Friday, August 28, 2015

Thy Kingdom Come # 17

3. The Kingdom and the Name (continued)

The Most High God

It was Abram who first discovered the wonders of fellowship with the Most High God, when he received the blessings ministered by Melchizedek. The story, given to us in Genesis 14, is most instructive. It shows how Abram, flushed with his victory over the four kings, was in danger of entering into some kind of compact with the king of Sodom, or at least of being under an obligation to him. At the critical moment, Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, drew him aside, offered him bread and wine and gave him Heaven's blessing. It was then that Abram found deliverance from temptation and announced: "I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, God Most High ... that I will not take a thread nor a shoe latched nor aught that is thine ..." (Genesis 14:22, 23). He did not want this world's riches; in the Lord he had found something better. When you have really tasted of heavenly blessings you do not hanker after earthly dainties. This is the testimony of the kingdom: not the negative niceties of legalism, but the enjoyment of the positive fullness of Divine life and fellowship.

Daniel and the others also testified to the superiority of the Lord's power. Through faith they "subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire ..." (Hebrews 11:33, 34). They were nothing in themselves. Few in numbers, friendless in the hour of need, cast upon God in their utter helplessness, they proved again and again that spiritual power is altogether superior to any other kind of influence or authority. In their very persons, they gave the Lord the opportunity which He was seeking, to show that, even here and now, He is the Most High who rules in the kingdom of men (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32). Not least was this testimony seen in Daniel's survival. In the course of this book kings rose and fell, empires changed hands, but this Daniel continued (1:21). He continued in life, in vision and in ascendency - all because of his relationship with the Most High God.

They testified to the Lord's superior wisdom. It may sound glorious to be a witness of the kingdom of Heaven, but there is no glory for the flesh. God's wisdom sees to that. He is not going to fight this world's pride by His people's pride, nor is He going to be governed by our ideas. This is a strange experience, this reaching the throne by way of the Cross. We are told that the "little horn" on the head of the beast "made war with the saints, and prevailed against them" (7:21), and that this is a king who "shall speak words against the Most High and shall wear out the saints of the Most High" (7>25), and yet that these very saints are the ones who possess the kingdom (18, 24, 27). The kingdom of pride is defeated by the meek and lowly in heart. This is God's way, and there is no other.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 18 - (The Lord - Jehovah)

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