Wednesday, July 3, 2019

WISE UNTO SALVATION


Jack Davis

Part 2


WISE IN PRESERVATION


“The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks” – Proverbs 30:26.

Who could take wisdom from such feeble folk? There are different ideas as to what these Conies of that day were, but by most they were thought to be among the most defenseless of God’s little creatures. Oh, how wise are those today that have fled to the “rock of our salvation for refuge.” The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies” – Psalm 104:18.

Where do we build, and where do we abide? The love-life of Solomon was told of being “in the clefts of the rock.” Those feeble folk today, that are not able to defend themselves, are wise to build for security.

“Whosoever cometh unto me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock” – Luke 6:47-48.

What marvelous instruction we have in God’s Word for being spiritually constructive. Taking the Word of our Lord into receptive hearts and acting upon it, we build upon a good foundation. The Lord gave the Apostle Paul the blueprint for the church, specifying lasting building materials, that must be used, I Cor. 3:9-15. Thank God that we are given the materials to build with that will stand the fire test. He made it so very clear that this wasn’t a competitive business that necessitated tearing down the work of others in order to be successful.

Paul says, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” – II Cor. 10:12. What security is there in such? We become stronger in our stand when we are used by the Lord to strengthen and edify our brother.

It is a great privilege to be one of the Lord’s “feeble folk” that have been learning to lean on the Beloved, and not on our own understanding. To the world, and the majority of Christendom they are considered small and insignificant, if considered at all. Yet these “feeble folk,” out of weakness, are being made strong in the power of His might. Such are chosen of God to confound the worldly wise, and the things of worldly might. Oh yes, God has chosen the base and despised things which are considered to be nothing, to bring to nothing the things that are considered of great import. The ultimate purpose in such choice is that the truly wise may glory in the Lord - I Cor. 1: 25-31.

These find their happy home in Him, and therein abide, being richly satisfied. They are fully aware that their “life is hid with Christ in God” (precious stones in the rock within the rock). In their “little strength” they “lay hold upon the hope set before us.”
The only safe building place is in the Rock.

WISDOM IN PROGRESSING

“The locust have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands” – Proverbs 30:27.

The king that we are wise to let rule in our hearts and lives, has not yet claimed the universal throne, and is not yet visible to the natural eye. Yet His faithful co-heirs are not without clear direction. I Tim. 1:17, and 6:15-16. The Holy Spirit was went to direct wise movement in the will of God. May we not learn from the locust, of the unity of the Spirit? Eph. 4:3. Is there not a great waste in energy and effort in Christendom today? I wonder why?

“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” – Eph. 5:17-18. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” I Cor. 12:13. We enter this body by spiritual birth - John 3:6-8. We each then need to drink in of God’s Spirit, and by spiritual growth, grow up into Christ in all things. He (the Holy Spirit) is our wise guide and teacher into all truth - John 16:13; I Cor. 2:9-16. “For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are the sons on God” – Rom. 8;14. But if ye be lead of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” – Gal. 5:18. It is easy to see where the Spirit leads, and know His realm of operation. Paul was inspired to write “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another –  Gal. 5:16, 25-26.

In the living creatures (Cherubims) we seem to find the ultimate expression of the unity of the Spirit. As with the locust, “go they forth by bands.” We see the full overcomers prophetically imaged, hence, symbolically expressed. We read in Eze. 1:9, “Their wings were joined one to another, they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. Thus were their faces; and their wings stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went - Eze. 1:9, 11-12.

May we not sense in these, their wings expressing their ability to rise and reign, mounting up over all hindering obstacles. In this power to overcome the strivings of the earthbound flesh, they are united. Joined one to another, they rise above the things that cause divisions, and go straight forward, where the  Spirit was to go.