David's Standard: Whiter Than Snow
Table of Contents
David's Standard: Whiter Than Snow: No. 1
Psalm 51
No doubt this psalm is the cry of the awakened and repentant remnant of Israel. And the answer to that cry may be read in Eze. 36, almost word for word. But our object at present, in this paper, is to look at the grace of God to David. Here is a man, then—an adulterer, a cruel murderer, and deeply sensible of his terrible sins—a man to whom God gave this testimony, and said, " I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will." (Acts 13:22.)
The skeptic scoffs at this. The cross of Christ surely forbids the thought that sin is after God's own heart. His wrath against it has been fully revealed. When the wicked hands of men committed a still more fearful murder, there was one man to whom the heart of Jesus immediately responded; that man was the dying but repentant thief! The broken, contrite heart is ever welcome to God.
Yes, it was terrible, having sinned so sadly against Uriah, to see that man laid out on the steps of David's house, and delivered unto death. What a weight of guilt pressed upon the conscience of David—a murderer and an adulterer before the most holy God!—everything else forgotten at the moment. " Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." Thus crushed, we learn the righteousness of God—His just judgment of our sins—in providing an infinite Sacrifice. And mark, there is not only the confession to God of these terrible sins, but also the full sense and owning of the deep corrupt nature which has done the sins. " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."
The reader may say, " But I have not been guilty of such terrible crimes as these." That may be; you may not have sinned against Uriah, and then, after he has laid his head on your steps to sleep, cruelly murdered him. But has there not been One on this earth, full of grace and truth, and though the Maker of all things, visible and invisible, yet He had not where to lay His head? What has the world, to which we all by nature belong, done to Him? Was there ever such cruel, deliberate wickedness as the crucifixion of the Son of God? The whole world was there represented. And how have you treated the Son of God? Has He been left out on the steps, or received to your heart? And have we not all had the same evil desires, the same lust, that led to these dreadful re-suits? Is not our very nature in which we were conceived as utterly vile and corrupt as David's? See man brought before God, and in His sight all are guilty and under judgment. (Rom. 3) Now David took this place before God, in the full confession of his sin and guilt. Yet what a contrast to Judas! There was not one thought in Judas after God's own heart. His was the repentance of dark, hopeless remorse—a forecast of endless woe. And yet one of these—the repentance of David or of Judas—must be yours.
Two things meet in David, considering who he was—enormous guilt, and amazing faith. Sin, in its true nature, before God, and yet surpassing faith in God. Each verse would afford matter for a paper, but we desire to call especial attention to verse 7: " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be"—what, almost as white as snow? No. As white as snow? No; faith rises higher still—" whiter than snow." Compare this with the faith of multitudes now, and their faith would be 100 below zero. One may be heard to say, Yes, I repent, and confess my sins; and I pray to be washed, but I am left so black, that I shall have to be purified in purgatory! Another will say, I am not certain whether I am washed from my sins, or not; and I must wait until the day of judgment to know. Can this be faith? Surely not.
Let us now turn to the words of David: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean."
It may be very difficult to determine what plant or shrub hyssop may be. The efficacy of cleansing, or purging, does not seem to be so much in it, as in that with which it is connected; or, as we shall find, that which it was used to convey. We will turn to a few scriptures which will show this. First, at the passover: " And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood, that is, in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin/' &c. (Exod. 12:22.) It is not, then, the hyssop, but "the blood shall be unto you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you," &c. The hyssop, then, was simply used in connection with the blood. They were to take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood of the lamb. They believed the word of the Lord about that blood. Is it not as though David had said, I am a born slave of sin—nothing can deliver me, nothing can shelter me but that bunch of hyssop dipped in blood? The blood of the paschal lamb must be shed. Israel must take shelter beneath that hyssop-sprinkled blood, before they can be brought out of the iron furnace of slavery. On the principle of law they must have been condemned with the Egyptians. They were sheltered from judgment by faith in the blood. Can the reader take that place? Can you say, I am a miserable slave of Satan and sin; nothing could shield me from divine wrath but the blood of the Lamb? Yes, the precious blood of Him to whom they gave vinegar, putting it on hyssop. " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean." But we will now look at the second scripture—the cleansing of the leper. (Lev. 14)
In these words, then, " Purge me with hyssop," David seems to say, I am a moral leper, full of the vile, incurable leprosy of sin—not fit for the society of men, only fit to lay my hand on my mouth, and cry, Unclean. What a picture is that loathsome disease of the wretchedness that David felt. Yes, David there stood before the Lord as a vile leper. But mark, the active course of sin was stopped. It was not that he felt deep remorse that his sin was found out. He may have felt that. But now he earnestly desires complete deliverance and cleansing.
