Elijah the Tishbite was an obedient servant of God in a land where God had been neglected and ignored for many years.  We do not hear about him prior to chapter 17 of 1 Kings, but we certainly do read about the deplorable state of affairs in the nation of Israel in those days.  Ahab was arguably the worst of a long line of kings in Israel; these kings had entirely forgotten about God, and collectively, they had led their nation into a state of spiritual depravity.  A good friend once described for me the effects of sin in the following simile:  sin is like a pebble dropping into a pond; the ripples go out in all directions, and many in distant places are affected. So it was with the sins of the kings of Israel in those days; the nation had by and large followed the example of their kings, and there were precious few in the land who yet stood for God.  But, Elijah was God’s man in this sad scene, and we see in James 5:17 that he prayed for God’s intervention to turn the hearts of the people back to God: “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.” 

Elijah was a man “subject to like passions as we are.”  It comforts me to know that!  Elijah was not a superman; he did not have the power in and of himself to change the hearts of his countrymen, nor to close up the heavenly storehouses of rain in order to cause his fellow Israelites and their king to finally look up and repent.  But, he was a man who trusted in the God for whom nothing is impossible.  We read that he prayed earnestly for God’s intervening hand, and surely he believed that his petition was granted.  Then, this man of faith went before Ahab to deliver his hard message about the coming drought.  We read in verse 1, “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”

Elijah had obediently delivered God’s message to a godless king, and this certainly did not endear him to Ahab; speaking the truth about sin and the need for repentance in this world often elicits a very negative response.  But, Elijah was faithful in delivering this message despite the possibility of having to endure the wrath of the king.  He was also willing to trust in God for what would come next: “And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.  And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there,” (verses 2-4.  I don’t know what Elijah expected after delivering his hard message to Ahab, but I doubt he could have guessed that God would send him out into a wilderness place to be fed by ravens.  Still, in accordance with the word of the Lord, Elijah went east to Cherith, and there by the lonely banks of this wandering stream, he was protected and cared for by God.  We read in verses 5-7, “So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.  And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.  And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.”

Can you imagine this scene?  I had a book of Sunday School stories when I was a child, and this story was one I vividly remember.  The picture showed Elijah sitting on the bank of a stream with his hands stretched towards the heavens, and he was looking at a long line of ravens trailing back toward the cloudless horizon; they were flying towards him, and each carried a piece of food in its beak to deliver to the outstretched hand of the man of God. For me, this picture strikingly portrays the place of dependence where I believe God would have His servants to be.  God was protecting Elijah from the wrath of Ahab by removing him from the king’s presence during the time that the drought would have it’s effect on the land.  Yet, the simple truth of it is that Elijah too would be touched by the very drought he had prayed for, and God would use this whole experience to accomplish another purpose.

Did you ever wonder how Elijah became such a man of faith?  We are not told in this portion, but I have to believe that many hours in Elijah’s life were spent learning the lessons of faith through the trials that God allowed in his life.  Here, this faithful man of God would be obliged to spend lonely hours in a desolate place, trusting only in the sustaining hand of God. I truly believe that faith and dependence are some of the most important things that the child of God must learn in this world, and we learn best through the trials that attend our way.

Elijah was a faithful man of prayer, yet consider his lonely vigil in the eastern wilderness.  He sat alone by his brook, his only companionship being the ravens which God had commanded to feed him.  What a humbling situation!  I do not know what Elijah’s customary diet had been previously, nor whether he found his new rations to be especially palatable.  But, God faithfully cared for His servant in this desolate place.  Whatever his previous occupation had been, Elijah was no longer able to provide for himself, and he now sat in  loneliness, waiting prayerfully for each and every bite of food he was to receive for that particular day, not knowing what the plan would be for the next day—only that God would provide.  Eventually, due to the drought in the land, even the stream itself, which provided life sustaining water, dried up; yet this man of God must still wait.  God had a plan for His servant—He always does.  But doesn’t it seem that God’s plan is often not revealed until the eleventh hour?  In this case, the stream had to first dry up leaving Elijah with no clear direction, then came the Word of the Lord showing the path of blessing for this servant: “And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee,” (verses 8,9).

My dear friend, perhaps you have sat by Cherith—perhaps you are sitting there just now.  It may be that you have been faithful in prayer and have done your best to follow the Lord, yet you are now experiencing times that try the soul.  Perhaps those who once stood with you now despise you, or your health has failed, or the economy or other circumstances have claimed your job.  Perhaps natural calamities have drastically affected your life and the lives of those around you, and the way for tomorrow seems uncertain and even forbidding.  Such times are difficult, but they are not unexpected for the child of God in this fallen world.  Our path through this life is a path that surely leads to glory; yet, God brings His children through many trials along this wilderness way.  Recall the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the saints who were suffering persecution for their faith at Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Acts 14:22, “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”  Yet, come what may in this world, we have the assurance of the presence of our Lord in every circumstance, “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” (Hebrews 13:5). 

In this account of Elijah which we have read, it occurs to me that Elijah himself had to experience loneliness and isolation in a desolate place, and also the effects of the drought, even though he himself had not forgotten God.  Yet, God certainly used the experience to strengthen Elijah’s faith, and also to teach his servant a further lesson in dependence.  God often uses the trials that are allowed into the lives of His saints to teach and perfect them.  I think of the Apostle Paul who presented the Gospel so faithfully all over the Roman world, and who by faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit healed many with infirmities among those he encountered.  Yet, God allowed an affliction to enter the life of this faithful witness to the Gentiles which even repeated prayer would not remove as we read in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10,

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”  We are not told exactly what the thorn was that Paul was obliged to experience , and I think I’m glad that this is the case.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit purposely left that part untold so that we would not get the idea that God’s gracious words were intended for only one situation; that you or I might be able to find comfort in seeing God’s hand in our own particular circumstance just now. 

