Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: September 17th

We are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.- Hebrews 12:24.

When from zeal and affection for their beloved master, the disciples would have called for fire from heaven, "He rebuked them, saying, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." In young disciples there is often much heat of zeal which is not according to knowledge; they know but little what evils they are called from, and what privileges they are come to. It behoves all to be diligent in reading, hearing, and studying, the truths of Jesus. So the Spirit makes wise heads and joyful hearts. To see, taste, and feel somewhat of Jesus from the law, the types and figures, the prophesies, promises, and the gospel, is the chief concern of simple souls; so their hearts are daily more and more established in faith; and they know more assuredly that they are really come to Jesus. When we read of Moses sprinkling the people, and crying out, "Behold the blood of the covenant,"- Exodus 24:8 -this comfortably reminds us of the pardon of sin by the precious blood of the dear Lamb; and how the sprinkling of this blood purifies the heart from sin, and the conscience from guilt, by faith.

The acceptable sacrifice of Abel, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, brings to our minds the most excellent sacrifice of our dear Saviour. This speaks righteousness, peace, love, and salvation to our souls; this silences all guilty fears; this revives and comforts drooping, trembling hearts, knowing that Jesus is our dear and ever-loving Mediator before the throne. This gives boldness and confidence of free access to God, and freedom of heart to draw nigh to, love him, and rejoice in him. Whatever our various cases, frames, and circumstances are, our only wisdom and comfort lies in simply commending all to Jesus, knowing that we are come to him, and live comfortably, by daily coming to him. Is sin our sorrow, grief, and burden? Jesus has a plea for it; he does not extenuate or excuse it. Nor should we; but confess it with all its aggravations: his blood speaks before the throne; the Spirit bears witness to it. When the voice of sin and terror is heard in thy conscience, Christ’s blood speaks pardon from God, freedom from condemnation, peace of conscience, joy of heart, and a hope full of immortality. Happy to be come to Jesus, and joyful to believe in him as our Mediator. O, how full of the richest consolation is this word! "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."- 1 John 1:9.

Our Jesus call’d and bade us come

To him for ease and rest;

Our souls obey’d his heav’nly voice,

And we in him are blest.

Christ is our Mediator dear

Before the throne of God:

Our conscience finds sweet peace with him,

Now sprinkled with his blood.

Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. Joshua 23:14.

Though fully assured of his near dissolution, yet with what calm composure doth Joshua utter these words! Though you are a sinner, and must fall under the sentence of death for sin, yet you need not be under bondage all your life time through fear of death. Why should you? Has not the sinner’s Friend gained a complete and everlasting victory over death, the sinner’s enemy? Consider, (1st.) what Christ hath done for us sinners. For sinners we are, and shall be, though redeemed by the blood, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ. When the messenger of death kills the body, and calls the soul to glory, then honour thy Lord’s work by the faith of thy heart. So fear and terror shall flee thy soul. (1st.) By his death, he has appeased divine Justice. As Jonah, his type, being cast into the sea, quelled the storm; so Christ, being cast into the furnace of divine wrath, quenched the flames. God is just, while he justifies ungodly sinners who believe in Jesus. (Romans 3:26.) (2d.) He hath silenced all the accusations of the law. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13.) (3d.) Upon this, follows the removal of guilt. “He took away our sins by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26.) “We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins.” (Ephesians 1:7.) “He has wrought out and brought in an everlasting righteousness for us: we are made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21.) (5th.) “He hath conquered Satan: by his death, he hath destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14.) (6th.) “He hath opened heaven to us. We have lost a paradise by sin. We gain heaven by the cross of Christ. It is our purchased possession.” (Ephesians 1:14.) Lastly, He hath obtained a victory over sin and death, so that we may joyfully cry out, “Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57.) Now, if Christ has appeased justice, silenced the law, taken away the guilt of sin, is made righteousness to us, conquered Satan, opened heaven, overcome death, and obtained victory for us, what have we to fear? Why should we not triumph in the views of death? We cannot without (2d.) the work of the Spirit in us. But if he has made the work of Christ glorious in our eyes; if he has given us to see our need of it: to believe in, and rely upon Christ’s life and death as our title to heaven and glory: by the faith of this, he hath sanctified our souls, as vessels of honour, to the glory of Christ. It is our privilege to rejoice in him: to look upon his victories as our own; to triumph over every enemy, and death, as the last enemy. For though he is an enemy to the flesh, he is the best friend to the soul.

Prepare us, Lord, for thy right hand-

Then come the joyful day:

Come death, and some celestial band,

To bear our souls away.