Thus was the leper brought to the priest in the day of his cleansing. "Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds, alive and clean, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: and the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel, over running water. As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar-wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water."
Now, here the hyssop is connected with two things for the cleansing of the poor wretched leper—death or blood, and life; a most striking type of the two things necessary for the cleansing of the heavy-burdened sinner—the death of the Lord Jesus, who was delivered for our offenses, and His resurrection, who was raised again for our justification. Mark, it is again the blood that is applied. " And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times." The hyssop and the living bird are dipped into the blood of the dead bird. The very foundation of his cleansing, then, is the blood. Is it not so with the sinner? We shall see that by-and-by.
The repentant, burdened soul may say, All that is plain enough; but how am I to know that I am cleansed from my leprosy of sin in the sight of God, as He knows me? How was the leper to know that he was cleansed? What was the priest to do to give this assurance? He shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed, " and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field." There was no uncertainty; the live bird let loose gave assurance of the efficacy of the blood.
What, then, does God pronounce by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead? Read carefully the proclamation: " Be it known unto you, therefore.... that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things." (Acts 13:38.) Is there not as great certainty in one ease as in the other? That live bird has been dipped in the blood of the dead bird. The hyssop has been dipped in the blood. The blood has been sprinkled seven times (the perfect number) on the leper: the priest declares him clean, and lets fly the live bird. What greater certainty can he need?
Jesus has died, the propitiation for sins. You believe this? Yes. God has raised Him from the dead. God proclaims forgiveness of sins to you through Jesus. God declares all who believe are forgiven, are justified from all things. The assurance is the testimony of God in raising Jesus from the dead. The living Christ is not now in death, but raised from the dead for our justification. Can we want a greater or more complete answer than this? Do you say, I believe God " who raised up Jesus our Lord from among the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justificationיי? Then what follows with infallible certainty? " Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." How much, then, is there in that cry, " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean!"Have I been the wretched slave of sin? Oh, the bunch of hyssop was dipped in the blood. Let me take shelter beneath that blood. Do I know and own myself a vile, loathsome, leprous sinner? Then let that hyssop be dipped in the blood, and sprinkled on me. Purge me with hyssop!
Do not these two scriptures, then, set before us in type the cleansing efficacy of the blood of Jesus? We will notice one more scripture in the Old Testament, and then go on to the testimony of the New Testament, to the blessed certainty that "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." C. S.
David's Standard: Whiter Than Snow: No. 2
Psalm 51
We have seen how very full of meaning was this cry of the sin-oppressed heart, " Purge me with hyssop." When Israel was delivered from slavery and bitter bondage, the bunch of hyssop was dipped in the blood of the lamb: and the blood was sprinkled on the lintel and door posts. That blood alone sheltered them from judgment. When the poor loathsome leper had to be cleansed from leprosy, it was again by the hyssop and the living bird being dipped in the blood of the killed bird, and that blood sprinkled on the leper. All this speaks, in no uncertain sound, that if the sinner is to be purged from sins it must be by the blood of Jesus.
Again we read, "And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification of sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel; and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that toucheth a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave," &c. (Numb. 19:17.) Here again hyssop is in connection with death—the ashes of the heifer slain and burnt for purification for sin. David, therefore in the deep sense of the loathsome defilement of sin says, " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean." Surely faith must have looked beyond the shadows which could not take away sins, to the blessed truth so distinctly revealed to us—Christ by His own blood having entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. " For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God?,י (Heb. 9:13.)
Now when we look at David, at the fearful enormity of his sin, and that the lessons of his faith were the types and shadows, his words and the faith they expressed were marvelous. He not only says " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean," but he goes still further: "wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.י י Yes he says, as it were, I shall (black, and vile, as I am) be purer, whiter than the whitest created thing. Now what but the eternal efficacy of the blood of Jesus can accomplish this? " How much more shall the blood of Christ? יי May we not say how little have we understood these great thoughts of faith? The law set forth this one great truth. " And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." It is evident his faith was connected with this one truth, as we have seen the hyssop was used in connection with death, and the blood. Now looking forward, as Isaiah in another day, had he said (terrible as were his sins) I am too vile to be washed, or I am too great a sinner to be washed quite clean, would these thoughts have been after God's own heart? Far from it. No, faith must rise to the exact thought of God.