My dear Christian friend, as you sit on that lonely bank waiting moment by moment for the sustaining Grace of God, may you hear His loving voice calling to you, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 

“Great is Thy faithfulness! great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided- Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”

Far to the northeast of Jerusalem, somewhere near the ancient city of Babylon, was a river or a canal called Chebar.  It was along this stream, perhaps 26 centuries ago, where the children of Israel experienced one of the saddest times in all of their history.  The utter humiliation of this once proud people, and the uncertainty of their  future, was no doubt troubling in the extreme for many who were gathered here.  By way of background, the events recorded in the first three verses of Ezekiel occur during the deportation of the people of Judah to Babylon.   Recall that the nation of Israel had long since become lax in their devotion to the things of the Lord, and that idolatry had become rampant throughout the land.  The kings of the northern kingdom of Israel had failed to follow the Lord since the days of Jeroboam , and that kingdom had already been removed years before by the assyrians. In the days referred to in this portion, the southern kingdom of Judah had now been attacked and conquered by the Babylonians.  Many of the people of Judah had been rounded up and marched away into captivity, and all of the treasure from the Temple had been loaded up and hauled away to distant Babylon by the victorious invader. Can you only imagine the dreadful realities facing the people described in these verses?  At this point,  they had all been collected along the Chebar Canal near the City of Babylon in what may have been a kind of concentration camp.  Ezekiel was among those gathered here along the Chebar, and my guess is that there were a great number of people—they were taken in Nebuchadnezzar’s second visit to Jerusalem; all of them had been stripped of their possessions, their personal dignity, and certainly their freedom.  To add to their misery, their homeland had been conquered, the Temple of God plundered, and they themselves were destined to be slaves in a heathen land.  What an utterly miserable development for the people of God! 

I would guess that for many of the people encamped by Chebar, it must have seemed that God had completely forgotten them.  Yet, as we read the first three verses of Ezekiel 1, we find that even in such an apparently hopeless, helpless circumstance, God was not at all far from His people.  In verses 1-3 we read, “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.” 

Just think of what we see here!  Even at such a time of shattered dreams and dismal prospects, God knew the suffering of His people, and He revealed Himself to His faithful servant,  right there at the place of suffering. Glorious visions burst forth from Heaven, sent by an ever faithful and loving God,  to encourage the hearts of His people.  The Lord  was very near indeed, even though it may not have seemed so to many who had not the eyes of faith. But, this encouragement from God did not mean that the troubling times were all over for Judah; These visions of wonder were for the comfort of a people who had strayed from God, yet the realization of these blessings would only come at a later time—the people would need to be patient in their current trial, not seeking the deliverance of men, but the faithfulness of God.  The children of God, as should ever be the case, must wait patiently on the Lord for His deliverance.

Sometimes, it is so hard to wait, is it not?  Perhaps you yourself are waiting for deliverance and relief just now, and maybe you have endured a considerable wait already.  Perhaps you have lost income, possessions or even health due to infirmities,  business reverses, or calamities of some other type; perhaps your hopes and dreams for the future appear to have been wrecked like a ship running aground in a violent storm. Those long, lonely hours of prayer and fasting go on and on, yet the heavens are silent, and there is no glorious vision from above to show that the matter will be resolved any time soon.  My dear friend, take courage—your loving Father knows your situation: “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry,” (Psalm 34:15).  Let these lovely words from Jeremiah be the glorious beam from Heaven to brighten your days: “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.  The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD,” (Lamentations 3:22-26).  The proper place for the child of God is to wait patiently on the Lord.  Waiting patiently implies a submissiveness to His will; the submissive heart is not discouraged, even though the wait be ever so long.  In Psalm 130:5,6, we see a beautiful example of the expectant heart of the child of God  who is waiting on the Lord: “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope.  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”   

A loving and faithful God revealed Himself centuries ago to His servant Ezekiel along the banks of Chebar in order to comfort His people right where they were, and in the very hour of their suffering; This same faithful and loving God comes to us in our times of need today as well, bringing words of comfort and encouragement. As believers in Christ, we can certainly be sure that the Lord is aware of whatever situation confronts us.  And, God will act, though indeed, sometimes there are lessons of faith that can only be learned through patiently waiting on Him.  Though it may seem that we are quite alone as we endure periods of trial, He comes to His own in time of need! In this world, Christians may experience afflictions which may try our very souls, yet we have the assurance of His presence during such times. The Lord Jesus was very aware of the peril of His disciples on the Sea of Galilee one stormy night, and He came to them in the night watches, in just their hour of need, calming the sea and comforting their souls (Matthew 14:22-33).  Likewise, He immediately knew and understood well the hearts of His sorrowing disciples on the Emmaus road, and He joined them their just when they needed Him, opening their eyes to Himself and encouraging their hearts (Luke 24:13-35). Our Lord Jesus is in the glory today, yet His care for His own is the same even as you read these words.  He is aware of our every trouble and disappointment; He hears and comes to His dear ones just when we need Him, and right where we are, encouraging our hearts through His Word.  If our hearts be submissive to His will, we will not be overwhelmed: “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep,” (Psalm 121:3,4). 

My dear friend, are you a child of God?  Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior and Lord?  If you do, then you realize that you are so very special to God, the God of the universe.  We read in Romans 8:16-18: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”  These are comforting words indeed for the child of God; if, on the other hand, you are not yet a child of God, there is good news for you:  this same God who revealed Himself to Ezekiel so long ago, loves you very much, so much that He once sent His Son into the world to die for your sins, that by believing on Him, you might become one of His dear children:” But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name,” (John 1:12).

***

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation,” (Habakkuk 3:17, 18).

