Author: Peter

A Cave, Crutches And A Captain

  • Man praying in the cave.

By Tim Headly

I remember visiting Carlsbad Caverns, in the American Southwest, when I was a boy. The caverns were very cold and damp. There were lighted paths to walk on, but at one point when we were deep in the cave, a tour guide shut off all the lights. The underground chamber was pitch black! It was so dark that I could not see my hand in front of my face. They left the lights off for only a short time, but it was long enough to get a very uncomfortable feeling. It can be fun to explore a cave when it is safe to do so, yet it is not a place where I think most people would want to live for any length of time.

In 1 Samuel 22 we see that David did just that when he was running from King Saul. While there the LORD used the cave of Adullam to break David down in order to build him up again and use him to strengthen others. The LORD would fulfill His purposes in David’s life. Likewise, it is sometimes in the darkest caves of our lives when God does His deepest work in us so He can use us much more.

The Pathway To The Cave Of Adullam
David went from obscurity to prominence when the prophet Samuel came to David’s home and anointed him as the next king of Israel. David’s fame grew greatly after he defeated Goliath. That victory gave David a place in the palace of King Saul, where the king kept a close eye on him. David became a very successful commander and his name was well-known (1 Sam. 18:30). His best friend was the king’s son Jonathan. He even married one of Saul’s daughters. David’s success and popularity caused Saul to become very jealous – even to the point of trying to kill David.

David fled for his life. Of all places, he went to Gath, the city of the people he had defeated when he killed the Philistine giant Goliath. Because of fear, David pretended to be insane. This was a very low point in David’s life, and it was a time when he lost everything that meant anything to him.

The Crutches Removed
In fleeing from Saul, David lost his relationships – at least for a time – with his wife Michal and his family. His job as a commander in Saul’s army was gone. Samuel, a spiritual counselor who meant much to David, died while David was on the run from Saul. He also lost his best friend Jonathan, his self-respect and his security. David found himself alone, discouraged and scared.

The LORD had removed everyone and everything that David leaned upon so He could begin to work in His servant. David didn’t realize when he ran into the cave of Adullam that he was running into the school of God, where He teaches His own.

At one point David called the cave a “prison” (Ps. 142:7 KJV), but the Lord used it as a closet of prayer for David (see Mt. 6:6). Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), a respected British preacher, wrote: “Had David prayed as much in his palace as he did in his cave, he might never have fallen into the acts which brought such misery upon his latter days.”

The Closet Of Prayer Precedes The Chamber Of Praise
God allowed David to experience difficult days of discouragement and despair to draw him to Himself. While David was going through the experiences of the cave he wrote at least two psalms: Psalms 142 and 57. Psalm 142 seems to be the first for it is filled with a sense of despair. Psalm 57 was likely written second as it contains more hope and confidence.

David had already been anointed king, but we may wonder why it took so long for him to take the throne? Scripture teaches us in the life of our Lord Jesus, whom David pictures, that suffering comes before glory (1 Pet. 1:10-12). Before the crown there had to be the cross! So it is in our lives: Before God can use us He must prepare and teach us to rely on Him.

David ran to Adullam, which means “justice,” “a testimony” or “a refuge.” But God had to teach David that, instead of the cave, He was his refuge – the place of protection, security and secrecy. We read: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say ‘Destroy!’” (Dt. 33:27 NKJV). This is what David had to learn.

The Cries From The Cave
Like us, David got discouraged. What did David do in his despair? He cried out to the LORD! Looking at Psalm 142 we see that this cave was for him one of:

  • Complaint (v.2). David poured out his heart to the LORD, begging Him for help and deliverance.
  • Trouble (v.2). His heart was full of anxiety and distress, but he was talking to the LORD in prayer!
  • Fainting (v.3). The word here for “overwhelmed” means “fainting.” David was ready to give up, and he had nowhere else to turn.
  • Snares (v.3). When we feel trapped in a corner there are many snares that wait for us. But the Lord has promised a way out for us if we trust Him (1 Cor. 10:13).
  • Loneliness (v.4). David felt all alone – like no one understood his situation.
  • Despair (v.6). David said that he is brought very low, discouraged and depressed.
  • Bondage (v.7). He described his feelings as being in prison.

Who hasn’t experienced caves like this in their own lives? Maybe you are experiencing one right now. Although he felt that he was alone, David was not – and neither are you. David hurt enough to admit his need before God, and he was honest and humble enough to cry for help and learn from Him. The Lord allows us to get to such a point in order to transform us, and then we can fulfill His plan.

