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How significant and
affecting are those words of our Saviour, "There is joy in the presence of
the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth!" How difficult it is to
realise the truth that we are so eminently the objects of interest to
those exalted beings. From the lofty position which they occupy —in the
wide field over which their eye ranges— amid the countless worlds which
perform their revolutions within sight of heaven's battlements, over which
they cast their inquiring glance, or fly with unwearied wing—amid those
worlds, in that vast field, from that elevated position, how insignificant
must our world appear to them! An almost imperceptible speck on that
shining veil which Jehovah has thrown around the brow of night! Nay, a
solitary grain amid the sands of a desert! Its extinction fitted to
produce no greater commotion among other worlds, and to leave no greater
blank, than the fall of a leaf among the trees of the forest! And yet they
not only watch the course of that world, and acquaint themselves with its
history, but are so interested in each individual of the species by which
it is peopled, that its motions exert an influence on their feelings; and
on the reconciliation of one to God, a new current of joy is made to
circulate throughout all their ranks. I almost tremble to think that I am
the centre of such influences. I am astounded when I read the conjectures
of philosophers, and recognise, at least, their possible truth—how, every
time I plant my foot upon the earth, I produce an impression which affects
every atom in its enormous mass—how my words and motions, the very
respirations of my breath, produce vibrations in the atmosphere which flow
all round the world—how my actions, whether good or bad, may be imprinted
by the rays of light on the surrounding ether—and how, long after their
performance, there may exist pictures of them, on which the inhabitants of
other worlds may gaze,— I am astounded at the mere possibility of such a
thing. But how overwhelming is it to be assured, not of the possibility,
but of the fact, that, by mysterious ties, I am linked to those exalted
beings who surround the throne of the Eternal—that currents of influence
pass imperceptibly between me and them—that they watch my course, that
they hail every step of the way by which I return into a state of
allegiance to their King, and that, when my reconciliation is effected, a
message of congratulation and triumph is published throughout their
innumerable hosts, augmenting their joy, and giving a new impulse to their
ceaseless song of praise! They saw my wanderings; they lamented my fall;
they mourned over my vacant place at my Father's board; they were grieved
for my wasted powers—powers, which might have honoured God, perverted to
His dishonour; they felt pity for my misery; and when they see the
wanderer return, the fallen one restored, the son seated at his Father's
table, his faculties employed in promoting his Father's honour, the
prodigal rejoicing in his Father's love, the event creates "joy in
heaven"— joy throughout the length and breadth of the paradise of God—joy
from the centre to the circumference of sinless creation—joy through the
universe of unfallen worlds. There is "joy on the throne, in the heart of
the mighty God himself, —deep, unutterable, wondrous joy in the bosom of
Jehovah." And that joy circulates through all orders of being—from the
principalities and powers in heavenly places, to the spirits that minister
to the heirs of salvation. God gives the key-note, and then
"The jubilant song swells
circling through the courts
Of everlasting joy, like a round wave,
Till it pervades all life, and floods the stars
On the unlimited eye-line of pure space."
"There is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."
It is hardly possible that
a truth so sublime as this can be pondered, or even recognised by us,
without giving rise to thoughts and feelings, in which it may be well
briefly to indulge.
