Luke 18.
18 Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall He find faith on the earth.
Our Scripture Union portion[1] has
recently taken us into Exodus and we have read the account of Moses going up
into the mount Sinai with God where he was given the Tables of the covenant[2], and
while he was away with God for only 40 days & 40 nights the people became
tired of waiting, and lost what faith they had in the promises of God and the
words concerning Moses are noteworthy see v.1 As for this Moses the man that
brought us up out of Egypt we know not what has become of him. I think we have
a corresponding condition of things set forth in Peter’s 2nd epistle
chap 3 In the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where
is the promise of His coming, for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of the creation[3]’s. And I
feel we need to question our own hearts continually as to our attitude to the
long delay. Now what was the reasonable attitude of the children of Israel at
that time. They referred to the work of Moses in bringing them out of Egypt.
They had no doubt whatever about what he had done and I think one of our hymn
writers suggest a very reasonable attitude in those words. His love in times
past forbids me to think He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink[4]. If they
had correctly assess the value of God’s work through Moses they would never
have turned aside into doubting castle[5]. It was
not a long time before when they were suffering under the task masters whip in
Egypt[6] and no
doubt the adult portion of Israel could recall their hardships and how
hard-pressed they were to make bricks without the provision of the necessary
straw[7] and how
their troubles increased untill they just broken [sic] down under them, and
they could well remember the difference that God had made between them and the
Egyptian population. How wonderful it all seemed to them through all the
plagues and they were brought to see God’s judgments upon the enemies while
they themselves were exempt[8]. And
there is no doubt whatever in my mind that there were times when they were made
to see and know the promises made to Abraham Isaac & Jacob were not
meaningless phrases but they were resting upon the solid rock of God’s
faithfulness. They had been very disturbed about their sustainance [sic] in the
wilderness when there was nothing visible to allay their fears and yet when
their faith was at its lowest, Manna[9] was
given from above in such a way that they could be no doubt that God was the
giver of it and they had seen the water gushing out of the rock smitten by
Moses[10], and
they had abundance of clear evidence that God was providing for their every
need, and now God has withdrawn Moses for a very brief period and they very
quickly lose faith and as for this Moses we know not what has become of him.
His coming was delayed and they turned away from the unseen God who had so
wondrously delivered them at the Red Sea[11] and who
had used the man Moses for that very purpose and they turned to Aaron and
desire him to make them gods which shall go before them[12]. How
ridiculous we say but let us wait a moment before we castigate them. There is a
line in one of our children’s hymns of which I am very fond. We sing “I should
like to have been with Him then”[13] Yes we
would like to have seen those kind looks when he said “Let the little ones, come
to me[14]. We
think there was something lacking in Thomas when he said “except I shall see I
will not believe” but our beloved Lord said if you remember “Blessed are they
they have not seen and yet have believed”[15]. All
the while the Israelites had Moses with them they were conscious of the fact
that amongst them was one who had access to God on their behalf but now their
eyes could not see him and their faith failed and they turned to something they
could see. Here was a golden calf[16]. Much
could be said about the calf and the place it had in the idolatry of Egypt and
the expressed desire to go back to the land of bondage, but time will not
permit, but let us question our own hearts about our own attitude to the past.
When Elisha heard the call of God through the prophets Elijah he was plowing
with the yoke of oxen and when he heard the call, he slew them and boiled their
flesh with the instruments of the oxen and he arose and went off to Elijah[17]. He
added wisely, he could not go back he had neither oxen nor plough. Not so the
Israelites they left [the] door behind them wide open. Have we? Let us look
back. Our deliverer is no longer here in bodily form. He like Moses is in the
presence of God. We cannot see Him with our natural eyes, and I want to ask my
own heart as I want you to question yours also, has our failed[18]. Do I
realize that He is in heaven engaged on our behalf just as really as Moses was.
That He loves us as truly and as greatly as when He gave His back to the
smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair and that He hid not
his face from shame and spitting[19], or am
I prone to turn away from Him and become interested and engaged of those things
that displease Him. Let us never forget that “this same Jesus shall so come in
like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven”[20]. Do not
be hoodwinked by those who dispute this promise upon the ground that it is an
intellectual possibility[21]. All
things are possible to him that believeth[22] and I
ask. When the Son of Man cometh will He find faith on the earth[23]. Yes if
we take this question in the light of the context it means. Faith to pray. Men
ought always to pray and not to faint. And it means to pray for that which we
consciously need. There may be some who are conscious of their need of a
Saviour. Moses was Israel saviour: They had lost the consciousness of his
presence, and acted unwisely in seeking a substitute. What a poor one? What could
a golden calf do for them? And what can anything made of gold or its equivalent
do for you Absolutely nothing. We need a living, loving, tender compassionate
Saviour and we have one in Jesus who is speaking [to] us now. Have you
faith to believe He is all this to you. He is to us just what our faith claims
Him to be.
[1] See September 18, 1955 where an earlier passage from Exodus was being read
[2] Exodus 32
[3] v3 &4
[4] John Newton the vicar of Olney
Begone unbelief, my Savior is near,
And for my relief will surely appear:
By prayer let me wrestle, and He wilt perform,
With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.
Though dark be my way, since He is my Guide,
’Tis mine to obey, ’tis His to provide;
Though cisterns be broken, and creatures all fail,
The Word He has spoken shall surely prevail.
His love in time past forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink;
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review,
Confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through.
Determined to save, He watched o’er my path,
When Satan’s blind slave, I sported with death;
And can He have taught me to trust in His Name,
And thus far have brought me, to put me to shame?
Why should I complain of want or distress,
Temptation or pain? He told me no less:
The heirs of salvation, I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation must follow their Lord.
How bitter that cup, no heart can conceive,
Which He drank quite up, that sinners might live!
His way was much rougher, and darker than mine;
Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I repine?
Since all that I meet shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet, the medicine is food;
Though painful at present, wilt cease before long,
And then, O! how pleasant, the conqueror’s song!
[5] Pilgrims Progress section 1 part eight
[6] Exodus 1:11
[7] Exodus 5:7
[8] Exodus 7:20-13
[9] Exodus 16:15
[10] Numbers 20:11
[11] Exodus 14
[12] Exodus 32:1
[13] Jemima T. Luke, wife of an English Congregational minister, 1841. In the early 1930’s, one hymnologist called this the world’s “best known and most widely used Children’s Hymn.”
I think, when I read that sweet story of old,
When Jesus was here among men,
How He called little children as lambs to His fold,
I should like to have been with them then.
I wish that His hands had been placed on my head,
That His arms had been thrown around me,
And that I might have seen His kind look when He said,
“Let the little ones come unto Me.”
Yet still to His foot stool in prayer I may go;
And ask for a share in His love;
And if I thus earnestly seek Him below,
I shall see Him and hear Him above.
But thousands and thousands who wander and fall,
Never heard of that heavenly home;
I wish they could know there is room for them all,
And that Jesus has bid them to come.
In that beautiful place He has gone to prepare
For all who are washed and forgiven;
And many dear children shall be with Him there,
For “of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
I long for the joy of that glorious time,
The sweetest and brightest and best,
When the dear little children of every clime
Shall crowd to His arms and be blest.
[14] Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."
[15] John 20:24-29
[16] Exodus 32:4
[17] 1 Kings 19:19-21
[18] I am unsure about deciphering this word
[19] Isaiah 50:6
[20] Acts 1:11
[21] Presumably impossibility is meant
[22] Mark 9:23
[23] Luke 18:18 His text