Humbling Ourselves for His Glory

Humbling ourselves for His glory is the unwanted truth that is most needful.

Why the need of humbling? To raise the question at least intimates insensibility as to our low state. Lukewarm Laodicea lacks "eye-salve" (spiritual perception) and is oblivious to its spiritual poverty and blindness. "Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart." "...strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not"

(Hos. 7:11,9). Samson "wist not that" "his strength went from him" (Judg. 16:20, 19). The most privileged of all the tribes of Israel sank into insensibility in the days of Malachi and could impudently say, "...Wherein have we despised Thy name?" (Mal. 1:6).

Man tested in every dispensation ends in humiliating failure:—expulsion, flood, Babel, captivity, curse (Mal. 4:6), Laodicea and "fire" (2 Peter 3.:7)!.

How beautiful, was the church's beginning! All were filled with the Holy Spirit. All were of one heart and soul and great grace was upon them (Acts 4). But before long they left that first love and then sank to the level of the world. Furthermore, they were ensnared into "the depths of Satan" (Rev. 2). The Reformation deliverance soon developed formal sects out of which God gathered hearts to the alone precious name and presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their lives were fragrant with "a little power" of the Holy Spirit by which they glorified Christ. This too was a beautiful state. But how do we see it now? "How is the gold become dim!" If none can claim to be Philadelphia, many are nominally gathered correctly as to position and virtually boast "The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord," while dishonoring the Lord, being "conformed to this world." Surely this shows the need of humbling ourselves.

Guaranteeing "peace and safety" because of correct divine position, to those who deliberately disregard truths they do not want, is shameful unfaithfulness and deception. It is speaking "smooth things" to tickle the ear. It is popular lullabying that defeats humbling ourselves, at the very time it is most needful. And how dull are we if we do not see that these many afflictions of God's people are the Lord's voice and His chastening hand upon us. The very disinclination to recognize this is a further indication of our low state.

We live in a day and in a land of prosperity and luxury, of houses, cars, TV's, worldly magazines, profusion of foods, liquors, cigarettes, dope, cosmetics, glamorous and vulgar styles (but scarcity of heart and conscience for Christ), modern conveniences, travel and no end of worldly attractions to distract the mind. Along with this are institutions, degenerating schools and a host of diabolical religions. Such is the current of this wicked and adulterous generation. Witness the drift to dissolute hippy-ism. And many Christians are being drawn into this current of the world, instead of living in the enjoyment of our heavenly calling and hope. Should not this humble us?

"All seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 2:21), forgetting that "ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:19,20). "Ye are not of the world," "are not of the world," "are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 15:19; 17:14, 16). "That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them" (2 Cor. 5:15). "Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world" (Gal. 1:4), that we be not conformed to it (Rom. 12:2), nor crave its attractive things. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world...for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1 John 2:15,16). Satan is "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) that crucified God's beloved Son, our blessed Savior. And Satan's great business is to allure souls by every worldly attraction to make them earthly minded and to hinder Christians from being heavenly minded. God wants us to set our affections and mind upon His beloved glorified Son, and He urges us to give Him our whole heart ( Prov. 23:26). "For where your treasure is there will your heart be also" ( Luke 12:34).

Jesus! Thou art enough

The mind and heart to fill.

O fix our earnest gaze

So wholly, Lord, on Thee,

That with Thy beauty occupied

We elsewhere none may see.

The epistle to the saints at Corinth has a special voice for us and our present low, worldly state. Although given all the grace of God in Jesus Christ with ample gift, knowledge and hope of the Lord's coming, the apostle saw the need of beseeching them that there be no divisions among them. And why does he tell them that "there must also be sects among you" (1 Cor. 11:19)? Their state plainly merited God's disapproval and the need of sloughing off the careless and unfaithful element. They were carnal, walking as men, reigning as kings, and not discerning the body of their Lord in the loaf. The loaf speaks of His holy body in which He bore that dreadful judgment for sin. If our lives become forgetful of this and we do not judge ourselves, He is faithful and permits Satan to sift and divide us.

