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ENIGMAS

The world is full of disconcerting difficulties which the wisdom of man cannot resolve; some nations find themselves in situations which are desperate. But the queen of Sheba found a man capable of response to all her enigmas. It says that “Solomon explained to her all she spoke of”. She had difficult questions but she had heard of the wisdom of Solomon and she approached him with all her difficulties. Do you have any? If you do, I would point you to someone who can answer them all. If you don’t have any, then it is time that you had some. It is important and urgent to have some of these difficulties which human beings have to face up to. There is little time left to find solutions.

A question which often arises in the human mind is “Who shall cause us to see good?” (Psalm 4: 6). Where is good to be found? Is there any in France, in England, in America? I wonder if you think that there is good to be found in you. God knows better than any what there is in your heart. He says, “There is none that doeth good, not even one” (Psalm 14: 3). Thus, “He that confideth in his own heart is a fool” (Proverbs 28: 26). So where is good to be found? That is a question to resolve.

Another question which should arise in your heart and conscience is — ‘What shall I do about my sins? They are a heavy burden to me.’ David said, “For mine iniquities are gone over my head — as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” (Psalm 38: 4). What must I do? Forget about them? God does not forget them. Everything is written in His books and His books are never burned. Do you think that you can leave them behind you? Ah! God requires what has gone before. So what are you going to do about your sins? That is another serious question.

Job raises another one — “But how can man be just with God?” (Job 9: 2). Job was the best man of his time. God says that “there is none like him on the earth” (Job 1: 8). In spite of that, Job asks, “But how can man be just with God?” He asks this question at the point where the seven eyes of God are on him — “The eyes of Jehovah are in every place,

beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15: 3). When the eyes of God are on him, Job asks, “But how can man be just with God?” He says, “If I washed myself with snow water, and cleansed my hands in purity, then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me” (Job 9: 30, 31).

In Jeremiah (Jeremiah 12: 5), there is another enigma — “how wilt thou then do in the swelling of the Jordan?” When the power of death arises, when you have to meet it, when death knocks at your door, what will you do? That is a great enigma. Will you be able to stop the floodtide of death? You will not. You will not be able to avoid the overflowing of Jordan; you will have to enter it, for “it is the portion of men once to die” (Hebrews 9: 27). What will you do when you see it overflowing? Every human heart carries this enigma. And after death comes judgement. You will have to meet God; what will you do then?

These are the great enigmas for every human heart. They were there in the heart of the queen of Sheba. She brought all these difficult question into the presence of Solomon. “She came from the ends of the earth”, according to Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 12: 42). Is that where you live? Although living in this town, you could be at the ends of the earth. The earth’s centre, according to God, is Jesus; perhaps you are far from Him. You have never thought about Him; you have never approached Him. He is the divine centre for heaven and earth. If you were able to look into heaven now, you would see Jesus in the midst of the throne. And on earth, He is the centre of everything for God. You are at the “ends of the earth”, in “a far country”; what are you doing there? There, you will lose everything and nothing will be given to you; you will have everything to pay. So what will you be able to have? The husks which the swine are eating; that is all there is in the far country. When you have no money left and your health is gone, the world will have nothing to do with you and all you will have is what belongs to the swine. The world feeds itself on that today, in images, in novels, in newspapers. Even in the religious world, alas, the food is often, in reality, what the swine are eating and starved hearts in the far country devour it avidly. In all sincerity, poor empty heart, is not that where you are?

The queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth “to hear the wisdom of Solomon”. We are here today to speak to you about the wisdom of Solomon, to speak to you about Him who is greater than Solomon, to speak to you about Jesus. He is “God’s wisdom”. He can answer every question. There is not a single question which He cannot answer. But do you really want to have to do with Him? The queen of Sheba brought gold and spices. She honoured Solomon; she did not despise him. If you despise Jesus, there is nothing for you but hell. “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish” (Acts 13: 41). There will be no reply to the questions of those who despise Jesus, while those who honour Him will have complete answers. How does He answer them?

He replies by another enigma. If you find the solution to it, you will have the answer to all your questions. Samson is a type of Christ, in the same way as Solomon. Samson offers a wonderful enigma to his hearers. Here is what happened. Samson was on a journey, seeking an object for his heart. A young lion came and roared against him but Samson rent it. Later, there was a swarm of bees in the carcase of the lion and Samson took honey from it. This was the source of the enigma — “Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness”. He says that if you can give me an explanation, I will give you new clothing such as you have never had before; if you don’t explain it to me, you will lose your own clothing. And so it is. If you can state the meaning of this enigma, the Lord Jesus will attire you in a way that is suitable for heaven; he will dress you in clothing such as you have never, in your life, worn until now. If you cannot say what it means, you will lose the garments which you have and you will find yourself naked in the presence of God — terrible condition! Can you explain this enigma? If you can, you will have the answer to all the difficult questions which arise in your heart. I can give you only the light of it; I cannot give your soul the understanding of it, but I can enlighten you as to it.