Lessons Learned Alone With God In The Cave
The Lord is glorified when we trust Him in the darkest hours of our lives. It is then that we begin to learn and enjoy:

  • Intimacy with the Lord. David verbally communicated with the LORD during this dark time in his life. We too have access into the Lord’s presence to cast our cares upon Him (Heb. 4:14-16; 1 Pet. 5:7).
  • His sufficiency. David had lost everything, but as he poured out his heart to the LORD he learned that He was his portion (Ps. 142:5). Prophetically, this is what the Lord Jesus said in Psalm 16:5: “O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.” When we realize that all our resources and all that sustains us are found in Him, we actually begin to act the way the Lord Jesus did when He was on earth as a man – when God the Father was His portion. He is not only our resource for life, He is our life (Col. 3:4) and our portion. He is enough!
  • His Character. David began to learn what God was like and who He was, and he praised Him (Ps. 142:7). David’s focus was no longer on who or what was lost, but it was on the LORD! This point comes out even clearer in Psalm 57. There we see David as one whom the LORD strengthened and prepared for what was next.

The LORD had changed David’s heart from being discouraged to one encouraged by His presence and power. Let’s look briefly at Psalm 57 to learn more about David’s heart:

  • A Humble Heart (v.1). Having humbled himself in the presence of the LORD, David’s perspective became totally different. He saw the LORDas the One who is full of mercy and completely trustworthy. David had learned that the Lord was willing to take him under His wings, being a refuge until calamities pass.
  • A Prayerful Heart (v.2). He was willing to depend on the One who is above all others in His person and power.
  • A Realistic Heart (vv.4,6). Without denying the difficulties, David acknowledged that God was greater than all his problems.
  • A Trusting Heart (vv.5,7-11). David gave the LORD all the praise and emphasized again that his God was above everything else.

Having learned total dependence upon God while in the cave of Adullam, David was ready to be used by the LORD.

From Isolated To An Insulator
Discouraged, David had gone alone to hide in the cave. The LORD worked in David, and David learned to trust Him fully. Having been prepared by the LORD, He sent people to him who needed to be encouraged. David’s family arrived first, even his brothers who once called him prideful (1 Sam. 17:28).

We are told the number and type of men who came to David in the cave: 400 who were in distress, in debt and discontent. This word “distress” has the idea of “those under pressure.” It reminds us that before we came to Christ we were under the burden of sin, but coming to our “David,” the Lord Jesus Christ, the burden was lifted. “Everyone who was in debt” has the thought of “having many creditors.” We were bankrupt and owed more than we could ever repay, but we came to the One who has paid it in full. “Everyone who was discontent” means “to be in bitterness of soul.” This reminds us that nothing could ever fill the God-shaped vacuum that was in each of our lives before we came to Christ.

The Captain Of The Cave
These 400 men were unhappy with Saul, the man after the flesh, and sought out David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). They left Saul and the city and went out to David. Here we have a beautiful picture of Christ and the Church. We are told to go “forth to Him outside the camp” and that He is “the Captain of [our] salvation” (Heb. 13:13, 2:10). Flesh of any kind cannot satisfy, no matter if it is sinful flesh or religious flesh. Only Christ can meet the needs of the human heart!

We learn from 2 Samuel 23 that these men came from all over Israel. Some were from Benjamin, which was Saul’s tribe. Others came to David from the tribes of Judah, Dan and Ephraim – and some were even Gentiles. This reminds us that the Lord Jesus will have those around Him who are “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).

These men came to David just as they were, and the LORD satisfied them through the man after His own heart. They came to David when he was rejected and in exile, but he had won their hearts. Later, their aim in life would be to please their captain and to fulfill his every desire, as we see in 2 Samuel 23:8-23. This ought to be our aim today. The apostle Paul stated this in 2 Corinthians 5:9, “Therefore we make it our aim … to be well pleasing to Him.”

The cave of Adullam became a place of training for David and his mighty men. Everyone experiences cave-like circumstances in life. Your cave can be a dark, cold and lonely place – or it can be a classroom in the school of God where you learn that He is your refuge and all you need!

By Timothy P. Hadley

A Longing For Justice


By Roger Penney

Injustice
Some Bible scholars believe “Adullam” means “justice of the people” or “a resting place.” Strong’s concordance suggests that the meaning is uncertain. In view of the type of people who came there and put their trust in David, we may be right in accepting both definitions. “And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them” (1 Sam. 22:1-2 KJV). Even though David was on the run from his jealous enemy, King Saul, who wanted to kill him, the people came to David because he gave them hope for a better future.

