AFTER Saul was anointed and had left Samuel, be would first come to a sepulcher. It was Rachel’s sepulcher in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and there he would meet two men who would tell him that the asses had been found, and that now his father, forgetting about the asses, was sorrowing for him. If we remember that Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin, we see that when he reached Zelzah, he was just entering upon his own inheritance. He was getting on towards his native land and people. But what does he meet here on the way? The grave or sepulcher of one of his illustrious, ancestors, and this was at Zelzah, which means “shade.” Thus he was at once reminded of death; and this to us may suggest death, not only as we find it in the world, and to which the whole creation is subject, but also that death which Scripture speaks of as “the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8).) This death of the cross none of us can have a proper sense of, unless we have been anointed with God’s Spirit.
As we look out upon the created world, as it now is, although it retains much of its original beauty and glory, as when it came forth unsullied from the Creator’s hands; still, because of sin, the curse rests upon everything and death reigns. Everything here in the old creation, which groans to be delivered, is born to die. And not until God creates the heavens and earth anew, and until that enemy, death, is destroyed, will this present sad condition be fully changed. But, children, that happy, blissful time is coming, according to the Lord’s promise, and we as His people are told to look for it. (2 Pet. 3:1313Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13).)
However, in a still more solemn and blessed way does the death of Jesus affect us: for the cross has cast its blighting shadow across this entire world of sin, and has forever separated us from it. Jesus came into the world where death and darkness reigned. He was the only Life and the only Light in the midst of that death and darkness. But when He died on the cross, He died out of that scene altogether, and that is why His death so affects us, for we are one with Him. Mary expressed this very truth, and felt it deeply, when she said, “They have taken away my Lord.” John 20:1313And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. (John 20:13). She was seeking Him (for she loved Him truly), the living One, among the dead. But in what she uttered, she expressed a truth, for the world had taken Him away and crucified Him; but after they had killed Him, that was all they could do, for they were not permitted to take Him away from the grave, as Mary ignorantly supposed they had done. He was raised up from among the dead by the glory of the Father, and so the angels could announce to the disciples, “He is risen; He is not here.” (Mark 16:66And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. (Mark 16:6) )
He had risen to enter into a world of light and life in contrast to this world of death and darkness. And so, children, it is to that new world, or creation, that we belong, for God now looks upon us, who believed in Jesus, as having died with Him when He died upon the cross. ‘Tis true, God has been pleased to leave us in this dark world to which we do not belong; but while we are here, He desires that by faith we reckon ourselves dead unto sin and crucified unto the world. And we are to live here, not according to our former life in ignorance, but in the power of God’s Spirit, having the life of Jesus. We are to manifest His life here, and thereby glorify Him, and then in a little while He will take us bodily to dwell where we belong and where He now is, in heaven.
May God grant grace to each one of us, not only to live in the enjoyment of this precious truth, but in the power of it as well; not only to be hearers of the word, but doers of it also. And then looking on to that bright heavenly scene; we can sing
“From Egypt lately come,
Where death and darkness reign,
We seek our new, our better home,
Where we our rest shall gain;
Halleluiah!
We are on our way to God.”
ML 01/25/1903