In the first place—though
not from the order in which it arises in the mind, but because of its
importance, do we give it the precedence of others— we are led to think of
the grandeur of the plan of salvation. We must ever connect with that plan
the interest felt in our recovery by the inhabitants of other worlds. But
for it man could not have been restored to God's favour on any principle
which would have rendered his restoration a source of joy to angels. But
for the provision which is there made for the vindication of God's
character, and the manifestation of God's righteousness, man's
restoration, could we suppose it to have taken place, would have proved to
them an occasion of the profoundest grief. And their joy over our
repentance is to be attributed still more, perhaps, to their interest in
the success of the plan of salvation, as an illustrious display of the
Divine glory, than to their benevolent regard for our welfare. They desire
to look into these things, we are told; and, doubtless, that which prompts
their desire is the fact, elsewhere made known to us, that through the
cross is manifested, to the principalities and powers in heavenly places,
the manifold wisdom of God. Thus the scheme of redemption is lifted into a
high place among the works of God. Calvary may be said to become the
centre of the universe. And that point of time distinguished by the
Saviour's death is the grand epoch of eternity. God's eternal purposes
found their consummation there. Spiritual forces, which shall exert an
influence on all coming ages, and throughout all the ranks of creation,
were generated there. Not to us only do its bearings extend, but to every
part of the peopled universe. To this point the eyes of all beings are
directed. There, lines of attention from all worlds converge. And though
the loftiest creature cannot fathom its wondrous depths, though an
archangel's mind cannot solve its mysteries, they learn enough to confirm
them in their allegiance, and to strengthen the ties which bind them to
the throne of God. If it be our redemption, it is their preservation. If
it brings salvation to us, it imparts security to them. If it leads us
back to our Father's house and our Father's arms, it keeps them
there—affording them that most illustrious display of the Divine
perfections, which deepens their adoration, and quickens the burning seal
with which, on wings of love, and with the joy which renders their service
its own reward, they hasten to fulfil the high behests, and to celebrate
the glories of their King. Oh! man may make light of it—man for whom it
was devised— man whom it most deeply concerns—man who needs it most; but
never will those exalted beings make light of, or cease to be interested
in, the scheme which the great Father has devised for the recovery—the
righteous recovery—of his lost and ruined child.
Again, in the second place,
we are naturally led to inquire if those exalted beings do not perform
some office or render some service in order to the promotion of the object
in which they are so interested. If they have such a regard for our
welfare—if our salvation affords them so much joy— we should suppose that,
in case of opportunity being granted them, they do something to further
the accomplishment of what they so eagerly desire. And, accordingly, it is
a doctrine of Scripture that the ministry of angels is one of the
privileges of those who become sons of God. "Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and
delivereth them." "It is written, He shall give his angels charge
concerning thee : and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any
time thou dash thy foot against a stone." When the prophet was surrounded
with the armies of the king, and his servant was alarmed for his safety,
relying on unseen protection, he answered him, "They that be with us are
more than they that be with them." And did not the same beings visit
Abraham?—deliver Lot from Sodom?—minister to Jacob? Were they not on Sinai
when Moses received the law? Did they not go before Joshua as the captain
of the Lord's hosts! Was it not an angel that destroyed the army of
Sennacherib, and freed Palestine from its invaders? Did they not convey
messages to Daniel, attend his brethren in the fiery furnace, and himself
in the lions' den? Appeared they not to Zacharias in the temple, and to
Joseph in a dream? Did they not salute Mary as the mother of the Lord,
announce His birth to the shepherds, strengthen Him in His agony, roll the
stone from the sepulchre, smite the persecuting Herod, and rescue Peter
from prison? And, in a word, time would fail to tell of all the services
they have rendered to the Church throughout past ages. It is true, we do
not see them now. We trace not their steps to the door of any human
dwelling. No gleam of light from angel pinion flashes through the
darkness. No angel form is seen speeding across the distant horizon. No
rustling of their wings is heard amid the stillness of night. No echo of
their song is wafted to our ears. And shall we, therefore, conclude that
their services have ceased?— that
"They have all within the
veil departed—
That no angel wing e'er cleaves the empyrean now—
That many a tear from human eye has started,
Since angel's touch has calm'd a mortal brow?"
That were hardly in keeping
with what the Scriptures tell us of the superiority of the present
dispensation. That were hardly in keeping with the assertion of Paul, that
they are "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be
heirs of salvation." No; though invisible to the eye of sense, to the eye
of faith they are still with us. It was only on special occasions, under
the former dispensation, that they assumed a visible form, and spoke in an
audible voice; but though unseen and unheard, their services were
unremitting. And though we see them not, and hear not their voice, still
do they hover around us, still do they wing their flight from their seats
on high to visit our earthly dwellings. The very fact that we need their
services as much as ever, that they are not less interested in our
welfare, or in the triumph of Christ, that the present is an age of
superior privilege—these facts are enough to assure us that God still
sends them forth on errands of mercy. "He gives them charge over us." He
makes them the mediums of the succour which He sends. Do they never
support us, think you, when trials press heavily? When our work overtasks
our strength, do they never strengthen the weak hands and confirm the
feeble knees? Do they never, with fingers of light, smooth the brow which
has been wrinkled by care? Oh, yes ! many times do they minister thus,
even to the lowliest saint.