There is one important difference between us and David. He looked forward—" purge me," the work of purgation was not yet done. Have you been brought as he was to God in the real confession of your sins, and sin? Do you believe what God has said about the one sacrifice of Christ for sins? Let us really bottom this all important question. Just see if you can follow us in a few scriptures. These will test your state better than any questions we can put. Take this: " Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," (Rev. 1:5.) We do not for a moment doubt, if you have despised that blood, that you are yet in your sins and guilt before God. No person is a Christian that does not take shelter and rest in the blood of Jesus. And these words test every man whether he is a Christian or not. It is not our love to Him, but" unto him that loveth us." And it is not as with David, wash us, or a wash me." It is done: " washed us from our sins in his own blood." If David looked forward, we look back: but now apply the standard—the height of his faith. Are we washed really as white as snow in his blood? Would that be after God's own heart, or after His word? Far from it. Can you say, I am washed as white as snow? Well, that is wonderful. But higher still: " whiter than snow," this is David's standard. Look at him as black as hell. Now look, white as heaven's light. And, now eternal redemption is accomplished, shall we have a lower standard? If you are washed in the blood of the Lamb you are not almost as white, or as white, but whiter than snow.
this standard is what marks a person in the light. " But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Are we in the light as He is in the light? that is the question. Mark, this is not a matter of attainment of some, but the common fellowship of all Christians in the light. And what is the standard? " The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." The next verse shows it is not that sin is eradicated or that we have no sin; but the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin in the sight of God—He sees us whiter than snow, and imputeth no sin.
Now if in the dark all will be uncertainty as to sins. " Then if that be the case," we hear some reader say, " I must be in the dark—utterly overwhelmed with the constant remembrance of my sins. Heavier and heavier do they become. So dreadful to have sinned so sadly, and so often, against the God of all love. Sometimes I feel a little hopeful, but it is only like a dim mist, scarce twilight—oh! how am I to know that God has forgiven me? How am I to know that I am whiter than snow? I look at myself and I am no better, do what I will. Happy would it be for me if I could get to know that I was whiter than snow." Such is the condition, in substance, of many souls we meet with who are still in the dark.
Now to such we would say, what would you think of a child who was constantly saying, How am I to know that what my parents tell me is true? Surely they would be most untruthful parents to merit such constant doubt. Is God untruthful? Does He merit our doubt? or can you say, His word is so little to be depended on, how am I to know He speaks truth to me? Surely it is a solemn thing to doubt God. Here in a few words are the facts of the case. You are guilty and heavy laden with sin, and as such under the just judgment of God. You could only be reconciled to God by the death of another bearing the just judgment of God against sin. Jesus, the Son of God, has thus died. God has declared His eternal satisfaction and glory by that sacrifice by raising Jesus from the dead for our justification. God proclaims to you through that death the free forgiveness of sins, made certain by that resurrection, to all who believe. God declares that all who believe are justified from all things. (Read Acts 13:38, 39.) Now do you say, how am I to know that God speaks the truth to me here? Oh, can you say soda a thing after He spared not His beloved Son? But you say, if I do believe God, what then? What then? Why, what God says, "you are justified from all things." What then? Do you believe God? Why then you can say, " unto him that loved us, and hath washed us from our sins in his own Mood." Let us weigh that " washed" We are personally forgiven when we believe, repent, and confess our sins: but, let us remember, the work was done before Jesus sat down on the right hand ©f the Majesty on high. "When he had fey himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1:3.) On this ground all that believe are justified from all things. They are accounted righteous before God. Not some unknown persons, but all who believe. Is not this true then of you who read these lines and believe God? Yes, to you Jesus speaks. He says "Verily,, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24.) One thing is clear, Jesus speaks to you. Now what He does say is true of you, if you hear His word, and believe God that sent Him. Does He not say that you have eternal life 1 that you shall not come into condemnation [or judgment], but that you are passed from death unto life? Do you say, how am I to know that Jesus speaks truth to me? How simple this is! But you say, " I don't see that I am any better. If I did, I think I could then be happy." Don't you see, that is all "I"? Did Israel say, if we could only see ourselves better than those Egyptians, we could then trust God would pass over our houses? No, they believed God's word about that blood on the lintels.
Did the poor leper look at himself, or look at the live bird let loose, after he was sprinkled with blood? He looked at the blood, and believed the assurance given to him in the live bird let loose. When David was overwhelmed with his terrible sins, did he say, if I were only a better man then I might perhaps be washed nearly as white as snow? He had not one ray of hope in himself. There was not only what he had done, but what he was, "shapen in iniquity." He looked at the hyssop dipped in the blood, and he said, "wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
" It is finished." Oh wondrous eternal salvation! Not almost as white; not as white; whiter than snow. Whiter than snow! Yes, thus hath He loved us, and washed us from our sins. Whiter than snow. " For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."
C. S.