Our Example and Our Need

"He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him" (Phil. 2:9) and now He is "crowned with glory and honor" (Heb. 2:7). "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14). "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven" (2 Chron. 7:14). Josiah having done this very thing, God spoke consolingly to him, "Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humblest thyself before Me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before Me; I have even heard thee" (2 Chron. 34:27). "'To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word" (Isa. 66:2). God "encourages those that are brought low" (2 Cor. 7:6 N.T.) Daniel confessed "by prayer and supplications with fasting, sackcloth and ashes" (Dan. 9:3). "Ezra confessed, weeping and casting himself down" (Ezra 10:1).

Nehemiah took sides with God, confessing "Thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for Thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly" (Neh. 9:33).

The Fruitful Valley

If this "valley of the shadow of death" was the scene of our Lord's deep sorrows and humiliation, it was also the place of His great victory over death, sin, the world and Satan. So was it in that notable day "in the valley of Ajalon," "there was no day like that," when Joshua vanquished the host of darkness by enlisting the light and power of heaven (Josh. 10). Likewise David "in the valley of Elah" slew the giant Goliath (1 Sam. 17). Again, when Moab rebelled against Israel, Jehoshaphat became involved with others in the warfare. A difficulty arose, for "there was no water for the host." Elisha was summoned, who said, "Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches" (2 Kings 3:16). Their obedience, bending down low to dig those ditches, brought an abundance of refreshing water springing up. And not only so, but when the sun arose upon the water in the valley their enemies concluded that it was the blood of their self-slaughtered opponents, and were drawn into their death-trap.

There is a saying that the Christian's victories are fought on his knees.

"Passing through the valley of Baca (weeping), they make it a well-spring: yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings" (Psa. 84:6 N.T.)

They assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah (blessing)... for the Lord made them to rejoice over their enemies" (2 Chron. 20:26, 27).

"They came as far as the valley of Eshcol, and cut down thence a branch with one bunch of grapes, and they bore it between two upon a pole; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs... and showed them the fruit" (Num. 13:23,26 N.T.) The valley is the place to produce fruit.

"I will give her... the valley of Achor (sorrow)) for a door of hope: and she shall sing...as in the days when she came up out of the land of Egypt" (Hos. 2:15).

What victories, blessings, fruit and hope are found in the valley!

Faithful and courageous Jeremiah wept much over the hopeless state of God's most privileged people Judah. His lamentations are not popular, nevertheless they show the upright soul the one way of hope. He said, "My strength and my hope is perished...my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.—This I recall to heart, therefore have I hope... The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him...in the dust, if so be there may be hope" (Lam. 3:18-29). "In the dust" (Jer. 25:34 N.T.) "In the dust" (Mic. 1:10). Israel must yet be brought low before their day of blessing.

Job is a type of this. He was brought very low until he uttered "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." "So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job" (Job 42:6, 12).

Naomi is another type as she said, "The Lord hath brought me low" (Ruth 1:21 N.T) But she was assured that her offspring "shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourishes of thine old age" (Ruth 4:15). His name, Obed (meaning servant), came into fame in the genealogy of the progenitors of David's Lord and Son, the Redeemer, God's perfect Servant and the Hope of Israel.

In the 79th Psalm we foresee and hear the groans of the godly remnant, many of whom will be martyred, -"We are brought very low" (Psa. 79:8).

We Are Verily Guilty—(Genesis 42:21)

GEN 42:21At the threshold of Judah's future blessings will there be great and bitter mourning in Jerusalem and the land shall mourn; every family will be bowed in deep humiliation before God when "they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced and shall mourn" (Zech. 12:10-14), and confess that "He was wounded for our transgressions" (Isa. 53:5).

So it becomes us in the little while that remains in these Laodicean days to seek grace from above to overcome our heartless and conscienceless tendency. The Lord alone can wean and warm and restore us wholeheartedly to Himself, that we may "flee youthful lusts and follow righteousness, faith, love and peace" in happy fellowship "with those that call upon Him with a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22)

We need to "be clothed with humility: for God...giveth grace to the humble." May we then humble ourselves under His mighty hand, that He may in due time exalt us with Himself.

A. C. B.

Low at Thy feet, Lord Jesus,

This is the place for me.

Here have I learned deep lessons,

Truth that has set me free.

Naught but Thy love, Lord Jesus,

Conquered this stubborn will;

But for Thy love constraining

I’m apt to be stubborn still.

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