On a certain day in late September, my daughter and I were walking together on the bicycle path south of our home.  My heart on that day seemed burdened with many cares, and I felt the need to go to a peaceful place and just think on the Lord.  When considering a major life decision, or when troubled by some unpleasant circumstance, do you ever seek such a place of solitude for prayer and meditation? Consider the lovely expression in Genesis 24:63 relating a time of reflection for Isaac as he anticipated the arrival of Rebecca, his bride, “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide…”.

The evening is such a lovely time of the day, don’t you think? On our bicycle trail walk, the beauty and solitude of the park seemed to encourage a thankful and prayerful spirit in me.  As we coursed our way along a winding trail through the rolling grassland, with the occasional stands of trees on either side of the path, all decorated in the vivid hues of autumn, the glory of God’s creation seemed to fairly cry out to us.  As my daughter described the scene to me, I could picture a world, though in autumnal decline, full of incredible beauty.  The woods around this field were simply on fire with color, and I rejoiced as she described the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows that were all around us, painted against a background of golden grass and a deep blue sky.  And to think, the Lord crowned even the declining season with such splendor!  What a contrast!  It was a time when all the plants of the field were dying back, yet at this very time, the Lord of the universe brought out the most splendid scene of the year!  Though my eyes could no longer perceive this glorious display, my soul thrilled at the very description, and in my mind’s eye, I saw it all.  I immediately forgot my cares, and my very soul cried out in delight to the Lord because of His amazing works! My utter delight found expression in the words of Psalm 103:1,2: “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…”. 

As we consider the first two verses of Psalm 103, we might find ourselves wondering what happy circumstance in David’s life elicited such praise.  But, in fact, as we read the Psalm, it seems apparent to me that the psalmist was not rejoicing so much about some recent victory or a happy occurrence in his life, though this too could certainly have been a part of his praise.  Rather, I think, David’s soul responded to something much more sublime; I believe the Holy Spirit led David to consider the amazing mercy and goodness of God for His people, and all the wonderful plans that God has for his own.  So, the praise that is called for does not depend at all upon present circumstances.  Israel, even in times of difficulty,  could bless the God whose mercies were as great as the heavens are high above the earth (verse 11); and whatever their situation over the centuries, the faithful of Israel could always rejoice in God’s lovingkindness towards His people, as well as in the ultimate blessings He had in mind for them as a nation.   Regardless of the difficulties or failures of the present, God has wonderful plans for His children!

In verse 2 of this Psalm, we are called upon to “forget not all His benefits.”  Do we remember the benefits of the Lord even during the difficult times?  They are just as real then.  What are some of these benefits?  We read in verses 3-5, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s”.  My dear Christian friend, just like a father provides good things for his children, God daily blesses His own. 

On any day, we who are believers can remember that God forgives our iniquities and heals our diseases.  How blessed we are to be able to say, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us,” (verse 12).  This is the magnificent truth for all who have trusted in Christ!  And as for our diseases, while many of us may still have sickness or feel the effects of advancing age, we can always be cheered to know that despite our declining health, we have eternal life in Christ.  We also can know that the God of the universe understands our weaknesses and actively helps His own all along our wilderness path: “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust,” (verses 13,14).  Come what may in our lives, we have a great High Priest who can sympathize with us in our infirmities, having walked on this earth as a man, and this same One knows how to help us and sustain us all along our journey through this life.  He shall not suffer thy foot to be moved (Psalm 121:3). 

It may be that at times, we see only the hardness of the way, and we forget for a time all He has done and continues to do for us.  But, these benefits are just as true and real for the child of God during times of decline as during times of growth; just as true during the hard times as they are during the good times. Remember, dear Christian friend, in everything and in every circumstance, God reigns. For me, this is one of the most comforting thoughts in this Psalm.  We read in verse 19, “The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all”.  He reigns in the sunshine as well as in the storm; in times of prosperity as well as in times of loss. If we experience infirmities, business reverses, or even persecution, we can know that the Lord can use those very circumstances to our ultimate benefit: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,” (1 Peter 1:7,8).  Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Even in our darkest hour, we can look to the cross and see the greatest gift of love the world has ever seen, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16.)  The Lord Jesus Christ, in His finished work on Calvary’s cross, has purchased our pardon through His blood; and we through faith in Him, have forgiveness for our sins, are become the children of God, and have great glory before us.  We who have trusted in Christ for our salvation are most blessed, and this is true whatever the ease or difficulty of our path here below!  “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18—“Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Were you ever far from home and seemingly all alone in the world?  I imagine that’s just the way Jacob must have felt as he left his family home in Genesis chapter 28.  As we open this portion of Scripture, we find Jacob fleeing for his life before the face of his brother Esau.  In chapter 27, Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, had persuaded Jacob to deceive his father Isaac into giving him the blessing of the first-born.  Jacob, following his mother’s direction,  had put on Esau’s clothes, and had placed goat’s hair on the backs of his hands and on his neck so he could deceive Isaac into thinking that it was indeed Esau who was presenting his father savory venison; then, after eating, Isaac had given Jacob the blessing that he had promised to give Esau, the first born.  It all had gone just like clock-work.!  But, when Esau found out what had happened, he was very angry and began to make plans to kill Jacob.  Thus Jacob got the blessing, but he had to flee for his life.  In very short order, Jacob was dispossessed of his comfortable home, and he now became an outcast and a wanderer, seeking refuge with his mother’s relatives in Mesopotamia.  In verses 10 and 11 we read, “And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.  And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.”  Though Jacob had received the blessing he wanted, he was now wandering alone through wilderness places, without resources, homeless, friendless,  and unsure of the future.  As he reached the end of what must have been a most disheartening day, the sun went down, and Jacob was forced to sleep on the bare ground, using the very stones of the place as his pillow. One can only imagine Jacob’s thoughts as he looked up at the starry heavens and waited for sleep. But, the LORD was with Jacob, whether he realized this or not. On this night, Jacob had a most amazing dream provided to him by that One who watched over his soul.  “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of,” (verses 12-15).