Samson is a figure of Jesus. The young lion is the devil; he has the power of death. When Jesus came to earth, to find an object for His heart, the young lion roared against Him. What happened then? There was a dreadful battle, a battle between two lions. Jesus is a lion,

“the lion of the tribe of Judah”, the lion “which turneth not away for any” (Proverbs 30: 30). He was never afraid of anyone. The devil is also a lion, “a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5: 8). He roared as he came to meet Jesus.

What combat took place when Jesus was here. Even when He came into the world, as a little child, the powers of evil feared. Herod was afraid because Jesus was come and he put to death all the little children, in order to get rid of Jesus. Think of the combat which took place in the wilderness between the two lions, the true Samson and the young lion. The Lord emerged victorious. See Him again, as the lion of the tribe of Judah, at the tomb of Lazarus, crying with a loud voice in the cave of death where the body of Lazarus lay, and death fled — “Lazarus, come forth”. Think of Jesus in Gethsemane. What terrible combat between the two lions as Satan sought to overwhelm the Lord! See him at Calvary; the young lion is there, ready to devour the true Samson. But, in dying, Jesus was victorious “that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2: 14). Why did Jesus, the strong lion, have to go through death?

The true Samson, “the lion which is of the tribe of Judah... has overcome” (Revelation 5: 5). How has He overcome? John hears in heaven that the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed. He looks around to see this great lion which always prevails and he sees a little lamb, “a Lamb standing, as slain”. In dying, He has overcome. Instead of death, we find the sweetest of honey. The sweetest thing that can be known is found in the carcase of the lion, in the very place of death. Dear friends, if you were able to understand this enigma, you would have the answer to all your questions.

“Who shall cause us to see good?” (Psalm 4: 6). All the good of heaven is seen at Calvary. One day, a man came to Jesus saying to Him — “Good teacher”. Jesus answered him, “Why callest thou me good? No one is good but one, that is God” (Mark 10: 18). All that is good comes from God; we can see that at Calvary. Good is found neither in men, nor in nations, but in God, and all God’s goodness is seen in the death of Jesus.

What will you do about your sins? What a serious question! The divine answer is given at Calvary. Jesus will remove your sins.

“Who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2: 24). “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15: 3). He will remove them forever and no one will ever be able to find them. It says as to those who believe in Him, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found” (Jeremiah 50: 20). What has happened? John says, “To him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in his blood” (Revelation 1: 5). In the carcase of the lion there is a sweetness which is the consequence of the removal of our sins.

“How can man be just with God?” How can we stand justified before God? Justification means not simply that God does not condemn us (that in itself would be wonderful), but that we have His approval and that He finds pleasure in us. How will man be justified before God? Come to the carcase of the lion and you will have the solution to this enigma — “Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth a mercy seat, through faith in his blood... so that he should be just, and justify him that is of the faith of Jesus” (Romans 3: 25, 26). “Faith in his blood”; it is faith in his death which allows God to justify sinners.

The apostle Paul says we believe “on him who justifies the ungodly” (Romans 4: 5). You will not deny that you are numbered among the ungodly. Are you like God? No. How can you have God’s approval? He can give you His approval if you eat of the honey in the carcase of the lion, that is, if you come to the death of Jesus. The psalmist says “Taste”, taste it, “and see that Jehovah is good” (Psalm 34: 8). And Peter says, “if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2: 3).

We now come, dear friends, to the question of death. How can you and how can I meet death whose powerful floodtide swallows up humanity? Millions upon millions have been swallowed up. It might soon be you. How far is death from you? How long do you have to live? If I were to put this question to a child, he might give me fifty years as an answer. Is he sure about that? If I were to ask a young man, he might say twenty years. Can he be sure about it? If I were to ask an old man, he might say ten years. But how can he be sure about it? It is possible that death might catch you unawares at any moment. David said, “there is but a step between me and death” (1 Samuel 20: 3).

Only one step might remain to someone among us here. How shall we cross the torrent? By coming to the carcase of the lion. See how Samson has torn it, even although he had nothing in his hand. See the Lord Jesus entering death; He speaks to death. You cannot speak to death. He says, “where, O death, are thy plagues? where, O Sheol, is thy destruction?” (Hosea 13: 14). If you simply wish to come, this is the way in which you will be able to cross over. Come with this difficult question to Jesus and He will arrange everything for you.

