December 22

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? - Malachi 3:2.

THE reference here is unquestionably to the Saviour’s manifestation in the flesh; and it would appear that there is something awful even with regard to this. We may exemplify this in three articles. First, In the occasional emanations and displays of His majesty. His birth produced anxiety and trouble. Herod “was troubled, and all Judea with him;” the poor dear babes in Bethlehem became martyrs to him, though he could easily and did recompense them for their sufferings. The devils cried out, “Art thou come to torment us before our time.” Single and unarmed, unless with a whip of small cords, he rushed into the temple and drove from the place the money-changers, and the buyers and sellers, no one daring to resist him: and on the mount of transfiguration, and in the garden, and at his death, and in his resurrection there were displays of his Majesty.

Secondly, It may be exemplified in his detection of character. All through his ministry his eyes were as a flame of fire, for he saw through men. He silenced those who came to entrap him, and induced those who came to him to condemn themselves before they were aware of it. He knew what was in man, and needed not that any should testify of him. A young man came to him one day with fair professions, saying, “Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.” He only said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Young man, are you willing to follow me now? and no more was heard of him.

Many of the people could not bear his searching doctrine, and “they went back and walked no more with him.” As to the Pharisees, how he exposed their hypocrisy. They were considered the most righteous persons on earth, and were regarded with a veneration almost approaching to idolatry; before the multitude he unmasked them, laid bare their real character, denounced them as being only painted sepulchres; and he opened the tombs, and showed the bones and rottenness within. He declared them to be only “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” He tore away the clothing, and showed the beast of prey that was underneath.

Thirdly, It may be exemplified in the calamities which were to follow the rejection of him. They said, “His blood be upon us, and upon our children;” and it fell upon them, and is lying upon them now. Wrath came upon them to the uttermost; their sufferings were unspeakable, but only emblems of those more dreadful punishments to which they are exposed “who have trodden under foot the son of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace.”

For there is another coming and appearance of the Son of God. The Lord prepare us for it. It will be a tremendous scene, and we should not have wondered if such language as we here find had been employed with regard to this. For then we are told that before his face the heaven and the earth flee away; and it is asked, “Behold, the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” David, in anticipation of this solemn period (all saint as he was), fell upon his knees and cried, “Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight no flesh living can be justified.” “If thou Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand?” None but those who are then found standing in a better righteousness than their own.

Therefore, said Paul, “Oh, that I may win Christ, and may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness.”