David was a refuge for those who suffered injustice then. Now we who are victims of injustice or who are despised and rejected by this world have found safety, justice, love and truth with our Lord Jesus Christ. We have fled to Him for refuge (Heb. 6:18) and have heard His loving words of comfort: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28).

This world is a place of injustice, without regard for the weak, poor or those of no reputation. It is a place of evil where the Devil, the enemy of God and man, rules through fear (1 Jn. 5:19). But the Lord has and is preparing a place for us. “In My Father’s house are many mansions … I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go … I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3).

A Place Of Eternal Rest 
The Father’s house is a place of eternal rest, but even now the Lord is with us and will never leave nor forsake us (see Heb. 13:5-6). We know that where He is there is peace and justice. Indeed we are assured that on this earth in a day to come it will be said, “Judgment runs down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).

We find in Scripture the place where the Lord Jesus has chosen to be, promising “where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt. 18:20, see Dt. 12:5-6). There is no better, happier and holier place!

A little later in 1 Samuel we read that David sought for his parents a place of safety with the king of Moab. This may tell us something of David’s status at the time as a young man and formidable war leader. Recognized as such by the kings of the surrounding nations, it is likely that they were anxious to win his favor as a rival to Saul. Perhaps they thought a competition for Saul’s throne would throw Israel into anarchy, and then they could advance their own claims to Israel’s territory. Whatever their ideas, the kings of Moab, Ammon and the Philistine Confederacy were not friends of Israel.

“Great” men look with contempt on the poor, powerless and ill-educated. However Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, assures us that God chooses differently. “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence” (1:26-29). God’s presence is a “cave of Adullam” indeed, and it is where we belong.

David’s Influence 
David brought about a great change in the outcasts and discontented. They became his mighty men, many of whose names are recorded as being loyal to him and loving him. We do not know how we shall be found at the final reckoning of believers, but maybe we will be rewarded in that day by the recognition of the valor of the King of Kings.

All of David’s mighty men had done deeds of outstanding military skill and courage, but three also demonstrated a love, loyalty and devotion for David which demands our admiration. Possibly David’s throat was parched, or perhaps he was in a nostalgic mood as he remembered days of his boyhood in Bethlehem. Whatever the reason, “David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem” (1 Chr. 11:17-18). This apparently most foolhardy of errands was undertaken by these incredibly brave men who later distinguished themselves in battle. However, it is this comparatively insignificant incident which God’s Spirit has chosen to record. God delights to see men and women honor the Lord Jesus and show their commitment to Him by even small, yet significant acts of love and devotion.

We should obey in all the things the Lord shows He wants us to do. For one, seemingly small matter, the Lord gave a demonstration to teach His disciples. After taking the position of the humblest slave and washing His disciples’ feet, the Lord encouraged them as He encourages us: “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done” (Jn. 13:15). There must be hundreds of little favors that we can do for our brothers and sisters in Christ by which we may learn humility and Christ-likeness.

“Despise not the day of small things,” counseled Zechariah (Zech. 4:10). The Lord Jesus showed His approval when He commended the tiny act of kindness of giving a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple (Mt. 10:42). It is clear that such deeds truly make glad the heart of God, and the Lord Jesus may in them “see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isa. 53:11).

We are not immune from an egotistical or selfish lack of concern for the poor, weak and suffering. For example, how often have we forgotten or looked away from the plight of a homeless man or woman begging on the street?

The Enemy Encampment 
The Philistine enemies of the people of God were encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. These were of the race of monster beings from whom came the giant Goliath of Gath and his brothers. They were in time slain by David and his mighty men (2 Sam. 21:16-22; 1 Chr. 20:4-8).

We find these monstrous beings as early as Genesis 6, where they are called “Nephilim” or “Fallen Ones.” They were the result of an unholy marital alliance. Later, the lineages of giants are referred to as “Anakim” or “Rephaim,” depicting their extraordinary large stature. These people were enormous; and the spies sent by Moses to report on the land gave a frightened report which cast doubt in the Israel’s mind as to God’s ability to lead them to victory (Gen. 6:1-4; Num. 13:30-33). The valley was especially sinister, presumably because of the residents’ size and hatred of the things of God. This is pictured by the name “Rephaim,” which means “fearful.”

Soldiers Of The King 
We need to take courage, realizing that the One who recruited us is the Lord Jesus, the King of Kings. He will most certainly lead us to conquer all the enemies who attack and seek to be master over us. Paul’s words to Timothy suggest physical, mental, emotional and spiritual toughness brought about by hard training. “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:3-4). We are soldiers and we must train hard, for without hard training we cannot hope to win the battles we must fight.