What a glorious dream!  That night on the hard ground must have been easily forgotten after such a magnificent dream! A stairway to heaven, with the very angels of God ascending and descending, and the LORD standing at the top of the ladder speaking encouraging words to His downcast servant must surely have lifted Jacob’s heart!  This man who must have felt miserable and all alone in the world on this night, was suddenly and unexpectedly provided a direct message of promise and encouragement by the God of the universe.  Not only was Jacob promised land, seed and blessing as his father Abraham had been promised, but in verse 15, he was assured of God’s presence, care,  and guidance all along the way.  This outcast child of God seemed surprised to learn that even in his present distress and in this desolate place, God was there: “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven,” (verses 16-17).

My dear friends, Jacob may have lacked the assurance of God’s presence and direction in his life up to this night; but yet he was a child of God, and God graciously reached out and lifted Jacob up when he had seemingly hit rock bottom. You and I who have trusted the Lord Jesus as our Savior are definitely blessed and watched over by this same God of Jacob.  Come what may in our lives, we can be certain of the Lord’s constant presence and care for us.  Remember the precious promises of our Lord Jesus: “…and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world,” (Matthew 28:20); “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” (Hebrews 13:5); and, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also,” (John 14:1-3).

When Jacob realized the presence and nearness of God, he was deeply moved and sought to remember the place.  In verses 18-19, we read, “And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.  And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.”  I understand that the name of that place, “Luz” meant “separation.”  But, nothing can separate the Christian from God’s love: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:38,39).  Jacob may have been an outcast from his family, and a wilderness wanderer; but despite issues in his past, and his present distress, he now realized the nearness of God, and God’s grace and constant care.  This place would now be remembered as “Bethel”, the house of God, and I expect Jacob went away from that place refreshed and encouraged.  May we as Christians walk in daily communion with our Lord, praying and reading His Word so that despite even the most difficult circumstances, we may be able to say with certainty, as Jacob of old, “surely the LORD is in this place.” But now, my dear friend, if you do not yet know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, these words may not comfort you.  You will not know the blessing of moment by moment communion with the Lord, and your current circumstances may simply seem frightening and hopeless.  .  If this is your case, then I want to assure you that, despite past failures, there is indeed a God in Heaven who knows you and loves you.  He has sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, in order that you might become a child of God through faith in Him: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name…,” (John 1:10-12).

This account tells of a day, a little over 900 years before Christ, when a great army of a million Ethiopian troops and 300 chariots approached the nation of Judah from the south.  Somewhere near Maresha, a fenced city in the lowlands of Judah, King Asa of Judah moved his much smaller force into position to intercept the invading host.  Asa was the fifth king in the line of David; this king had followed the Lord, and the Lord had blessed Judah during his reign as we read in verses 2-6: “And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.”

We read in these verses about a time preceding  the day of trial, when there was peace and rest for the children of God.  Peace and rest—what a lovely sound!  Things had been going very well for Judah during the first years of this godly king’s reign.  We see a picture of peace and prosperity on every side, because Asa was a devoted servant of God.  Yet, without much warning and without apparent cause, this challenge from the south suddenly develop, presenting a serious threat to national security, and upsetting the peace in a land where God was being honored. After some years of relative peace, Asa was suddenly faced with a serious threat in the person of Zerah and his mighty army.  We read in verses 9 and 10, “And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.  Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.” Imagine, if you will, what this scene must have looked like as events unfolded.  I expect the first sign of the approaching horde would have been a huge and ominous cloud of dust on the southern horizon; then, the indistinct shape of a vast host filling the distant landscape, with perhaps hundreds of tiny flashes of light catching the eye as the early sun reflected off polished metal weapons. As the approaching masses of marching men began to come into clearer focus, with banners fluttering before the lead columns, the distant rumbling of a million pairs of tramping feet would have grown by degrees as the sprawling juggernaut approached.  Just imagine the sight of countless battalions now filling this arid landscape, marching inexorably forward toward Asa’s position! What a terrifying sight this must have been for the people of God!

My dear Christian friend, have you ever been faced with the growing threat of  desperate circumstances?  Perhaps you have never been on a battle field facing a mighty host like this; maybe you have never been in a land or sea battle at all, but desperate challenges can take many forms in this world.  Perhaps business reverses or tough economic times are threatening your livelihood at this very moment; perhaps floods or other calamities are threatening your home; perhaps growing infirmity is robbing you of your independence, and there is just no sign of relief anywhere before you. Does your heart long for peace and rest?  So often, we hope and pray for smooth sailing through this world, only to find that the Lord has allowed dark and ominous clouds to form on our horizon.  Perhaps, like Asa, we have been following the Lord; and, perhaps we wonder why such storms are allowed to come into the lives of the faithful.

Asa was badly outnumbered, and by all human reasoning, his prospects in the desperate struggle before him were dismal at best.  This godly king, however, realized that he could not look to his own strength for deliverance in this mounting crisis, and this is one of the primary lessons for every child of God in this life.  We must learn to depend fully and in all matters upon the One for Whom nothing is impossible.  Asa committed the entire matter to the Lord  in a short prayer, but one full of faith:  “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, Thou art our God; let no man prevail against Thee,” (verse 11).

I love this prayer of Asa’s.  He realized, as every child of God must realize, that God is sovereign; He has His purposes in the events that come into the lives of His children, and our battles in this world are not fought by our own power.  Asa, at best, could muster perhaps 600,000 mighty men of valor, and yet he realized that without God, he must surely fail; in depending on the Mighty One of Israel, the battle is never in doubt, regardless of numbers.  We read in Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”  Asa committed the battle to the Lord, and the result was a resounding victory for Judah, with all glory to God, rather than to men. We read in verse 12 and 13, ”So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before His host; and they carried away very much spoil.”

