Archive for July 9th, 2010
“Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men.”—Proverbs 8:4.
( 1) THESE are the words of wisdom; and wisdom in the book of Proverbs is none other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is evident from chapter 1, verse 23, where He says, “Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you”; but it is Christ alone who has the gift of the Holy Spirit. And again, from 8:22, where He says, “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way”; and verse 30: “Then I was by him as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” These words are true of none but of Jesus Christ, the Word that was with God, and was God, by whom all things were made.
(2) The places He goes to with the invitation.–First, He goes to the country. He climbs every eminence, and cries there; then He descends to the highway where many roads meet. Second, He goes to the city. He begins at the gates, where the people are assembled to make bargains and hear causes; then He proceeds along the principal avenue into the city, and cries in at every door as He passes. He first goes out into the highways and hedges, then goes into the streets and lanes of the city, carrying the blessed message.
(3) Observe the manner in which He invites.–He cries aloud, He puts forth the voice, He stands and cries, He calls and lifts up His voice, He seems like some merchant offering his wares, first in the market, and then from door to door. Never did busy crier offer to sell his goods with such anxiety as Jesus offers His salvation; verse 10: “Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.”
(4) Observe to whom the invitation is addressed.–Verse 4: “Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men.” Merchants only offer their goods to certain classes of the people that will buy; but Jesus offers His to all men. Wherever there is a son of Adam, wherever there is one born of woman, the word is addressed to him: he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Doctrine.–Christ offers Himself as a Savior to all of the human race.