Milo

2 APRIL

Hold on to the truth

‘And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top “may reach” unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ Genesis 11:4
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Joshua 24:1–24

Note their attempt to build a city and a tower: a city for residence and a tower for worship—this seems the meaning of the expression ‘whose top—to the heavens’ [verse 4]. The words ‘may reach’ are in italics [in the AV], as not belonging to the Hebrew, and therefore only express the private judgement of the translator. It is not probable they thought to reach heaven. And if they had intended it as a refuge in case of another flood, they would have rather built upon a mountain than in a plain. At most the expression is hyperbolical, to signify a very high tower. But some supply the words, ‘whose top shall be sacred to the heavens’. This seems to have been the first open establishment of idolatry and the tower designed for a temple, dedicated to the worship of the host of heaven—that is the sun, moon and stars. Man, considered as a member of society, is naturally disposed for religious worship and there has no nation so distant or barbarous been found, but pays some acknowledgement to superior powers—excepting only in places where the light of the gospel has been resisted (in that case, a few have been so hardened and given up to a reprobate mind, as to renounce all thoughts of religion). Man—as a fallen creature—though he will have a religion, will always incline to and take up with a false one, if not prevented by grace. And mankind are disposed to relinquish the truth when they have known it. These were the descendants of Noah who worshipped the true God, and yet soon became idolaters. And human nature is the same still—prone to leave the truth and to follow after vanity.

FOR MEDITATION: Parents: endeavour to inculcate the truths of the gospel upon your children and pray to the Lord to open their hearts. Or else, like the family of Noah, they will surely forsake their parents’ God.
Children: think not to say, We have Abraham for our father [John 8:39]. Trust not to notions and the restraints of a religious education. If you do not attain to an experimental hold of the truth, you will not hold it long.

SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 21 [2/3], GENESIS 11:1ff.

April 1st

Heartiness v. heartlessness towards others

It is Christ … who also maketh intercession for us … The Spirit … maketh intercession for the saints. Romans 8:34, 27.

Do we need any more argument than this to become intercessors—that Christ “ever liveth to make intercession”; that the Holy Spirit “maketh intercession for the saints”? Are we living in such vital relationship to our fellow men that we do the work of intercession as the Spirit-taught children of God? Begin with the circumstances we are in—our homes, our business, our country, the present crisis as it touches us and others—are these things crushing us? Are they badgering us out of the presence of God and leaving us no time for worship? Then let us call a halt, and get into such living relationship with God that our relationship to others may be maintained on the line of intercession whereby God works His marvels.
Beware of outstripping God by your very longing to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, consequently we get so burdened with persons and with difficulties that we do not worship God, we do not intercede. If once the burden and the pressure come upon us and we are not in the worshipping attitude, it will produce not only hardness toward God but despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people for whom we have no affinity, and unless we are worshipping God, the most natural thing to do is to treat them heartlessly, to give them a text like the jab of a spear, or leave them with a rapped-out counsel of God and go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to Our Lord.
Are we in the direct line of the intercession of our Lord and of the Holy Spirit?

April 1

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” (Job 13:15.) “For I know whom I have believed.” (2 Tim. 1:12)

“I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken masts and sails;
I will believe the Hand which never fails,
From seeming evil worketh good for me.
And though I weep because those sails are tattered,
Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered:
‘I trust in Thee.’

“I will not doubt, though all my prayers return
Unanswered from the still, white realm above;
I will believe it is an all-wise love
Which has refused these things for which I yearn;
And though at times I cannot keep from grieving,
Yet the pure ardor of my fixed believing
Undimmed shall burn.

“I will not doubt, though sorrows fall like rain,
And troubles swarm like bees about a hive.
I will believe the heights for which I strive
Are only reached by anguish and by pain;
And though I groan and writhe beneath my crosses.
I yet shall see through my severest losses
The greater gain.

“I will not doubt. Well anchored is this faith,
Like some staunch ship, my soul braves every gale;
So strong its courage that it will not quail
To breast the mighty unknown sea of death.
Oh, may I cry, though body parts with spirit,
‘I do not doubt,’ so listening worlds may hear it,
With my last breath.”

“In fierce storms,” said an old seaman, “we must do one thing; there is only one way: we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.”

This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you; and then you can do but one thing; there is only one way.

Reason cannot help you; past experiences give you no light. Even prayer fetches no consolation. Only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there.

You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may—winds, waves, cross-seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers—no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm, and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness, His covenant engagement, His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.
—Richard Fuller.

1 APRIL

Of one mind?

‘And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.’ Genesis 11:1–3
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Genesis 11:1–9

The tenth chapter [of Genesis] is a map of the origin of all nations as branching from the sons of Noah. It seems probable that Noah fixed his residence not far from where the Ark rested, and that as his posterity increased, they extended themselves and formed new settlements on every side. We have here an account of the spirit and enterprise of one branch of the people, which travelled eastward, and the confusion of tongues with which they were furnished (for till then, there was but one language spoken upon the earth). Note the occasion. This was twofold:
(i) they found a plain, a convenient place for building, and that afforded fit materials—brick and mortar. Thus God has been pleased to fill the earth with his goodness and furnished it in great variety for the accommodation of its inhabitants. And he has given a wisdom to men to avail themselves of what they find and to maximize all materials to their own use. They did not find bricks, but having clay, they were instructed to make them. That spirit of invention and improvement which is the spring of so many arts and callings in life, and applies the productions of the earth to many different uses, is the gift of God, though seldom acknowledged and thought of—and for the most part, as in this instance, the skill and ingenuity of men are employed in purposes of wickedness and in defiance of God who gave them.
(ii) they were unanimous—of one mind and one tongue. This encouraged and enabled them to undertake great things. Union where there is not the fear of God is but a conspiracy against him. But seldom anything considerable, either of good or evil, is done without it.

FOR MEDITATION: ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain’ (Psalm 127:1, NIV).

SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 21 [1/3], GENESIS 11:1ff.

March 31st

Heedfulness v. hypocrisy in ourselves

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. 1 John 5:16.

If we are not heedful of the way the Spirit of God works in us, we shall become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other folks are failing, and we turn our discernment into the gibe of criticism instead of into intercession on their behalf. The revelation is made to us not through the acuteness of our minds, but by the direct penetration of the Spirit of God, and if we are not heedful of the source of the revelation, we shall become criticizing centres and forget that God says—“… he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death.” Take care lest you play the hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right before you worship God yourself.
One of the subtlest burdens God ever puts on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning other souls. He reveals things in order that we may take the burden of these souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them, and as we intercede on His line, God says He will give us “life for them that sin not unto death.” It is not that we bring God into touch with our minds, but that we rouse ourselves until God is able to convey His mind to us about the one for whom we intercede.
Is Jesus Christ seeing of the travail of His soul in us? He cannot unless we are so identified with Himself that we are roused up to get His view about the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so whole-heartedly that Jesus Christ will be abundantly satisfied with us as intercessors.