The fan is in His hand
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” (Heb. 12:2). “Ye are complete in Him.” (Col. 2:10).
One thing can be said of our Lord in His most Holy Place—our salvation is completely His work; He will do it all.
He is “a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31). “He shall be a priest upon His throne…” (Zech. 6:13). He is the lawgiver and enforcer. He commands and convicts of sin. But He is also the grace-giver and our Mediator. Both law and grace are bound up in His propitiation.
He is our Master and our Friend. And in the way He gives law and grace, there is no conflict. In His Fatherhood, both His Law and His grace compliment and supplement each other; thus, “the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Zech. 6:13). No other combination can empower us to step out of the mire of sin we are in. In His hand, “mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Ps. 85:10). He drives us and draws us to Himself. He pushes and He pulls. He is behind us and before us; our leader and our rear guard. He is the true Shepherd with a rod and a staff. How can we lose eternity if we keep coming to Him and stay with Him?
He mans the broom and He holds the dustpan. And we are the dust that He is gathering in to His Father. If it weren’t for the broom, the dust would never end up in the dustpan. “He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” (Ps. 103:14). How much life is in dust? How much strength? Zero.
The dust cannot get in the dustpan of its own will or power. Neither can we get into the heavenly kingdom without the King’s help. It is an impossibility. Our sinful natures oppose that pure kingdom of righteousness. He has to get us there if we are ever to end up there. The heavenly Alchemist determines to transform dirt into gold filings. He must be able.
The words of the law make the sinner tremble. “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor” and “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” But His promise calms the humbled and stricken soul, “and He will…gather His wheat into the garner.” (Matt. 3:11,12). As we spend time with our law-enforcement Officer, we come to see the peace and gentleness of His ultimate purposes. The King of conviction is also the Prince of comfort.
Will we trust Him in His work of perfecting holiness in us, of enforcing His Father’s Law for our sake? Will we trust that He has our benefit in mind? As a mediator, He must have both parties’ interest in mind—the great Sovereign of the universe and also His rebellious children, who are deceived and caught up in a controversy, shaking their fist at their Father’s government. Has He been fair in His dealings with us? Have we deserved the troubles that He has permited? Were our spankings warranted? Is He really working in our behalf? Has He proven Himself to be our very best friend? Can we trust Him?
A deeper study into the Lord’s work indicates that our troubles which He takes responsibility for actually come from the enemy. He encourages, He admonishes and warns us. But if we will be willful and stubborn, He will let us have our way, as embarrassing and painful as this is to Him. But He is not the one who drums up the troubles; it actually comes from the wolves in sheeps’ clothing. It’s our peers and so called friends and confidants who step in between us and our true Friend in the heavens, and who steer us away from the Master of grace and purity.
“Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers…for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.” (Jer. 27:9,10).
“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed My people; Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.” (Jer. 23:1-3).
I had a friend from England, named Jane. She made me laugh one day when I saw her sweeping the floor. In America we sweep by moving the broom from side to side so that we don’t get any dirt on our shoes. But, not so in England. They have the habit to carefully pull the dirt toward themselves. That is so much like Jesus. He doesn’t throw us around here and there. All His law-enforcement has one purpose; He will gently and thoughtfully bring us to Himself.
“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.” (Ez. 34:16).
“In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; and I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” (Mic. 4:6,7).
“If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee.” (Deut. 30:4).
“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3).
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2).
One thing can be said of our Lord in His most Holy Place—our salvation is completely His work; He will do it all.
He is “a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31). “He shall be a priest upon His throne…” (Zech. 6:13). He is the lawgiver and enforcer. He commands and convicts of sin. But He is also the grace-giver and our Mediator. Both law and grace are bound up in His propitiation.
He is our Master and our Friend. And in the way He gives law and grace, there is no conflict. In His Fatherhood, both His Law and His grace compliment and supplement each other; thus, “the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Zech. 6:13). No other combination can empower us to step out of the mire of sin we are in. In His hand, “mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Ps. 85:10). He drives us and draws us to Himself. He pushes and He pulls. He is behind us and before us; our leader and our rear guard. He is the true Shepherd with a rod and a staff. How can we lose eternity if we keep coming to Him and stay with Him?
He mans the broom and He holds the dustpan. And we are the dust that He is gathering in to His Father. If it weren’t for the broom, the dust would never end up in the dustpan. “He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” (Ps. 103:14). How much life is in dust? How much strength? Zero.
The dust cannot get in the dustpan of its own will or power. Neither can we get into the heavenly kingdom without the King’s help. It is an impossibility. Our sinful natures oppose that pure kingdom of righteousness. He has to get us there if we are ever to end up there. The heavenly Alchemist determines to transform dirt into gold filings. He must be able.
The words of the law make the sinner tremble. “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor” and “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” But His promise calms the humbled and stricken soul, “and He will…gather His wheat into the garner.” (Matt. 3:11,12). As we spend time with our law-enforcement Officer, we come to see the peace and gentleness of His ultimate purposes. The King of conviction is also the Prince of comfort.
Will we trust Him in His work of perfecting holiness in us, of enforcing His Father’s Law for our sake? Will we trust that He has our benefit in mind? As a mediator, He must have both parties’ interest in mind—the great Sovereign of the universe and also His rebellious children, who are deceived and caught up in a controversy, shaking their fist at their Father’s government. Has He been fair in His dealings with us? Have we deserved the troubles that He has permited? Were our spankings warranted? Is He really working in our behalf? Has He proven Himself to be our very best friend? Can we trust Him?
A deeper study into the Lord’s work indicates that our troubles which He takes responsibility for actually come from the enemy. He encourages, He admonishes and warns us. But if we will be willful and stubborn, He will let us have our way, as embarrassing and painful as this is to Him. But He is not the one who drums up the troubles; it actually comes from the wolves in sheeps’ clothing. It’s our peers and so called friends and confidants who step in between us and our true Friend in the heavens, and who steer us away from the Master of grace and purity.
“Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers…for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.” (Jer. 27:9,10).
“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed My people; Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.” (Jer. 23:1-3).
I had a friend from England, named Jane. She made me laugh one day when I saw her sweeping the floor. In America we sweep by moving the broom from side to side so that we don’t get any dirt on our shoes. But, not so in England. They have the habit to carefully pull the dirt toward themselves. That is so much like Jesus. He doesn’t throw us around here and there. All His law-enforcement has one purpose; He will gently and thoughtfully bring us to Himself.
“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.” (Ez. 34:16).
“In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; and I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” (Mic. 4:6,7).
“If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee.” (Deut. 30:4).
“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3).
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2).
posted by David | 3:19 AM
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