PSALM LXVIII. 7-9.

REFRESHING RAIN.

'O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah :

"The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance, when it was weary.'

We have now arrived at that point in the Psalm where the predictions which we have considered of the work and character of the Messiah change into history of His doings in the past. But, first, let us notice the last sentence of the 6th verse which was before us last time. 'But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.' The rebellious,' a true description of the people of God notwithstanding that they are delivered out of captivity! Alas, the people of God often manifest a worse spirit of rebellion than the children of the world! When the Israelites were delivered out of the hand of their enemies, with a high hand and a stretched out arm,' what do we find immediately recorded of them? They rebelled,' and for their rebellion God made them to dwell in a dry land,' even in the desert, for forty years. And so long as the spirit of the children of God is rebellious and given to murmuring, we may be quite sure that they shall dwell in a dry land.' Dangerous, indeed, and sad would it be for them, if it were otherwise. For it can only be well with them when, after every sign of rebellion, they are made to feel their need to go back to the Master with the earnest petition, 'Lord, heal my backslidings.' Then shall the dry land become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water.'

To come now to the verses before us to-day: 0 God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness.' It may

seem strange at first sight to find a passage like this, from the history of the wilderness and Sinai, in the midst of a group of Messianic predictions. But the blending of the two subjects is instructive if we will only consider it. Sinai and Calvary are intimately bound together. The one looks forward or back to the other. Sinai leads on to Calvary. Till we have bowed the knee before God as lost and undone sinners at Sinai, how can we read the mysteries of Calvary's cross aright? When we look at the bleeding Lamb as He suffered and died there for us, we ask, Why was He there? Let us go to Sinai and we shall read the answer. A broken law; an offended Judge; what but the death of the eternal Son of God could satisfy the claims of Divine justice? Beginning at Sinai and going on to Calvary, we see Him lifted up there as was the brazen serpent before the Israelites, in order that we, like they, may look, believe, and live. There we see the broken Law fulfilled, the transgressor's ransom paid, the prison gates set open, and the captive exile freed! There we see the Law in its integrity satisfied; yea, even magnified and made honourable!' By His death the gate of life is opened wide that we may enter in. In His death there is a depth which I cannot fathom; a height which I cannot scale. Because of that wondrous sacrifice, God can now open His arms to the poor lost sinner and say, Come unto Me, for all is forgiven; I have bought you back for Myself; I will set you free; you may come home to be with Me for ever! Writes St. Paul, I was alive' (or I thought that I was) without the Law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.' The 'commandment,' or the Law, showed me to be lost, ruined, 'sold under sin.' Where was help to come from? 'I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!' For 'there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the

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Spirit.' Yea, the Law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.' To Christ, the Deliverer, the Saviour, the Elder Brother, the Friend of His people. When Thou wentest forth before Thy people.' The pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day led them on. Jehovah never left them. He was ever near to guide, to bless, and to defend them.

'The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.' There were thunders and lightning, and an earthquake, for the presence of Jehovah was there in the midst of them. In His terrible majesty He had come down, and even Moses said, 'I exceedingly fear and quake' (Heb. xii. 21). Let us, beloved, try to picture that solemn scene in all its awe and majesty; and then, when we have understood it, let us turn from it to our blessed Lord and see Him taking upon Him the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and humbling Himself, and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross! Let us see Him dying that we might live! Voluntarily choosing to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,' in order that we might stand before Him without fear or shame, because completely clothed in His spotless righteousness.

Jehovah manifested Himself to His people in the wilderness in many and divers ways, but it was always with more or less of this awe and majesty. He gave them water out of the stony rock; He fed them with bread from heaven. But He made His presence known also by great and terrible judgments. He sent pestilence among them. The earth opened and swallowed up Korah and his rebellious company. Accompanied with all the loving tokens of a Father's hand which followed them in their wanderings through the desert, there was always something to remind them of One who could by no means

pass by transgressions; of Him who was the great, the true, the righteous God.

When Jesus came, all these acts of judgment were laid aside. He came in mercy and love and gentleness; with His heart ever overflowing with love and kindness. His every act was in strict accordance with the declared purpose of His coming, as the Mediator for His people. Of His gracious coming we may say in the words of the following verse, 'Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance when it was weary.' I find this verse translated as follows, 'A rain of free gifts Thou pourest down, O God; Thine inheritance and (that) exhausted, Thou dost confirm (or strengthen) it.' The first clause probably refers to the abundant and refreshing gifts (of which rain is a natural and common emblem) bestowed upon the people in the wilderness, including manna, quails, and water. The second clause refers to Messiah's inheritance.' When He came He gave to His inheritance a rain of gracious, loving gifts. He stood in the temple and cried, saying, 'If any man thirst, let Him come unto Me and drink.' He gave to all who would receive it 'living water,' and He gave it freely, without money and without price.' He said to the woman of Samaria, If thou knewest the gift of God... thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.' Free gifts of love were they all that He showered upon His inheritance. Proofs of His tender and loving heart no less than of His power.

If in the wilderness there was the former' rain, surely this was the latter' rain! Ah, yes, beloved, and this 'latter rain' is ours. A better land, a brighter home, a more plenteous harvest in another and a better land, where He who rained all precious gifts upon us here, shall be Himself the sun whose light shall be as the light of seven days, and who shall dwell among us as His own

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for ever. When Jesus returned to the presence of His Father in heaven, He did not leave the treasury of His 'gifts' on earth empty. No: He said, 'I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.' Again, I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.' for ever.' And so He sent upon His Church the Holy Ghost, with all His wondrous gifts and powers. A gracious rain, indeed, whereby Thou, O God, didst confirm Thine inheritance when it was weary! And, beloved friends, there is ever going on in our hearts, if we are His children, the day by day bestowal of this gracious gift of plentiful rain' free, loving gift of the Holy Spirit refreshing our souls when they are weary; giving light in darkness, joy in sorrow, life in death! As I stood lately in the house of one who was well known among us during her lifetime, my eye fell upon the words printed over the mantelpiece, on which her eye must often have rested, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.' Aye, she had found Him to be the way and proved Him to be the truth, and now she realizes Him to be the life. Is not this a rain of free gifts, beloved? What need have we of miracles if we have the gracious, loving words of Jesus coming to us every day, and refreshing us when we are weary? Can we look around and see so many places all vacant in the little circle, and not feel weary? But it is well sometimes to feel the weariness in order to get the refreshment of the rain of free gifts. What refreshment is there, as we look on to the close of our earthly pilgrimage, and the entering upon the endless life, to dwell upon such words as these, 'I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' May God, beloved friends, enable us all to realize the joy of this gracious rain all through our pilgrim way!