Gideon in his day-"The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." In God's esteem, the poor threshing man of Manasseh was a mighty man of valour, for He had so purposed it. And so, in the reckoning of the mind of Christ, Nathanael was a guileless Israelite; in a Divine way he had been acquiring that name under the fig tree, and in that name the Son of God knows him. Nathanael recognizes himself in the words of the Lord. And does not this tell us the consciousness which accompanies or marks a genuine spirit of repentance or conviction? How can a soul that is indeed unburdening itself in the fear of God be guileful? Does not its very relief depend on the entireness and truthfulness of its confessions? Would it be what it is if there were any practising or concealing? "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord," is the word of guileless confession. This was nothing peculiar to Nathanael. It was nothing characteristic of him. It was the necessary common attribute of a true spirit of repentance or conviction. There is "no guile" there. And the fig tree having been the place of this Israelite's confession, the Spirit of Christ knows him as a guileless one, and his own spirit recognizes such a thing. The Spirit cannot but bear witness with his spirit, that this is so. Scripture tells us this, Psalm xxxii., Jesus verifies it, and the soul of an elect one under the operation of the Spirit of grace experiences it. But who is in the secret of the soul? The wives are apart while this is going on, Zech. xii. 12. The dearest intimacies of the heart do not understand it, nor is it a season for using their confidence. 'The sorrow lies too deep for human sympathy.' God is thought of by the soul under such an exercise: and therefore, as Jesus shews Himself in the secret of it, saying, "before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee," Nathanael at once stands in the discovery of the glory, (like Jacob or Joshua, or Gideon of old,) "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel." Beautiful process for the discovery of Jesus! Learning Jesus as the one that is in the full secret of our guilt and misery, and yet that He stands near us not to make us afraid, or to lay His hand heavily upon us. Such an One was Jesus to Nathanael. Such an One was He to the Samaritan also. It was such a discovery that she made of Him. He had told her all things that ever she had done. He had manifested in full light the crimson colour of her sin, and yet He was so near and so gracious, that His presence is heaven to her! "Is not this the Christ ?" she could not but say. "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God," Nathanael could not but say. This was a real work, simple as well could be, but real. It was conducted by the Spirit in the conscience. Sin was discovered, and the Son of God was discovered in peaceful connection with the discovery of sin. It was the lesson of the Brazen Serpent. The bite of the fiery enemy was felt, but in the very place and moment of all that conscious mischief, the Son of God was present with healing. Nathanael joins in the utterance of John i. 14. The glory had been at his side, as near to him as it was to Moses at the bush, or to Joshua under the walls of Jericho; but Nathanael had beheld it in its true character, "the glory as of the only begotten of the Father." The Word made flesh had been with him full of grace and truth; this he knew, and believed, and owned, and he has only to find that such a spot as that was within a step of the glory. "Because I said I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these-hereafter, thou shalt see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." What a short journey to glory! Two stages simply and rapidly made! The Spirit of conviction separates him from all but God and his conscience, under the fig tree, and then the Spirit of faith discovers Jesus the Son of God in the grace that can talk with him, while knowing him in all his guilt and misery as a sinner. "Whom He justified, them He also glorified." The fig tree flourishes just outside heaven-i. e., such a fig tree as Nathanael visited. It was the breath of heaven that nourished it; it was the Spirit of God that separated Nathanael to that sanctuary, and that sanctuary led directly to the glory or kingdom. WHAT LOVE IS THINE! "CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT."-Eph. v. 25. JESUS, our heart's best treasure now- The chiefest of ten thousand Thou What love is Thine! Oh draw us, after Thee we'll run; What love is Thine! Jehovah-Jesus, strong to save What love is Thine! Conq'rors through Thee, all foes we brave- Accursed on the shameful tree, From sin's dread curse to set us free; Good Shepherd of Thy little flock- Well skill'd to guide-our living Rock What love is Thine! In richest pastures Thou dost feed, What love is Thine! Friend of friends, Thou 'It ne'er forsake us- To Thy heart, e'en now, dost take us— What love is Thine! Thou 'It light us all the dark night through, Quick'ning our steps and cheering too What love is Thine! Heav'nly Bridegroom-Gracious Lord What love is Thine! For Thee we wait-by faith ador'd What love is Thine! "Bone of Thy bone"-in Thee we hide; WHAT love is Thine? DECEITFULNESS OF THE HEART. "THE heart is deceitful above all things," saith the Lord. It often seems to be serving God, when it is really gratifying self-will, and fostering pride. It will put knowledge and feeling in the place of faith, and peace in circumstances in the room of peace with God through Christ. It will make the care of the church, success in service, benevolence, &c., so many springs of joy instead of God. The flesh will seek gratification in anything but God; it will traffic in truth, to the neglect of the Truth; and resort to any stratagem rather than trust God. Again, sometimes lusts and rebellion lie dormant, so that evil tempers and desires seem gone; but temptations come and make lamentable discoveries. Israel, at the Red Sea, praised God heartily, and thought all misery was left behind; but when God proved them in the wilderness, what unbelief, murmurings, rebellions, lust and idolatry came forth! |