NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 NO. 58
NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 NO. 58
Isaiah 38: 1 - 5; Luke 2: 25 - 38; Acts 7: 55
It is interesting to see that while Hezekiah had faith in God - “The just shall live by faith” - yet he was distressed at the thought of dying. He had been in active service here, and as he had no prospect before him at the other side of death, he wept sore at the thought of leaving the earth. The first tabernacle was still standing, and hence the way into the holiest was not as yet made manifest. Christ had not yet risen, the first-fruits of them that sleep. Many who have faith in God and through His mercy are eternally saved, prefer the earth to heaven, because they do not see that to die is gain. Paul could say that he was “in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you”. (Philippians 1: 24) If not with Him, Paul would be here for Him. Now in Luke 2 we learn the blessed effect on Simeon when he saw Jesus; he is a pattern to us. “Then took he him up in his arms” - do you embrace Him in faith? - “and blessed God and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace .. . for mine eyes have seen thy salvation”. He is in faith at the other side [p. 112] of death, he sees Christ in resurrection glory, “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel”. The prospect and joy of the heart is to be with Christ. The Lord said to the thief, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise”. (Luke 23: 43) His desire is to have His own with Him, that whether we wake or sleep we might live together with Him.
As Simeon is a pattern of the heart resting on Christ in faith, so is Anna the prophetess a pattern of those who are here for the Lord, until they are with Him.
Finally, in Stephen we get the fulness of the gospel; he had believed in Christ risen, and had received the Holy Spirit. Now, being full of the Holy Spirit before a stone was thrown at him, he looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus. The new line is open, he saw his bright home with Christ; and now he is able to bear unswervingly all the violence of the enemy, and to enter death as a stepping-stone to cloudless light with Christ for ever. He is so superior by the Spirit to his sufferings that he can kneel down and with a loud voice cry out, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge”; he had overcome evil with good.