"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9

"... l ook unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." -Isaiah 51:1 [KJV] It is as though the Lord would here by the pen of His prophet turn our eyes to our native origin. And what is that? The same quarry out of which the other stones come. If you and I, by God's grace, are "living stones," we come out of the same quarry with the dead, unbelieving, unregenerate world; there is no difference in that respect. Nay, we are perhaps sunk lower in the quarry than some of those in whom God never has and never will put His grace. It is not the upper stratum, what is called "the capstone," of the quarry, which is to be taken to be hewn into a pillar; they go down deep into the pit to get at the marble which is to be chiselled into the ornamental column. So with God's saints. They do not lie at the top of the quarry; but the Lord has to go down very low, that He may bring up these stones out of

“ By the law of Israel the right of redemption belonged to him that was next of blood (Leviticus 25:25, Ruth 2:20). It was being made like H is brethren that Christ acquired the human and legal title to pay the ransom price for H is church. ” - Gospel report by preacher A rthur W. Pink