My dear Christian friend, are you suffering just now from some affliction or even persecution which threatens you like some mighty host which is seeking to overthrow you? Remember, God is sovereign—His plan will unfold perfectly, despite the apparent circumstances.  Take courage—if you are a child of God, you are not alone in this trial.  Perhaps, despite the misery and uncertainty of your present situation, like Jacob of old, you can say, “…Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not,” (Genesis 28:16).  Your loving God and Father is above you, beneath you, and is all around you in His care; He is your refuge, and provider of every need : ”There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”

It is so amazing to witness how the God of the universe can use even trials and afflictions in the lives of His children in ways that the world simply cannot understand!  It has pleased our Father to use the weak things of this world to accomplish His purposes; and we, His children,  though but earthen vessels, are privileged to be a part of the unfolding of those purposes.  Yet, like the clay pots of Gideon, our vessels may need to be shattered in order that the light of the Gospel may shine forth and a great victory won.  We read in 2 Corinthians 4:7-10: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

I recently read the account of the Scottish preacher George Matheson, a dear servant of God from the 19^th century, whose heart was broken by the news that he was becoming blind. I would imagine that this news was sobering in the extreme in its implications since it threatened his very future as a minister.  As I understand it, Matheson reflected a while in his sadness, and considered the ever loving God who had allowed this affliction in the life of one who wished only to better serve Him; and this broken vessel, who would later become known as “the blind preacher” penned the following words:

“O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.”
–George Matheson, 1882

As this very interesting story opens, we find the king of Syria going to war against Israel.  In verse 8, the Syrian king was making his war plans, obviously hoping to ambush the army of Israel when it came out of the fortifications of Samaria.  The army of Israel would come forth unaware, then at a certain point, it would suddenly be confronted by the Syrians in battle formation with no time to prepare or even react.  The whole thing would be over in a matter of minutes!  What a beautiful plan the Syrians had, and it should have worked.  The only problem is that the Syrian king did not count on God’s intervention!

God revealed to the prophet Elisha the plan of the Syrians so that each time the plan was attempted, Israel was forewarned and thus able to avoid disaster (verse 9, 10).  After missing several seemingly foolproof opportunities to surprise the army of Israel, the Syrian king began to strongly suspect that he had a traitor in his midst who was leaking his secret plans to Israel (verse 11).  Surprisingly enough, it was one of the Syrian king’s own servants (verse 12) who seemed to have the insight as to what was going on—this was not treason, it was God who had been revealing the king’s plans to His prophet Elisha.  Now, you might think that this would give the Syrian king pause to reflect since God was acting on the side of Israel to reveal the king’s most secret plans to his enemies.  However, this Syrian, instead of bowing to the obvious will of God, decided to respond the way that the people of this world often choose when confronted with the will of God—in verse 13, we find the king of Syria seeking to locate this prophet of God so that he might take him out of the picture and thus have his own way.  In verse 14, after finding out from the servant that Elisha was in the city of Dothan, a town just a few miles north of Samaria, we find the Syrian king issuing orders for a great host with horses and chariots to go to Dothan to find the man of God—not to learn from him, but to capture him!  We read that this great host came by night and compassed the city of Dothan round about—the Syrian was taking no chances, or so he thought!  How arrogant is the heart of sinful man!  Is it any wonder that Satan often finds the people of this world to be such willing, if unaware, accomplices in his plans to oppose God and His people?

It is as the sun rises on Dothan the next morning that we observe the seeming hopelessness of the situation.  The servant of Elisha steps out of the house early in the morning to the terrifying sight of spear tips and shields flashing in the morning sunlight all around the village (verse 15): “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city, both with horses and chariots.  And his servant said unto him, ‘alas, my master, how shall we do?’”  Can you sense the despair in this young man?  This servant was young, but the gravity of the situation was not lost on him—they were surrounded by men of war, and there appeared to be no way out!  Can you imagine it?  Such a sight was enough to strike terror into this young heart. 

Have you ever experienced such fear?  Maybe you never woke up to find a host of armed men surrounding your town, but perhaps you have encountered situations that seemed to you just as hopeless.  These may have had to do with the illness of a loved one, or reversals in business, or perhaps the development of a life changing disability.  Sometimes, the things we encounter in this world appear to pose an insurmountable threat.  Satan, The enemy of our souls, will try to use such sights and situations to discourage Christians, and if possible, throw us into despair and retreat.  It is at times like these that we need to lay hold of the comforting promises of God.  Do we know a brother or a sister in the Lord who is struggling with such fear and despair?  Might we not give them hope with Godly encouragement such as Heb. 13:5, “…for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee;” or 1 John 4:4, “We are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

At this moment in our story, Elisha answers with such words of Godly comfort in verse 16, “Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”  Elisha had gone on with the Lord many years and knew by experience His ways—he was not at all frightened by those things revealed by the eye of flesh, for he knew the power and care of God for His own.  But, the young man did not yet see with the eyes of faith, rather he noted only what he could see before him, and he trembled at the forces arrayed against him.  It was at this point that the man of God looked upon his servant with compassion, desiring to comfort his heart and build up his faith.  Did you notice that?  This is my favorite part of the whole story!  Elisha knew that he and his servant were in God’s hands, and come what may, he was not troubled by what he saw before him.  However, his poor servant trembled with fear, and Elisha was not content to let his servant suffer in this way.  We read next that Elisha followed up and prayed that this man’s eyes might be opened so that he might see the surpassing power of the living God.  Elisha did not pray for himself, but for the faith of his servant!  Oh Christian, would that we should have such concern for one another in the church!  Elisha had compassion on his friend—he could not bear to leave him as he was, but wanted him to know the peace afforded by the knowledge of God’s surpassing power.  So, in verse 17 we read, “and Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.’  And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”

What a sight that must have been!  How real and terrible the host of men surrounding the town had seemed a few minutes before with their banners furling in the morning breeze, and their swords and lances poised and ready.  But now, how insignificant was this show of the rage of mere man against the awesome power of God which was arrayed to defend His own!  Elisha prayed that God might reveal to this doubting and trembling servant the surpassing power that was already present to protect from all ill.  Seeing this heavenly array, who could fear?  But the servant had not been able to see it, because the eyes of his faith must be opened.  How caring an act that this man of God should pray for his young servant; and because he prayed for his servant on this day, this young man was permitted to see the glory of the Lord as He delivered Israel.  It was a sight that I expect the servant never forgot! 