“and after this judgment” (Hebrews 9: 27). What an enigma! What a problem! “all things are naked and laid bare to his eyes, with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4: 13). God says, “I live... that to me shall bow every knee, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14: 11). God says, “I live”. There may perhaps be someone here who thinks that God does not live. How, then, could anyone live? If God does not live, how can anyone be alive? How can a blade of grass live, an ant, a bird, a cow? How could you yourself live? How could any one of us live, if God is not alive? Who made life? It was not a man, nor all men together. It is not possible for man to make a worm or a blade of grass. Man can kill a worm or cut a blade of grass but he cannot produce life. Man goes as far as to say, “There is no God”, but God says that this man is a fool (Psalm 14: 1). God says, “I am living”. You have to meet God. He addresses himself to us, saying, “prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4: 12), because after death there is the judgment. How will it be possible for me to face the judgment? In coming again to Calvary. There, I find the answer to this enigma. Why was Jesus on the cross? Why did He hang there? Why was He made a curse? Why was judgment poured on Him? It was so that it should not fall on you. Such is God’s answer to this enigma. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to me” (John 12: 32). He is the great lover. If you are not drawn to Him, you will go to hell. “I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to me”. He said this in order to indicate the death by which He was going to die. And what a death it was, dear friends! Why did Jesus have to be made a curse? I could understand it if the hanged malefactor had been made a curse. In fact, he himself recognises the justice of this. He says, “and we indeed justly” (Luke 23: 41). I can understand that wicked Haman should have been hanged on gallows. It is easy to see why Ahasuerus sent Haman to the gallows. I can also understand easily why the chief of the bakers had to be hanged, having displeased the king. “And him he hanged” (Genesis 41: 13). But why did Jesus hang? Why was He crucified? Why did He bear the curse? That provides the answer to your difficult question. He went through everything so that we might be freed. How can I face the judgment? I go to the carcase of the lion and I eat of its honey, the sweetest thing in the world. He, Jesus, was crucified for me. Paul raises the question among the Corinthians, “has Paul been crucified for you?” (1 Corinthians 1: 13). No, he had not been crucified for them, but Jesus had. How did the dying robber get the answer to his enigma? He was led to understand Samson’s enigma, not because he had read the answer in the Bible, but because he turned to Jesus. He understood why Jesus was dying. He tasted the honey in the carcase of the lion. Where can good be truly found? The dying robber can tell us — “but this man has done nothing amiss” (Luke 23: 41). Goodness is found there. It is not to be found in me; it is found in Him. What about my sins? Who will remove them? The answer is that they are laid on the man who has done nothing amiss. Death is there, the great abyss ready to swallow the robber. How will he go into death? He will enter with Jesus, the master and conqueror of death. The judgment of God must also be faced. The curse is there but the robber sees the One who bears everything for him. He comes to understand the enigma in a way that resolves every question for him. Not a single question remains unresolved. The true Solomon has explained them all.

What happens then? The true Solomon provides new garments for this man. He takes off “the filthy garments” (Zechariah 3: 4). But the man is not left naked; he is dressed in heaven’s most beautiful robe, a white garment suitable for the holy presence of God. “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise”. Would he be in paradise unsuitably dressed? No, never. His dress is in every way suited to this place.

The elders in heaven convey this. They have white robes because they have tasted the honey from the lion’s carcase and they have been able to explain the enigma. “Thou hast been slain, and hast redeemed to God, by thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5: 9). They have interpreted Samson’s enigma. They have had an answer to all their difficult questions. They have come in faith to Jesus, the true Solomon, the One who is truly greater than Solomon. Will you do the same, dear friends? Who could answer your enigmas, apart from Jesus? If you do not come to Him, it will be completely impossible for you to find the solution.

Samson said that if no one could answer, they would all have to give up their own garments. If you cannot explain the enigma, you will have to give up what you consider to be a sufficient covering. What do you have to cover yourself? Some fig leaves? What is the value of that in the presence of God? Fig leaves satisfied Adam temporarily — but, when God came near to him, he felt how everything was unworthy of His presence and he said, “I am naked”. “I feared because I am naked” (Genesis 3: 10). He did not speak about the fig leaves. He knew well that they were nothing to God.

How many there are who say, “I do have some righteousness”. They are like the Pharisee who said, “God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men” (Luke 18: 11). When God looks at such garments, He says that our righteousnesses are “as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64: 6). You may think that you are beautifully dressed with garments which are suitable to the presence of God, but they are like the leopard’s skin, which is covered with spots. The spots cannot be removed. “Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots?” (Jeremiah 13: 23). It is not within your power to cleanse your garments. If you do not want to pay attention to the enigma, all your clothes will disappear and, naked, you will have to meet God. The only suitable clothes are provided by Jesus. He will wash you in His precious blood; He will give you the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus speaks to His disciples of being “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24: 49). To all those who come to understand the enigma, the Lord Jesus gives the Spirit of God, so that believers are clothed in features which are characteristic of Christ — “clothed with power from on high”.

Dear friends, there is only one Person capable of answering all your difficult questions, but, in answering them, He sets you an enigma whose solution leads you to understand the meaning of His death, not only as intelligence but by faith and in love. Thus all the questions of your heart will be resolved.

May the Lord make it thus for every one!

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