"Full oft do they their
silver bowers leave,
To come to succour us that succour want!
Full oft do they with golden pinions cleave
The flitting skies like flying pursuivant,
Against foul fiends to aid us militant!
They for us fight, they watch and duly ward,
And their bright squadrons round about us plant;
And all for love, and nothing for reward:
Oh why should heavenly God to man have such regard!"
But this leads me to the
third thought—the thought to which our minds most readily revert, when we
contemplate the interest felt by other beings in the salvation of
man—viz., the greatness of the human soul. Those exalted beings are not
deceived by appearances as we are. They estimate things according to their
real value. Too penetrating in their vision, capable of rising too high
above the earth, to be imposed on by its vain show, they look only at the
reality of things. The events which occupy the attention of the world, the
pursuits in which men are so much engrossed, the fluctuations of the share
market, the business transacted on 'Change, the struggles of contending
armies, the jarrings of political parties, the rise and fall of
governments, the overthrow of dynasties— these possess but little
interest. They are more concerned in the struggles which take place in far
humbler arenas. There is more to attract their attention in the spiritual
experiences of some poor man whom the world proudly passes by. Over the
closet where he groans in spirit, and drops the penitential tear, they
bend with intense interest. They watch with eager sympathy his struggles
to break the chains of habit. They would still their harps to catch the
first accents of prayer that fell from his lips. They attach more
importance to those new thoughts which are dawning on his understanding,
and to those new feelings which are rising on his soul, and to that new
purpose which takes possession of his will and bends his being to its
control, than to the consultations of cabinets or the decrees of kings.
And though they would not halt in their flight to notice the proudest
pageant on which royalty ever gazed, and would make no mention of an
empire's fall, when the spiritual life in that man's soul rises into
existence—when he stands with tearful eye surveying the past, and casts a
hopeful, resolute glance into the future— when the devil has been expelled
and God has taken possession of his soul—when, his enmity to God subdued,
he enters a forgiven sinner into His service,—then they are so interested
that one communicates to another the tidings of the event, and louder and
higher swells the stream of praise, which they are ever sending up to the
eternal throne. For why? That soul which has been the subject of the
change is more enduring than all material things. Those thoughts and
feelings will outlive the stars. The influence of that change will be felt
in the highest heaven, and to the furthest limits of intelligent creation,
while eternity endures. That man is a greater thing than all the kingdoms
of the world, and all the glory of them. He will bear God's image, and
dwell in God's presence, and enjoy God's perfections, and celebrate God's
praise, when the riches, and the rank, and the crowns, and the kingdoms,
and the thrones of the world are no more. Oh, let the interests which
angels take in my salvation teach me the worth and dignity of my own
nature! Let it teach me that there is something better for me than ought
that is earthly—that I am fitted for a higher destiny than to eat and
drink and die. And oh, let me act such a part as will give joy to those
beings who are so interested in my welfare. May their harps never be
silent, may their eyes never droop for me ! May my course be such as will
minister to their gratification, giving them ever new confidence, and new
reason for rejoicing that " the dead is alive, and the lost found!"
Finally, we see how
important and glorious is the work of winning souls. When we take any
part, however humble, in bringing sinners to the Saviour, our endeavours
are in harmony with angel sympathies, our success ministers to angel joy.
The minister of the gospel, the teacher in the Sabbath school, the tract
distributor, with all who in any way take part in this work, are
augmenting heaven's joy; and when permitted to enter heaven, they will
find its happiness greater for what they themselves have done. Oh, what an
honour to be permitted to take a part, however humble, in a work so
glorious—a work in which angels are our fellow-labourers! And how much
greater is the honour, when we remember that the joy of angels is a joy in
which the Lord participates? He is interested in our efforts. He rejoices
over our success. My brother, thou art disheartened with the difficulty of
the work, and thy tardy progress. But take courage. ''Be not weary in
well-doing, for in due season thou shalt reap if thou faint not." Even the
smallest amount of success will yield thee a glorious reward. For the
highest luxury which a soul can know is, to enter a heaven whose
inhabitants it has helped to multiply, and thus begemmed the crown and
augmented the joy of its King. |
