THE LORD GOD WILL COME WITH A STRONG HAND!

"Behold, the LORD God will come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him." —Isaiah 40:10 [KJV]

What was foretold in prophesy, is fulfilled in the faith and experience of saints. Here are two notes of attention. "Behold;" it highly concerns thee. Take special notice. When the Lord God, our Immanuel Jesus, came to His temple, He found the beautiful building in sad disorder; His spiritual worship lost; and "His house of prayer turned into a den of thieves." Behold, with a strong hand and stretched-out arm, with no weapon, but an insignificant scourge of small cords, He drove the multitude from the temple. Amazing miracle! 

The meek Lamb is also "the lion of the tribe of Judah." So He came not only with a strong hand, but against the strong, as some render it. So, behold, He comes to take possession of the temple of His people's hearts. This temple He finds in woeful plight. All the powers of earth and hell are engaged against Him. "The strong man armed keeps possession." But precious, powerful Jesus, casts out Satan, enters by His love, and rules by His Spirit, where Satan reigned. But He comes not by power only, but by grace also; behold, He brings His reward with Him. The distressed soul He pardons. He clothes the naked soul with the robe of His righteousness—He feeds the hungry soul with good things—He giveth His flesh to eat, and His blood to drink. 

Then how do their souls pant after Jesus! how do they hunger and thirst after righteousness, and cry, and pray, "Lord, increase our faith, that we may eat as Thy friends, and drink larger draughts, as Thy beloved, and be more abundantly satisfied with Thy love!" Thus our Lord Christ rewards His people with the fruits of His own toils, and the blessings of His own finished work and salvation; even with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. But, O Jesus, cries the poor sinner, "What a vile, sinful, carnal, earthly-minded wretch am I still by nature!" Fear not saith Jesus, thou art called to look unto Me. Behold, "My work is before Me." Have I vanquished the powers of death and hell for thee, and can I not conquer sin in thee, and subdue thy flesh under thee? 

Was His blood the price of thy soul, and the atonement of thy sins? Then, must thou wait in faith for the total destruction of the last enemy sin and death, at His second coming; when in the triumph of thy soul thou shalt proclaim the perfect victory of Jesus, and say, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain," etc.—Revelation 5:12.

Jesus, my Lord, is come; 

My heart now feels His pow'r: 

He rules by His almighty arm, 

Bless'd be the joyful hour.

How precious is Thy work! 

How glorious Thy reward! 

Faith reaps Thy spoils, my conqu'ring love, 

And glories in Thy Word.

-William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)