Roman generals often recruited their own legions, and the men were fanatically loyal to a popular leader such as Julius Caesar or Vespasian – during Paul’s lifetime. The soldiers, loyal to their leaders and comrades, trained with wooden swords filled with lead that were twice as heavy as the ones used in combat. Imagine hacking away at a post with such a sword for hours on end while the centurion in charge of recruit training gave any slacker a thrashing with his vine stick. Should we train any less in a spiritual sense for our Leader who has bought us with His own blood? Can we allow ourselves to become spiritually soft and flabby – useless in both war and peace?

The men who came to David developed into a formidable fighting force. His mighty men were the discontented, debtors and outcasts. So too are we: the weak, poor and foolish. But we can likewise train to be mighty in the Lord if we so commit ourselves to Him.

Thoughts During A Time Of Testing And Trouble 
Although David sought refuge in the cave of Adullam, he actually found it in the God of Israel. David cried out, “O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in Thee” (Ps. 57:1). This psalm is one of the Maschil psalms, which trace the experiences of the devoted Christian life with all its challenges, difficulties and, sometimes, failures. With confidence in the salvation of God, David exclaimed, “He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him who would swallow me up. Selah” (v.3). Think about that: although we are considering that David fled from Saul, it is likely that Satan saw David was descended directly from the line of the Promised Seed, the actual “seed of the woman” (Gen. 3:14-15). Therefore Satan was determined to “swallow” him up.

David was seen by Saul as his enemy, but it was Satan who worked on Saul’s jealous nature to make him hate David. The followers of our “David,” the Lord Jesus, are similarly marked out as enemies. This is why Psalm 57 has such a pull on our hearts. David said, “My soul is among lions … even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (v.4). He goes on however to express his confidence in God, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise” (v.7). Rather than a song of triumph, the psalm ends with the writer’s heart lifted up to God to glorify Him: “Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let Thy glory be above all the earth” (v.11).

Here we are brought by David into the inner thoughts of his soul while in the cave. We may also understand these musings to be the actual thoughts of the Lord Jesus, for these psalms are inspired of God to glorify His Son. May we worship Him.

Psalm 57 NKJV

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” 
A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave


Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! 
For my soul trusts in You; 
and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, 
until these calamities have passed by.

I will cry out to God Most High, 
to God who performs all things for me.

He shall send from heaven and save me; 
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah 
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.

My soul is among lions; 
I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, 
Whose teeth are spears and arrows, 
and their tongue a sharp sword.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; 
let Your glory be above all the earth.

They have prepared a net for my steps; 
my soul is bowed down; 
They have dug a pit before me; 
into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; 
I will sing and give praise.

Awake, my glory! 
Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; 
I will sing to You among the nations.

For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, 
and Your truth unto the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; 
let Your glory be above all the earth.

His Work In Our Lives

By Paul Alberts

All of us go through times of depression or despair. We may be dealing with sad or distressing events. Maybe our expectation of things coming up is somber. Burdens and troubles could be weighing us down to the point where they are just too much for us to bear. Along with these things, sometimes it just seems like no one really cares or is able to understand what we are going through.

We are not alone. Even the Bible records such struggles in the lives of Abraham, Hannah, King Saul, Elijah, Job, David, Jeremiah, Jonah and Paul – to name a few. Jesus, while in the garden of Gethsemane, “began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said [to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee], ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.’ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed … Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping” (Mt. 26:36-40 NKJV).

The writer of Hebrews was led of the Holy Spirit to share other details about the Lord Jesus: “In the days of His flesh … He offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation” (5:7-9). Applying lessons to us, we see a limitation of these things to the days of life here on earth. We need to pray with all the honesty of our hearts to Him who can save even from death itself. The Father hears the prayers of His children and He will do what is necessary for their learning, causing them to grow and be more useful regarding things of eternal value.

The cave of Adullam, the topic of this month’s Feature articles, was a time of despair for David. As you read the articles you will see how the Lord worked in his life and through it for tremendous blessing. Even better, God was glorified! The same can be true for us if we allow the Lord to do His work in our lives – even during our days of despair.

The Windshield Or The Rearview Mirror?

By Timothy P. Hadley

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV

A post on social media that I saw recently said, “Even though there are days I wish I could change some things that happened in the past, there is a reason the rear view mirror is so small and the windshield is so big. Where you are heading is much more important than what you have left behind!”

