen some value for its antiquity or, perhaps, it is interesting for its literary diversity. But the Book is far too common to be of much worth in their estimation. However, the blessed man of God finds it his delight and the object of his meditation day and night. David declares, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Ps 119:97). It should be a mark of every child of God that they love His Word. They have esteemed it more than their necessary food. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Ma 4:4). They would give up land and life before they would be willing to concede one precept. May we hold His Word in reverence and feed from it as we consider this blessed text.

Firstly, we see how that David approached the Word. He sought God that his eyes might be opened. Many have staggered at a precious truth just because it is not written in the exact language to suit their fancy or determined theological bent. They are much like the Pharisees of old, who stumbled at the words of Jesus and growing frustrated declared, “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly” (Jo 10:24). But the Psalmist is more akin to the spirit expressed in Job 34:32 that says “That which I see not teach thou me.” The problem is not with God’s Word. There is no veil on the Book. The veil is on men’s hearts. We shall never see the things of God with carnal eyes. God must open our eyes. “The flesh profiteth nothing.”

David realized that without God’s help he could not see the great things in His Word. This is a meek and teachable spirit. David was not trying to conform the Word to his notions, but rather seeking Divine light that he might be changed to agree with the Word. “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight” (Ps 119:32-35).

Secondly, we see that David desired the wondrous things in the Word. He was not seeking “to hear some new thing.” He did not want new or added revelation. He wished that his eyes would be opened to behold the wondrous things that have already been given. There is an abundance of treasure in God’s Book that has never been exhausted. This is not the prayer of one that is satisfied with his current level of perception. He desires to go deeper and deeper into the Word. This is the desire of a serious student. He is not searching for novelty or entertainment but the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” He is not content to only drink milk. He desires the strong meat. Why would one want to “eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” when there is a “feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined” in the Word of God?

Let us never be content to pamper our appetites by feeding on the garnishes, but let us at once begin to seek the meat and digest the hearty portions as well. Christian have you tarried long at the first principles? I know that they are sweet and dainty. Yes, they are fit for a king. But Christ said, “They that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.” They are in no condition for hard labor. Such dainty food will provide no sustenance for a laboring man. When Elijah arose and ate, he “went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights.” No loving mother and father would feed their children only candy. Their bodies need much more in order to grow. Our Christian lives are no different. If we only eat the sweet we are sure to be soured. God has given great things in His word. May he give us eyes to see, ears to hear, lips to speak, feet to walk, and hands to do His blessed will. Amen.

The pop media culture of our day seems to have absconded with any real concept of true love. They relentlessly promote their “me” generation perversion of love. Today it is some gushy feeling, some mysterious feeling that can be fallen in and out of regularly. The dominant character of this pseudo-love is receiving—“As long as I get what I want, I love you. Of course, when you no longer can or will give me what I want, I am done with you.”

The Bible, of course, paints love in a very different light. A perusal of 1 Corinthians 13 will be enough to convince anyone that what goes by the name of love today is a sorry impostor. The dominant character of biblical love is giving not receiving. It is not that love cannot receive, it certainly does receive; rather, love predominantly gives and does not have to receive, love “seeketh not her own” (1 Co 13:5).

Take, for instance, the love for a newborn baby. This love approaches very near the pure ideal. That baby can do nothing for you. In fact, that baby is very demanding and always requiring that you give. I realize the analogy breaks down very easily, but you do not love that baby for any direct benefit received by you. You love and give to that baby for their good and benefit and at a cost to you.

Love has most to do with doing (1 Jo 3:18). Therefore, love is work and, sometimes, hard work. Else, how could it be described as laying down your life for your friends (Jo 15:13)? It is the doing, giving love the world needs to see. It is by this love that the world will know we are the disciples of Christ, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jo 13:35).

Love biblical-style is the identifying mark of God’s people, and not the whimpering effeminacy that says, “We are all imperfect; can’t we all just get along.” This sentiment cannot be called love; it is a love without meaning, a love in word only. The problem with it is that love is not a philosophical idea or abstract expression. Love is real and alive and tangible. Love produces hard evidence that cannot be ignored. While it is possible to give without love (1 Co 13:3), it not possible to love without giving (Ep 5:2).

And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat,
in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water:
and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice,
an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
~ Leviticus 1:8-9

The burnt offering was a sweet savor offering. It was not an offering for sin to appease just wrath. It was rather an offering of worship to please God. God also had offerings that were for sin. We see from this that man has a two-fold problem. He owes divine justice for his transgression of the holy law. He also owes the holiness of God to fulfill all righteousness. There is a negative and a positive side. Now the offerings prefigure Christ, the one that was to come. We read in Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Christ did satisfy divine justice, suffering for sin. He also pleased the Father, walking in righteousness.

In particular now, the burnt offering is the object of our attention. And in this offering, certain aspects of the service of Jehovah’s servant can be seen. Let us now note how some of the particulars here are related to service. We are considering the highest grade of the offering, which was a bullock. The ox was a laboring beast and very strong. The picture is of Christ as an untiring servant always working the works of the Father that sent Him. Peter spoke of Christ, saying He “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” He was always busy doing the work. Oftentimes He was so involved in service that He had “no leisure so much as to eat.”

God gave directions for every part of the animal to be used. He mentions the head, the fat, the legs, and the inwards. We see from this that our whole man is to be involved in this service. The head speaks of the intelligence. We must learn and grow if we are to serve God acceptably. The fat speaks of strength, vigor, and vitality. We must put forth an effort and expend our energy. How often was Christ weary and when involved in the work, virtue would go out of Him? The legs speak of our physical body and our walk. Christ went about doing good works. The inwards speak of our heart and soul. Nothing is to be kept back. We must employ all our faculties in God’s service. We read that the entire animal was to be burnt. We are to be consumed in God’s service. It was said of Christ in Psalms 69:9, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” Oh, to spend and be spent should be our aim.

The bullock was also the highest grade of the offering. The ox was much more valuable than a lamb or turtledoves. The ox was a very valuable animal indeed to the owner. Solomon said, “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox” (Pr 14:4). To own such an animal was very profitable. In making this offering to God, it wasn’t just a bullock that was required, but the male without blemish. It was the best of the herd. We ought to serve God with the very best that we have. We should spare ourselves no expense in His blessed employment. We should be as the woman that came bearing an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard. It was very precious and she poured it out upon the Savior. Christian, what are you keeping back? What is just too precious to let go? Pour it out upon the Lord. Solomon said, “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt” (Ec 5:13). Take the best that you have and offer it to God. He deserves no less, and a great deal more.

Lastly, we see that the offering was burnt with fire. The fire is the holiness of God. The service meets with God’s holiness and finds His approval. Our text says, “it is a sweet savour unto the LORD.” Note that it pleases the “Lord.” If you serve the Lord in this manner, giving your all, don’t expect your service to be accepted of men. Sometimes even our brethren will question, “To what purpose is this waste?” The Lord’s own family thought that He was beside himself and tried to take Him home. You may be a fanatic to some. But, never mind that, just keep endeavoring to “do always those things that please him.” He is the righteous judge and is able to keep that which we have committed to Him against that day. Great blessings await those that serve in this manner. “To obey is better than sacrifice.” As the hymn writer said,

But we never can prove, The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.