How Christ-like was this loving concern of Elisha for his trembling servant.  Recall that when the Lord Jesus walked in this earth, He tenderly cared for His disciples and comforted them in their fears.  In those closing days of His earthly walk, He spoke words of comfort and peace, and instructed them regarding things that were about to happen, so that when He was risen from the dead, they would remember and believe.  He was often in prayer for His disciples (see Luke 6:12).  Is He not the same today, though ascended and sitting on the right hand of the Father?  Does He not still come to His own in our time of need, meeting us where we are and comforting us with His word?   Just as when He prayed for Peter that his faith fail not, does He not continue to intercede for us?  He is the same Lord—“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever,” (Heb. 13:8).  What wonderful truths we have to stand on!

We read in the final verses of this story that as they angels came down to Elisha, that he prayed, and the great enemy host was struck with blindness.  What had been so fearsome an opposition, was soon reduced to a stumbling mass which was easily lead to capture in Samaria.  What a lopsided victory for God and His own!

Oh Christian, do you see the angels in the mountains?  “If God be for us, who can be against us,” (Rom. 8:31).   As Christians walking through this wilderness world, we are beset with trials and fearsome sights on every side, set there by the enemy of our souls in an attempt to frighten and confuse us.  Let us be ever in God’s word and in prayer, abiding in Christ, that we may have on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to withstand such attacks (Ephesians 6:10-18).  Let us see with the eyes of faith, and not rely on our eyes of flesh, for we have the promises of God to rely on.  We who are His own need never despair, but let us remind one another of the surpassing power of God toward His own and thereby lift up those who may be struggling.   Let us be constantly in prayer to strengthen the faith of our brothers and sisters in Christ that they too might see the angels in the mountains!

Have you ever been on a stormy sea in a small vessel?  If you have, then you probably know how terrifying the fury of wind and wave can be.  It was just this type of fury that the disciples of the Lord Jesus experienced in this account in Luke chapter 8.  In verse 22 we read, “Now it came to pass on a certain day, that He (the Lord Jesus) went into a ship with His disciples: and He said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.”  The Lord Jesus was with His disciples near the shore of the Sea of Galilee on this day, and He desired to go over to the land of the Gadarenes on the eastern shore.  He and His disciples entered a ship, and He bid them set sail.  This may have been a trip that they were used to making, but on this day, they were to encounter a great storm at sea.  It is my understanding that the Sea of Galilee is known for sudden, violent storms, so those who sailed it had to expect these kinds of events from time to time.  At least four of the disciples were experienced fishermen who had made their living on the sea; however, even for those who were very experienced, a violent storm at sea is a thing not to be taken lightly—storms on the water are always dangerous, and they can be terrifying in the extreme, especially when sailing in a small ship.  We read in verse 23, “But as they sailed He fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.”

The Lord Jesus had gone to sleep during the course of this voyage, and while He slept, the winds rose and the waves began to throw the ship about.  When their ship began to take on water, the disciples realized that they were in serious trouble, and their seamanship was clearly no match for the forces that threatened to sink their vessel.  Realizing their peril and in full panic, they woke the Lord Jesus whom they assumed was not in touch at all with the desperate nature of their situation, and they cried out in despair about their circumstances.

In verses 24 and 25 we read, “And they came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then He arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.  And He said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for He commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey Him.” These same disciples had walked with the Lord Jesus and had seen Him do many mighty works; yet it appears that with the winds raging and the high seas tossing them about, their eyes were focused on the storm only, and they forgot who they had in the ship with them.  I wonder if we Christians sometimes focus only on the storms of our lives and forget who it is that calms the raging seas?  In their midst, the disciples had One who did mighty works in the power of God, yet it appears that it never occurred to them that the Lord Jesus was able to bring even this seemingly desperate situation under control. 

We read that Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea, and the immediate result was a calm, placid sea.  That was a miracle!  The disciples had seen other miracles at the hand of Jesus, so perhaps they should have realized just who it was that sailed with them.  But apparently they did not expect this miracle; we see that they were frightened and astonished that even the wind and sea obeyed His voice.  When we are in desperate straits and call upon the Lord, are we surprised when He is able to deliver us?

My dear Christian friend, do you realize who it is that walks with you through this stormy world?  It may be that you have never experienced a storm at sea, but my guess is that many who read this paper have encountered storms in other aspects of your lives.  Maybe you are experiencing a personal storm in your life at this very moment.  Perhaps you have lost a job or a home, or have failed in a business venture; perhaps you have been diagnosed with a serious illness that will prevent you from pursuing your career dreams or even taking care of your own personal needs; perhaps you are unable to do some work for the Lord that you want with all your heart to do; or, perhaps you have been upset at the economic and political unrest in our world just now.  Take heart, my dear Christian friend!  You have the same sure resource that the disciples had on that stormy day on the sea so long ago.  The same Lord Jesus who calmed the sea for His disciples in Luke 8 can calm each of the storms of our lives as well.  He is risen and glorified, and is seated on the right hand of the Father now, but He knows very well your present distress.  His ear is inclined toward His children, and he hears our cries just as He heard those of His disciples on that stormy day at sea.  In Psalm 34:15 we read, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.”  This same Lord Jesus once walked in this scene, and He well knows our every need: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).  When the storms of life rage, we can put our trust in the One who calmed the seas—He is only a prayer away!

“And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me,” (Psalm 50:15).

