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Morning and Evening

September 15, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"A people near unto him." — Psalm 148:14 · KJV

The dispensation of the old covenant was one of distance. When God appeared even to His servant Moses, He said, "Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet"; and when He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai to His own chosen and separated people, one of the first commands was, "Thou shalt set bounds about the mount." Both in the sacred worship of the tabernacle and of the temple, the thought of distance was always prominent. The mass of the people did not even enter the outer court; into the inner court none but the priests might venture; while into the innermost place, the holy of holies, the high priest entered but once a year. It was as if the Lord in those early ages would teach man that sin was so utterly loathsome to Him that He must treat men as lepers put outside the camp; and even when He came nearest to them, He made them feel the width of the gulf between a holy God and an impure sinner. When the gospel came, we were placed on quite another footing. The word "Go" was exchanged for "Come"; distance gave way to nearness, and we who were once far off were brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ. Incarnate Deity has no wall of fire about it. "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" is the joyful proclamation of God as He appears in human flesh. Now He does not teach the leper his leprosy by setting him at a distance, but by Himself bearing the penalty of his defilement. What a state of safety and privilege this nearness to God through Jesus is! Do you know it by experience? And if you know it, are you living in the power of it? Marvelous is this nearness; yet it is to be followed by a dispensation of nearness greater still, when it shall be said, "The tabernacle of God is with men, and He doth dwell among them." Hasten it, O Lord.