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The Parables #92

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7.

Yesterday we were speaking of the relationship that exists between the angels and God’s people.

We mentioned Luke 2:13-14. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

I spoke of the excitement amongst the angels that the word ‘suddenly’ suggests. One thing that occurred to me after I had gone home was that one very real and important reason why the Angels were excited was the fact that this was the first time they could look upon their Creator! Up until His incarnation, the Saviour was invisible but now he had forever taken “ . . . upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,” Philippians 2:7. He could now been seen

We come to our concluding part of this parable.

1. The Saviour follows after the lost sheep most diligently
“ . . . . go after that which is lost, until he find it?” His diligence is illustrated in the actions of the woman in verse 8.

2. When He rescues the lost one He takes great care of it. “Laid on His shoulders.” We partake of and are upheld by His power and strength. Isa 40:11 – ARM, Mark 10:16 – HANDS.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6.
Rule of the world upon His ‘shoulder’ while His lost sheep is on His ‘shoulders’!!

3. Carries all the way home. There He celebrates, verse 6.

4. Heaven rejoices. Only heaven is aware of each and every sinner saved! We know so little of what is happening in God’s Kingdom!

I believe you have in the picture of this ONE sheep a representation of all the redeemed and it it being carried home, a picture of that day when the Saviour brings us all to glory. What a day of rejoicing that will be!!

The Parables #91

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7.

Stream or download The Parables #91

We are considering the question: Just who are the 99? Verse 5?

I am setting before you who I believe the 99 represent. The flock spoken of here could not be an ‘earthly’ body of people for a number of reasons. Here are the two reasons we have looked at so far.
They need no repentance.
Christ said He would never LEAVE His ‘sheep’.

Here are some more reasons.

1. Because the rejoicing takes place in heaven. Verse 7, 10. “And when he cometh home,” verse 6, ie, Heaven. There is rejoicing on earth over sinners saved but not to the degree that there is in heaven. We have very little knowledge of those rescued whereas the angels know of every sinner saved EVERYWHERE!
Heaven is the ‘home’ to which the Shepherd is taking the lost sheep, and where the 99 were left in order to find the wandering one!

You have a wonderful picture of it all in 1 Samuel 17:28. David left one kind of sheep in the wilderness to rescue another kind of sheep, Israel. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel,” 1 Chron 17:7.

2. Because of the place where the 99 were left. ‘Wilderness’ can give the wrong impression. It refers to a pleasant place, meadow. Jer 23:10, (Ps 23:20. See also Joel 1:19, 2:22 and Matt 14/13, 19, Mark 6/31 – ‘grass’, ‘rest’. Mark 6/39 ‘green grass’. Heb 4/9, ‘heaven our rest’. These benefits may be had in the ‘wilderness’!!
There are ‘oases’ in the ‘wilderness’. Nothing pictures heaven more than an oasis which is beautiful and pleasant and peaceful, in contrast to the emptiness of the wilderness around. So there is in heaven an oasis from this evil world. Sin began in heaven and it left its mark there for it too will be purged in the end, 2 Pet 3:10.

3. What we have said serves to bring before us the close link between the heavenly hosts and the elect of God.
It is closer than we can presently understand.

Their happiness at the first advent. Luke 2:13-15. Rejoicing for us!

Their interest in the scheme of salvation. 1 Pet 1:12

They are guardians over God’s people. Hebs 1:14 (look after), 2 Kings 6:17, Matt 24:31. Children Especially consider Matt 18:10. How wonderful this is!

Truth for today, Pt4

Truth for Today — Studies in Ruth, Pt 4

Scripture: Ruth 1:3-5.

Stream or download Truth for today, Pt4

In last week’s study, we considered how the backsliding of Elimelech and Naomi brought chastening upon their heads. That did not cure them, however, of their backsliding. Backsliding is easier to start than to stop. It brings with it a hardness of heart and conscience, a blindness of mind and soul that renders the backslider stiff-necked and unfeeling and undiscerning of the judgment of God.

The backslider’s heart is epitomised in the parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11-32. The worse things became, the further from his father he went. Naomi had been persuaded to leave Judah much easier than she had been to leave Moab!

I. THINGS WILL GROW WORSE FOR THE UNREPENTANT BACKSLIDER.

Let us see that such is true in Naomi’s case. Evidently, Naomi never thought of going back to Judah when her troubles first began. When her husband died, the backsliding continued and deepened.

1. Death entered the home. Her nearest and dearest was taken. He who took her down into Moab is taken from her.

2. Her lot was one of loneliness. “She was left.” She was now on her own and her dreams had turned to ashes.

3. She is left a widow. One whose lot was hardship and want, Deut 24:19-21, Mark 12:42.

II. SHE SAW HER CHILDREN FOLLOW IN HER STEPS.

“And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years,” Ruth 1:4. The most serious of all earthly relationships was entered upon without reference to God and His truth!

1. They married in defiance of God. The Moabites were forbidden entrance to the congregation of Israel. “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever,” Deuteronomy 23:3. Thus there was a siding with those who had sought to curse Israel, Deut 23:4. This is what happens through backsliding. A wrong view is formed of the world by children through the friendship shown it by their backsliding parents.