My times are in Thy hand; Father, I wish them there;
My life, my soul, my all, I leave entirely to Thy care. (Grace and Truth, #144).

During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus spent a great deal of time in and around the city of Capernaum on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. It was in this region that many of His mighty works were done. To the southwest of Capernaum was the village of Nain. Now, the Lord Jesus visited this village on a certain day according to this account in Luke 7; and as He entered the village, He encountered a funeral procession for a young man who had recently died. We read in verses 11 and 12, “And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
Now when He came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” You can just imagine the sadness of this scene! The death of a loved one is always a very sad event, but somehow I think this particular situation was especially tragic. This young man was the only son of his mother, who herself was a widow; this widow had therefore lost about everything in her world—first her husband, and now her only son. Besides this terrible loss, her very means of support was much in question given that now all the men in her family were gone. Perhaps the magnitude of this tragedy could be measured in some degree by the large number of people who accompanied her and mourned with her in this procession. It must have been a very sad day indeed for this mother, and one full of tears and uncertainty.

My dear friend, perhaps you have experienced the extreme grief and sense of loss associated with the death of a loved one. We have often heard the saying, “where there’s life, there’s hope,” but when one has died, we are powerless to help. Man has no power over death, and that fact remains true even today despite all man’s progress in science and medicine. Today, we can treat many types of life threatening conditions and extend life in certain cases. But we cannot prolong life indefinitely, and when one has died, we have no medical remedy for that. Now, death is the consequence of sin; and because all men have sinned, we are all faced with death. It was to deal with sin once and for all and to free man from the power of death that the Lord Jesus came into this world. God knew our desperate plight, lost, ruined sinners that we were, and He sent His Son. At Calvary, the Lord Jesus conquered sin which leads to death, so that we who are dead in our sins might have life through faith in him. “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11: 25, 26).

I do not believe that the widow of Nain or anyone in the crowd expected what was about to happen; yet this woman’s sorrow was about to be turned to very great joy—she and the entire crowd were about to meet the God of resurrection! We read in verse 13, “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.” I love to read those words: ”He had compassion on her.” God cares, and He does see and hear when His own are in distress. We read in Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” But sometimes I think that in the midst of deep sorrow, extreme disappointment, or desperate trials, it can seem that we are all alone in our suffering. In times of great stress, we may tend not to remember that God loves us and that He cares about our situation. Have you ever heard someone say, “where is God in this thing?,” or “Doesn’t God care?” Dear friends, we need to remember that it was the love of God which caused him to send His only begotten Son into the world to rescue us from our hopeless situation: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16).
In #135of the Little Flock Hymn Book, we sing,
“We joy in our God, and we sing of that love, So sovereign and free which did His heart move! When lost our condition, all ruined, undone. He saw with compassion, and spared not His Son!”

In verses 14 and 15 of our chapter, we find the Lord Jesus acting to comfort and restore: “And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.” Can you imagine the astonishment and joy of this mother as the Lord Jesus accomplished what no other man could do? This young man was dead, and up to the point where Jesus spoke to him, he could not hear the voices of those around him as the mourners wept and lamented; he could not hear the braying of a donkey, nor the clap of a cartwheel on the stony path. But he heard the voice of the Lord Jesus, and at the sound of His voice, the life of this man was restored, and he could return to his family! This reminds me of the words of the Lord Jesus in John 5:25, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” If you have placed your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, then you too will one day hear His voice and will be raised to life.

Raising someone from the dead is a great miracle, and one that did not go unnoticed by the crowd at Nain. We read in verse 16, “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” Can you imagine the astonishment of the crowd when they realized what the Lord Jesus had done? A man who was known by all to be dead and ready for the grave, suddenly sat up and began to speak when the Lord commanded him to arise. But who can raise the dead? Fear fell upon the crowd as they witnessed the power of God intervening in their lives in a very tangible way. I don’t know what the crowd actually understood regarding Jesus, whether they saw Him as just a great prophet, or the Son of God; but clearly they saw the mighty power of God touching them right where they lived, and they glorified God.

If you are a Christian, I’m sure you’ll agree that it is comforting to realize that the Lord Jesus, the very Son of God, saw with compassion the tears of a poor widow woman from an insignificant village in Galilee, and He acted to give relief and hope where previously there had been none. Remember, this is The same Lord Jesus who is now seated at the right hand of His Father in glory! Though it is true that he is no longer walking in this earthly scene, He yet loves His own. He knows our troubles and seeks to comfort His own. If you are a child of God, then whatever tragedies you may encounter as you walk through this world, you have the sure knowledge that the Lord Jesus knows and is ready to comfort and encourage, and to minister to you in your time of need. He is only a prayer away!

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:15,16).

As we open this beautiful portion, we find two of the Lord’s disciples walking together on the road leading from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus, a journey of 7 or 8 miles. Cleopas was the name of one of the two travelers, and the name of the other is not given. As these two companions walked along, they were deep in conversation; they were perplexed, and their hearts were very heavy. Much had happened in Jerusalem in the past few days, and these events now occupied all their thoughts. They were disciples of Jesus; and like many who had thronged about Jesus as He walked before the people in Galilee, they had heard His wonderful words—words full of love and grace, and authority and wisdom. These disciples had seen His mighty works—He had fed 5000 people with only five loaves of bread and a couple fishes, and He had calmed the sea. He had healed the sick and had even raised the dead. But as His disciples, they had come also to know Him personally and had come to love Him. They believed Him to be the Messiah, the hope for the redemption of Israel. But then in the past week, they had seen Him arrested by the Jewish leaders, mistreated, and handed over to the Romans for execution. They had watched Him be led to Calvary’s hill, there to suffer on a cruel cross, and there under blackened skies and with the earth quaking beneath their feet, they had watched Him die. Despite the fact that He had told them ahead of time all that would happen, they must have been deeply troubled by all they had seen. As they watched their Lord be laid in the tomb, all their hopes must have seemed to be crumbling. Then on this first day of the week, the third day since these events had occurred, these disciples awoke to reports of an empty tomb and of visions of angels, and reports that this One that they loved so much had risen from the dead. Those reports must have been so hard to believe—they had seen Him die and be laid in the tomb. Small wonder that the disciples were so perplexed and absorbed in thought and conversation as they walked along.