The thought came to me, “As we travel down the road of life, where do we spend time looking the most?” As Christians, we need to keep our eyes on the Lord, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:2). He is the object we should be pressing toward, realizing He has used our past experiences to bring us to this point. We are to press on – intensely endeavoring to go forward, with our eyes on Him who is the prize!

The windshield is big so we can see where we are going and not miss anything that is ahead of us. The Lord has so much in front of you to enjoy, keep reaching forward. Keep pressing ahead! The rear view mirror should only be used to remind us that the way forward is clear! Even our side mirrors are used for passing and moving forward.

Which direction are you looking? Which direction are you moving? As you fix your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, ask Him to help you make forward progress today!

How do we keep ourselves in the love of God (Jude 21)?

By Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” –Jude 20-23 NKJV

ANSWER: Jude wrote his brief epistle to fellow-Christians – persons who have individually trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Every believer can speak of Him as “the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). The Son assures us, “the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God” (Jn. 16:27). Many other Bible verses also show that God loves us.

The exhortation, or encouragement, to keep ourselves in the love of God is more than a statement of assurance; it is an exhortation to pursue – a command to follow. It is the core of the sentence in which it occurs, for technically the other three clauses in that sentence describe ways by which we can keep ourselves in the love of God. These ways, along with two others in the passage, are:

1. “Building yourselves up on your most holy faith” 
We are in an ungodly world – a world of self-seekers in rebellion and at enmity against God. It is needful to occupy ourselves with the Word, meditate upon it and give time to studying it. By this we see what God in His grace has for His own. We learn the riches of His grace and are drawn closer to His loving heart.

2. “Praying in the Holy Spirit” 
Our hearts respond to Him in prayer. Not just a “give me” kind of prayer, but worship and praise and thanksgiving for who He is and for what He has done. We think of His interests and purposes in this wicked world and of the needs of others, bringing these matters to God in intercession. We enjoy fellowship with our Savior and with God our Father.

3. “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” 
As we contemplate this world in which we live – its rebellion against God and its self-seeking – our hearts long to be with the Lord. We think of His promise and long for its fulfillment, for His coming to take us to Himself. What a mercy it will be to be taken out of this world to be with Him forever! But there’s still more.

4. “On some have compassion, making a distinction” 
As we appreciate and enjoy the love of God and the riches of His grace, we will want others in this poor world – loved ones, friends and neighbors – to share in these things too. We’ll feel their emptiness and need, and we long to see them saved and blessed as we are. We will seek to reach out and share what we have with them.

5. “But others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” 
There are many round about us whose wickedness and corruption are obvious. We avoid them for we don’t feel comfortable among them, instinctively shying away from them. There’s no fellowship between the light we have been given and the deep darkness they are in. But they also need the Savior, and the Lord has died for them too. While fearful and afraid of being defiled by contact with them, we feel their tremendous need and want to draw them to our Savior whom they so desperately need.

All these are essential if we want to keep ourselves in the love of God. We especially need the first three for our own personal, spiritual gain. The final two are the outflow toward others in need. May God help us in all these ways to keep ourselves basking in the enjoyment of His love!

The Love Of God: A Love Poured Forth

By Alfred Bouter

God is eternal, for He is “from eternity to eternity” (Ps. 90:2 JND) or “from everlasting to everlasting” (NKJV). Furthermore, “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8,16). Combining these two aspects of God we see that He always was, is and will be love. God’s love is therefore eternal (“everlasting love,” Jer. 31:3 KJV). In His prayer to the Father recorded in John 17, the Lord Jesus mentioned that the Father loved the Son from “before the foundation of the world” (v.24).

The love of God is a topic that cannot be exhausted. While I was meditating on this, three passages came to mind: one in Romans 5, another in 1 John, and one other in Jude. Before we briefly consider these portions, let us ponder a few general thoughts about the love of God.

Love is God’s nature, and it cannot be separated from what God is in Himself, namely that “God is light” (1 Jn. 1:5) and that He dwells “in the light” (v.7). God is invisible to His creatures (see 1 Tim. 1:17, 6:16)1, yet He has revealed Himself in the Son: “Jesus said … ‘he who has seen Me, has seen the Father’” (Jn. 14:9 NKJV). When He became Man, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14).

The Son, Jesus, came into this world to do God’s will (Ps. 40:7-8; Jn. 4:34), which He always did (8:29). In contrast, man, who had been created for God’s glory, dishonored Him – first in Adam and Eve’s fall (Gen. 3) and then ever since (Rom. 5:12). Jesus’ sinless perfection showed how corrupt we are, with no exception, because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (3:23 KJV).

