313. DEU 29:29. A SUNDAY SCHOOL SKETCH
Deu_29:29. A Sunday School Sketch
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever."’97Deu_29:29
The mind of man has been formed for the attainment of knowledge. Knowledge is the light of the mind. Ignorance is darkness. Knowledge is the joy of the mind; it yields the highest mental pleasure. Ignorance produces anxiety, doubt, and wretchedness. Knowledge is the food of the mind; without it, it will be enfeebled, and sicken, and pine away. "For the soul to be without knowledge is not good." Nay, knowledge is the life of the soul. "My people perish for lack of knowledge." But this only applies to spiritual knowledge. A man may have good natural parts, and an intellectual education, and yet be ignorant, wretched, and perishing. The knowledge the soul requires, is divine spiritual knowledge’97the knowledge of God, and of salvation. Now, this spiritual saving knowledge’97this knowledge of God is only to be obtained from one source, and that source is the Bible. Hence, God has graciously made known his will to man in the oracles of eternal truth. But, mark you, the Scriptures do not reveal every thing. The prying mind of man may ask a thousand things on which the Bible is silent. Now, this is clearly stated in the text. "The secret things," &c. The text contains two clear propositions:
I. Secret Things are the Lord’s.
II. Revealed Things belong unto us, and to our children.
I. Secret Things are the Lord’s.
1. Nature has its secrets, or mysteries and these are the Lord’s.
Science has industriously engaged her influence in ascertaining the wonders of nature, the phenomena of our world. In this way great light has been thrown on subjects which were sealed to the generations of man 6,000 years. Yet, nature teems with mysteries, which no human understanding can penetrate. Science has its bounds. Space of discovery is limited; and God says, beyond that, thou shalt not pass. "Hitherto shalt thou go," &c.
2. Providence has its mysteries and these too are the Lord’s The Lord reigneth’97this is manifest; but clouds and darkness are round about him. Who can solve the perplexing difficulties connected with his reign? Who can tell why such immense districts, densely populated with undying souls, should remain locked up in the bonds of paganism, even in this late hour of the evening of our world.
3. Religion has its mysteries, and these belong to the Lord.
The existence of one supreme, self-existent, eternal God, is infinitely above all the powers of the mind to comprehend. None can understand this, save God. We cannot by searching find out God, or know him to perfection. The origin of moral evil is a secret; and there are thousands of others which are utterly inexplicable to man. What shall we do with these secret things? Let them alone. Leave them with God. They are his’97and not ours. But, notice, there are things which we may claim:
II. Revealed Things belong to us, and to our children.
Now, notice,
1. That the Holy Scriptures contain these revealed things.
2Ti_3:16; 2Pe_1:19-21. The speaker in the text was the first who was thus inspired; and the first five books of the Old Testament were written by him. Now, the truths of revelation were given by God to men in divers manners, and at various times, Heb_1:1, Heb_1:2. I do not now enter into a defence of revelation. I refer the doubtful to "Bishop Watson’s Apology."
2. The things revealed we could not have known without the Scriptures.
(1) We could not have known God. "The world by wisdom," &c. Hence the universal idolatry, &c. The Athenians, after filling their city with altars, &c., yet erected another to the unknown God.
(2) We could not have known the nature and evil of sin. By the law comes the knowledge of sin. Hence, the heathen moralists gave the most splendid titles to some of the greatest vices that ever dishonored human nature.
(3) We could not have known the way of salvation. Rom_10:14
(4) We could not have known of the eternity before us; whether it be an everlasting sleep or what? On these momentous subjects the world would have been ignorant forever, without a revelation.
3. The things revealed meet all the demands of the mind of man Here, we have the character of God His nature, attributes, and laws Here, sin is described, and the human heart is dissected. Here, we see the way of salvation. The streams of the water of life Here, life and immortality are brought to light. The resurrection, judgment, heaven, and hell, are all made known to us.
4. The things revealed are adapted to every state, and variety of condition.
The philosopher may come to revelation, and he will find depths he cannot fathom All his enlarged desires will be met here. The illiterate will find truths, so clear, so plain, that he cannot fail to understand them. "He that runs may read," &c. The monarch will find the things which will direct him how to live, and rule. The subject how to act and obey. The master how to govern. And the servant how to serve. The parent how to train, and the child how to reverence, &c. Oh, yes, the Bible is the world’s book. It is every man’s book. It is suited to all, and intended for all.
5. The things revealed are to be regarded as a sacred deposit from God to man.
Next to the gift of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, they are the greatest treasure which God has given to man’97a treasure infinitely beyond our powers to compute: but as such, they involve great responsibility.
(1) Are we not responsible for the reception of them? Yes; and that reception should be of the most cordial and grateful description; yet, how men skeptically reject them’97many cavil at them.
(2) Are we not responsible for reading and understanding them? The command is, to seek out of the book of the Lord, and to read. We are to receive the truths they declare, and be wiser through the reception of them. So also we must be doers of the word. We must love the word of God. Show forth all its practical truths, &c.
(3) We are responsible for their diffusion. All men are deeply interested in the truths of revelation. Bread of life; balsam of life; light of life: but to our own posterity we are especially bound to hand them down. See Deu_6:6, &c. Neglect of this is deep-toned criminality. Cruelty to our children; ingratitude to our ancestors; disobedience to heaven. Next to our children, there are those who would rise up in ignorance, if others did not care for them. Some are orphans, others fatherless; and others, so far as their souls are concerned, even worse still. Now, revealed things belong to them; and it is ours to bestow them. In Sabbath schools, this great end is kept constantly in view. The volume of revelation is the class-book placed in their hands. And to make them understand, feel, and practise it, is the end of sabbath-school tuition. We are deeply culpable in the sight of God, if we withhold our influence from the rising age.
Application
1. Let the subject teach us to avoid presumptuous curiosity. Meddle not with secret things. They are God’s, not yours. Think of the fifty thousand and seventy men, who were destroyed by God for looking into the ark, 1Sa_6:19. Think of Uzziah, smitten with leprosy even to the day of his death, for daring to offer incense before the Lord, 2Ch_26:20.
2. Let the subject teach us the true test of all doctrines, ordinances, and duties. None are genuine except they be among the revealed things. This is the true test. "To the law," &c. "Search the Scriptures," &c.
3. We shall have to give an account of revealed things at the last day. Has the word of God enlightened you? convinced you? regenerated you? sanctified you? Are you making it your guide to eternal glory? Be sure you hand it down to posterity. "For revealed things belong to us and our children."
Autor: JABEZ BURNS