Yet They Are Your People # 1

Yet They Are Your People # 1

"Yet they are Your people, Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your great power and Your outstretched arm." (Deuteronomy 9:29).

The imperfections of the Lord's people, are sometimes so numerous and so great - that it is difficult for them to recognize the likeness of Jesus in them. They are so worldly, so selfish, and indulge such unlovely tempers - that we are ready to say that they can never be the Lord's redeemed people.

But it is impossible for us to say, with how much imperfection - true grace may dwell.

Who would have thought that Jonah was a true prophet, one of God's own choice, and object of His infinite and endless love? But he was!

Who, that heard Peter curse and swear that he never knew Jesus, would have said, that he had love in his heart to Him? Yet so it was!

It is well for us, that God sees not as man sees; for man judges by the outward appearance - but the Lord judges by the heart. A sour temper - sometimes conceals the sweet grace of Jesus. A rough exterior - may hide a gentle loving heart. But the Lord's people are, they always have been - very imperfect. Moses admits this; but he closes by concluding after all, "Yet they are Your people, Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your great power and Your outstretched arm." We will notice,

First, the Lord's conduct towards Israel. There is the stamp of His own nature, the impress of His own divinity, upon it. It is the conduct of a God, who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy and truth. In Egypt, when smarting under a tyrant's rod - He looked upon them, He pitied them, He appeared for them, and exerted Himself on their behalf. Long did He bear with them, and was determined to deliver them. He treated and showed Himself to them - as God. Egyptian slavery - though haughty Pharaoh resisted, though the people complained, and though timid Moses was afraid. Having brought them out - He constituted them His own peculiar people, called them His children, treated them as such, and claimed them as His own inheritance!

Just so, has He acted towards us: we were in bondage under the elementary principles of the world, we were led captive by the devil at his will, we were serving divers lusts and pleasures, hateful and hating one another. He looked upon us, He pitied us, He determined to save us. He sent us His Word - His servants - His Spirit - and His grace. He crushed the power of our foe, He subdued the enmity of our hearts - and He brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light, translating us into the kingdom of His dear Son.

He constituted us His people - by the work of His Spirit; He made us His children - by adoption and grace, and claims us for His own inheritance.

We are His people - and He is our God;
we His sheep - and He is our shepherd;
we are His children - and He is our heavenly Father.

In acting towards us thus, He displays His sovereignty, manifests His grace, exalts His gratuitous mercy, confounds our foes, lays us under the deepest obligation, and  will secure to Himself everlasting glory! Let us now consider,

Secondly, Israel's conduct toward God. What a contrast is here!

Look at them at Marah - murmuring against Moses and against God, saying, "What shall we drink?"

See them in the wilderness of sin, murmuring and exclaiming, "If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt! There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death!"

See them at Mount Horeb, where they make the golden calf, and worship it.

View them at Taberah, where they wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!"

See them at Massah, where they cried, "Why have You brought us up out of Egypt - to kill us and our children, and our cattle with thirst?"

Look at them at Kibroth-Hattaavah, where they provoked the Lord to wrath.

See them at Kadesh-Barnea, where they indulged in unbelief, and were excluded from the land.

Their conduct from first to last was ungrateful, for God was their firm, fast, and faithful Friend.

It was unnatural - for He was their kind, tender, and indulgent Father.

It was treasonable - for He was their just, merciful and gracious Sovereign.

It was fearful - for it was against a present God, the symbol of whose presence was constantly before their eyes.

Well might Moses say of them, "You have been a stiff-necked people since the day I knew you!"

Well might God say of them, "I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. I know so well what traitors you are. You have been rebels from birth!"

~James Smith~

(continued with # 2)