However, in His love the Lord Jesus gave Himself to be the Sacrifice through which we were redeemed, as the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses (purifies) us from all sin. In doing this work, the Lord Jesus displayed the truth of the marvelous statement that “God is love.” It is unfathomable, profound and immeasurable. In perfect love the Father gave the Son and the Son gave Himself to save us from God’s wrath, so we might forever have fellowship with the Father and the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 1:3).

As believers, therefore, we walk in the light and have fellowship with one another (v.7). We have received a new nature which is of God, and He has poured out His love into our hearts – the center of our being – to be able to respond to His love. Even though we are living in a wicked world, we are here for His glory and for doing good – representing our God, who is love.

God’s Love Poured Out 
The Lord Jesus spoke to the woman at the well about “the gift of God” and His giving of “living water” (Jn. 4:10). Then speaking about those who receive the living water, He said, “The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (v.14 NKJV). In other words, what He pours out into the believer goes back to its Source. The chapter shows later that this last point implies a response because what God pours out in His love goes back to Him in worship.

Here is the background: When the Lord Jesus accomplished His work on the cross, He died and then was buried, but on the third day He rose again from among the dead. After forty days He ascended to heaven, and ten days later He sent from there the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-4). On that day Peter spoke to the multitude in Jerusalem and said that God had made the same Jesus to be Lord and Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed (v.36). As Lord He is in perfect control, and God anointed Him with oil of gladness above His companions (Heb. 1:9). Now, before He reigns as Messiah on earth, He shares with the believers this anointing, or “unction” (KJV), for which reason they are called Christians and represent Him, being intimately linked with Him.

The apostle Paul wrote that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:5 ESV). In addition to God giving us a new nature that is able to respond to His love, He has poured out His love into our hearts. The Holy Spirit enables us to give a response, implied in the above quote from John 4:14, that this love may return to God in thanksgiving, praise and worship.

Relying On God’s Love – Romans 5 
In Romans 5 Paul linked all that we have already considered with lessons we need to learn in God’s school, where tribulations, sufferings and trials are used by God to build His character in us. As we learn to rely on God and expect help from Him we put our confidence in Him, rather than depending on our selves and efforts. Relying on Him through faith, we learn to appreciate His provisions as the Holy Spirit leads us to worship and adoration. Thus, God’s Spirit causes the living water poured into us to go back to its Source.

How is this possible? The apostle explained it as follows: God saved us, according to His mercy, “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Ti. 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit is involved in our salvation by means of the water of God’s Word (Jn. 3:3-5). Using the Scriptures, He enables us to properly respond to our God and Father, and to the Lord Jesus (Jn. 4:24; Heb. 13:15). Therefore, in Paul’s second prayer in Ephesians,2 he expressed his desire that Christ may dwell in our hearts and that we may know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (Eph. 3:16-19). God’s love – the love of Christ – is so wonderful and great that we will never come to the end of it. Yet He wants us to know that love which surpasses knowledge!

“God Is Love” – 1 John 4:8,16 
This amazing and profound statement is really beyond our grasp. It is closely linked to a few other points made in the same chapter. This agape3 love “is of God” (v.7 NKJV) since He is its Source, for “God is love.” The same verse goes on to say that everyone who loves is born of God and knows Him. That is to say he or she has a relationship with Him, for this love is enjoyed in the context of a relationship with its Source – God, the great Giver.

Some Intimate Links Between The Lord Jesus And Believers Found In First John
• “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as Hewalked” (2:6).
• “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (3:3).
• “Little children, let no one deceive you, He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (3:7).
• “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world” (4:17).

For us to receive and enjoy this love, the Son needed to accomplish His mission of fully satisfying God as to our sins – the “propitiation” (v.10). The Son achieved the work of redemption, and on that basis God could show favor towards us that we might live through Him. What He has done demonstrates the love God has for us.

This is then connected with our love towards one another as children of God (v.11). If we love one another while God abides or remains in/with us, this proves that His objective has been realized (v.12). This is also linked to a true confession of Jesus as Savior and to the enjoyment of God’s love in us, as we remain (“abide” or “continue”) in Him and in love (vv.14-16). In this context the statement that “God is love” is repeated once more (v.16).

There is also a link with the future: love made perfect “with us.” “Herein has love been perfected with us that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, that even as He is, we also are in this world” (v.17 JND). In other words, this whole paragraph in 1 John 4 speaks of God’s love – past, present and future!