It was at just this time that the Lord Himself came to them, but their eyes were “holden” and they did not recognize Him. Being so absorbed. I imagine they scarcely noticed this stranger as He came among them on the road. But isn’t it just like the Lord to draw near His own when in times of trouble and deep sorrow? This is the same Lord Jesus who had walked with His disciples in Galilee, who had rebuked the storm when they had been frightened, and who had washed their feet. He was risen, but He still loved His own individually and hearkened to them in their time of sorrow seeking to comfort them. He is the same today as well! He knows our troubles and our burdens, and He comes to us at just such times to comfort and encourage. “Though in glory I am seated, e’en the softest word I hear; and the voice of little children, soundeth sweetly in Mine ear.”

The Lord came among these two and began to draw them out, though they did not yet recognize Him. They had deep sorrow, but soon this sorrow was to be turned to great joy! In verse 17 we read, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad?” The Lord knew very well the sorrows of their hearts, but as yet, these two disciples did not seem to be looking to Him for the answers. Do we ever react that way? When faced with problems and sorrows that we don’t understand, do we talk to others instead of the Lord about those things? At His prompting, they began to reveal their thoughts, which of course He was quite aware of already—thoughts of Him and all that had happened. They poured out their broken hearts about their Lord Jesus, the events that had occurred, and the reports of the empty tomb. While their hearts still ached, the Lord Himself began to minister to them by opening up His word to them. We read in verse 25, “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” Isn’t that so often the case with us? In times of sorrow, I sometimes find that my pain is primarily due to a senseless slowness to believe the promises of God in His word. And as Christians, we have so many promises to lay hold of! Just think of the promise in Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” No matter how much or how little we have in this world, we have the promise that our Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. We also read in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” My dear friend, if you are saved, you need never fear. We will never be forsaken of the Lord in this life, come what may; and soon enough, the Lord will come and take us to be with Himself forever. With such promises, why should we ever be anxious or fearful? We must not be slow to believe the promises of God’s Word.

So then, the Lord opened the scriptures beginning with Moses and the prophets, and He revealed one by one all those prophesies and types in the Old Testament Scriptures which spoke of Himself. Can you imagine it? The Lord Himself ministered to them by revealing Himself in His Word. Some have said that they wish they could have been there to hear that ministry, and I guess I wonder who could not wish that! But in fact, this is just what we have today when we open God’s Word and prayerfully read. Our risen Lord knows all about our sorrows and comes to us in our times of need, seeking to minister to us through His word. Who is it but the Holy Spirit that reveals Christ to us in the scriptures, and when that is done, what blessing we have! We receive peace, strength and joy in having Christ ministered to us, and when absorbed in this, how small the troubles of this world become! And, how precious is such sweet fellowship as in times when Christians are enjoying together the precious things of Christ in His Word. Isn’t this a beautiful picture of what we are to be about while walking this wilderness path?

I expect this walk to Emmaus went very quickly for these two disciples. However long the actual trip was. I imagine these two were scarcely aware of the time. Suddenly, they were in Emmaus and at the door of their house, but they were not at all ready for the fellowship to end. The Lord made as though He would go on, but they constrained Him “abide with us.” It has been said that Christ will not force Himself upon anyone—but I promise you that if you make time for the Lord and constrain Him to be part of your family life. He will be there. You may have as much time with Christ as you want! I love this picture of these two constraining the Lord Jesus to come into their home to abide with them. He entered their home to tarry with them, they no doubt hoping to continue the wonderful conversation. Do we invite the Lord to come into our homes? That time around the table when we as families open God’s Word and read, and that time which we spend in prayer as a family is. I believe, precious. This is just what our families need, isn’t it? To sit as it were at the feet of Jesus, and have communion with Him!

When the Lord sat down to eat with them, we read that He took bread and blessed it, and brake and gave to them. It was at this point that they recognized Him. He had first opened the Scriptures to them; now He opened their eyes, and what they saw was wonderful! It was the Lord!! Can you imagine!? The one that they longed for, the one they loved, but whom they had seen die, now was revealed before them alive, just as He had said! I expect their mouths dropped open, and their hearts were flooded with immense joy!

He then vanished out of their sight, but we do not hear them complain. He was alive, and suddenly I believe that the truth of all He had told them about Himself came flooding upon them. He was risen, and ALL that He had said was true! What unspeakable joy!!

Do you have that joy? If you are a child of God, if you have come to know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, then I have no doubt that you have a thrill of joy as you hear this account of the empty tomb and the risen Lord! The hearts of these two disciples burned within them as He had ministered the Scriptures to them, and do not our hearts burn within us as we hear the old, old story of Jesus and His love told again and again? I hope that is true of each one who reads this paper. If so, then I would guess that like these two happy disciples, you are anxious to share this news of the risen Christ with others. I believe they dropped what was left of their dinners, and without washing so much as a dish, they were back on the road to Jerusalem, quickly retracing their steps to get back to the eleven to tell what they had seen. Again I ask, do you have this joy? Do you believe that the Lord Jesus is alive and that He is the Christ? If you do not, then you will not find much comfort or joy in the words of this account. But just consider the appeal of the Spirit of God written for you in John 20:30,31, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” You have the authority of God’s Word that Jesus is alive. Will you believe? This same Lord Jesus is alive today and seated in glory, but He longs to hear your prayers and provide for your needs. He loves you so much that He once came into this world to die on a cross and open up the gates of Heaven if you will but believe on Him—”For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16.)