Keeping Ourselves In The Love Of God – Jude 21 
We conclude with the matter of our responsibility, which does not contradict this amazing topic of the love of God. “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 21). We are living in the age of grace in which God’s amazing love is displayed and experienced in many different ways. At the same time the enemy attacks what is precious to God and tries to rob Him by assaulting the believers. God, however, is and remains in control.

Yet we have our responsibility. First, we are encouraged to build up ourselves on our most holy faith (v.20), once delivered (entrusted or committed) to the saints (v.3). God’s foundation does not change, although everything else does. We need to keep building on this right foundation. Second, we need to keep praying in the Holy Spirit, in tune with Him and depending on Him as the Lord Jesus always did. Third, we need to keep4 ourselves in the love of God, namely that we remain or abide in it, which is John’s major theme. This implies that we cultivate our relationship with Him in prayer, reading and obeying God’s Word, and putting it into practice. Fourth, keeping ourselves goes together with waiting, looking forward to our Lord’s coming. His coming again will be an act of mercy to us, by snatching us away from this wicked world. We may look forward to that, for then He will usher us into eternal life.

We received eternal life the moment we believed (Jn. 3:16), along with the new nature, which is “His seed” in us (1 Jn. 3:9). We cultivate this special treasure in us by properly responding to God’s love in our daily lives. At the same time we are on the way to eternal life where He dwells and where we will dwell with Him and with each other forever. Praise God!

ENDNOTES 
1. God is love and He loves: the Father loves, the Son loves and the Holy Spirit loves. This love will never contradict what God is, namely light. This balance was demonstrated in the Lord Jesus’ life on earth, “full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). 
2. This prayer (Eph. 3:14-21) is addressed to the Father. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ even though He is called the God of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:17), the glorified Man at God’s right hand. The triune God is called the Father of Glory. In Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3, the emphasis is on the eternal relationship of the Father and the Son, for which reason many manuscripts omit the words “of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 
3. The Greek text has different words for love, such as agape, which emphasizes God as its Source and ultimate Object. Along with other places, this term is used in 1 John 3-4. The new nature we received when we repented and believed is in tune with this love and cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). God uses it to display His love to where we are. In a world of hatred, we may display love; in a world of darkness, light; and in a scene of death, life. 
4. The New Testament uses this verb (Gr. tereo) 70 times, a study in itself, of which 36 are in John’s writings.

God Is Love

God is love concept text lying on the rustic wooden background.

By Jacob Redekop

John called himself the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (Jn. 13:23, 20:2, 21:7,20 NKJV), and to him was given the great favor to write about the love of God, which he did in most eloquent terms in the gospel and three epistles that bear his name. Despite the fact that John, the apostle, did not use his name as the author in the four books, evidence within them makes it very clear that he, the one who leaned on Jesus’ bosom, was their penman as used by the Spirit of God. The books’ glorious theme of the love of God touches our hearts, knowing that His love has reached down to save us from our sins and draw us to Himself. Although much has been written about the love of God, this subject has not been, nor ever will be, exhausted.

Sin entered the world through one man: Adam. Through that original sin, death has passed to all men because all have sinned, and therefore the whole world is guilty before God. The sad effect of this has left man eternally lost under the sentence of death. This was a hopeless situation as far as we were concerned, for we could do nothing to gain favor or acceptance with God.

However, God in sovereign grace sent His only begotten Son into the world to stand in the gap – an arbitrator between a holy God and sinful man. “We have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us – that which we have seen and heard we declare to you” (1 Jn. 1:2-3). The Lord Jesus, the beloved Son of God, is the One that is declared to be God’s loving answer to our need.

The Love Of God Towards Man 
“Love is of God … God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” —1 John 4:7-9

Love is of God; that is His very nature. His love, shown towards us, flows out from Himself. He is its source, and He has provided the Lord Jesus as the answer for our need. In Proverbs 8:31 we read that He was “rejoicing in His inhabited world, and [His] delight was with the sons of men.”

The wonderful plan of love originated with God. Yet, when the moment came and the Savior was born, the world was asleep and unaware of the heavenly Visitor. God’s time in His plan of love for mankind was not delayed by the world’s inattention, for “when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). He was “God … manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). The Lord of Glory – born in a stable and laid in a manger!

Shepherds on the plains of Judea were the first witnesses to this plan of love. They were awake, watching their flocks at night, when an angel of the Lord came to bring glad tidings of great joy, “for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:11). These humble shepherds had a most wonderful experience! Suddenly a response sounded forth from a heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (v.14). Yes, “toward men!” This is why the Savior came – to declare God’s love to mankind. Christ, the Son of the Father’s love, is God’s answer to our need, having brought life into this world where death had reigned. ”Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom. 5:20).

We find in 1 John 4:9-10 God’s two-fold purpose in sending His Son. The passage says, “God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” First of all, God’s purpose was to communicate life – divine life through His Son. Secondly, He sent His Son to take up the sin question and to settle it to the satisfaction of a holy and righteous God. This is what it means that He is the “propitiation” for our sins.

The Result Of God’s Love In Our Hearts 
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” —1 John 4:11

This verse is an appeal to our hearts. If God loves us so much, what is our response? We saw the first reply came from a heavenly host and was heard by certain shepherds watching their flocks by night. Now the response is witnessed on earth by those in whom that love flows freely towards each other as they drink at love’s fountain, God’s blessed Son.

John continued by saying, “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit” (v.13). Paul added, “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5).

The wonderful love of God flows down to us and leaves a lasting result within us because God abides in us and His Spirit has been given to us. Jesus is no longer walking here on this earth, for God has raised Him from among the dead and received Him into heaven. Yet we, His followers, are left in this world as the epistle, or letter, of Christ to be read by all men (2 Cor. 3:2-3). The beautiful features of Christ will be seen by those in this dark world as they see these same features lived out in the lives of believers. The love they observe among believers is not natural; it is divine.

God’s Love Is Perfected In Us 
“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” —1 John 4:16-17

The Spirit of God dwelling in the believer bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16). We are told a little further along in that chapter in Romans that nothing can “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vv.35,38-39). God brings everything He does to a final and perfect conclusion. His love will not rest until He has dispelled every fear and cancelled every charge the enemy would dare to bring against the believer.

Dear Christian, are there any doubts or fears in your heart? Does the day of judgment raise questions in your mind? Notice that the verse that begins this section states “that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.” On what does this boldness rest? The answer is also given: “Because as He is, so are we in this world.” It is not as He was when here on earth as the sin bearer, but as He is now – the One who is seated and glorified at God’s right hand. The One who bore our sins upon the cross is now seated on the throne in heaven and representing us there. Christ in glory answers every charge that could be brought against a believer, by showing the wounds in His hands and His side – tokens of His wondrous love for us.

May His love fill our hearts and cause us to rejoice as we go on our pathway towards home, where His perfect love will be our theme for all eternity.

The Love Of God: For Us Who Believe

By Milton Jamieson

The love of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold (many and varied) perfections. It is the interweaving of all that God is – His attributes and His very nature. It is the spring and source of all His motives, purposes, words and deeds.

The Old Testament mentions the love of God very few times, while the New Testament is filled with references to it – including the love of the Father, the love of the Son and the love of the Holy Spirit. Yet both testaments are complete in their expressions of the great love of God.

Before God made man, God loved him. In fact, it is the very reason why He made man in the first place. Of all God’s creation, nothing else is made with the capacity for love and fellowship like man. God made him in His very own image and after His very own likeness to enjoy, share and display His love.

An expression of God’s love and care is seen in the way God created the earth with everything that man would ever need for food, delight, medicine (even before man sinned) and much more. God placed man as head and ruler over this planet, which is a manifestation of His great love for man.

Even when man sinned, God did not drive him out of the garden naked or abandon him to a life of sin, death and everlasting destruction. Rather, God made coats of skin for Adam and his wife Eve, clothing them. Moreover, the love of God was further demonstrated when God allowed man, having eaten the forbidden fruit, to die instead of living in that sinful state of pain, sickness and suffering forever and ever. In this it was a blessing that God kept man from the tree of life after he sinned. Not only this, but right away God also announced the Savior and Redeemer when He said, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He shall crush thy head, and thou shalt crush His heel” (Gen. 3:15 JND). This prophecy was fulfilled at Golgotha, where Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and Redeemer, in love suffered, bled and died in our place.

John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV). Therefore we understand that the love of God is a universal love. God loves every man, woman and child immensely. Who can reach the towering height, sound the unfathomable depth, or embrace the everlasting expanse of His love? With what words shall it be defined? In what balances can it be weighed? It cannot be numbered for it is infinite.

Who can offend God enough so that His love would lose its power? Where is the flood of water that can quench its flame? All the water of the seas and rivers cannot quench the love of God. “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned” (Song 8:6-7).

Such is the love of God, and such is His love for us who believe.