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The
Lightstand Magazine
1995
• March • Reflections on the Way
by Bro. Robin Lamplough
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We
have come down in the world. After almost twenty-five years
of living at the tope of the highest hill in the district,
we have moved, temporarily, to the valley below. It has taken
some adjustment: especially as the new accommodation is only
a third the size of the old.
Generally speaking, in Scripture, going down indicates some
kind of spiritual decline. Lot went down to the well-watered
plains around Sodom and before long he was vexing his righteous
soul in the gate of that city. When he was compelled to leave,
most of his family stayed behind and perished. Likewise, the
road goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho. In the
days of Jesus it was infested with footpads and brigands who
preyed upon passing travellers like the man rescued by the
Good Samaritan. And, of course, the psalmist refers often
to those who go down "into the pit", as for example
in Psalm 28.1, making obvious reference to their lack of enlightenment
and therefore to their ultimate end.
THE HAND OF GOD It is true also, however, that God
"putteth down one and lifteth (RV) up another."
(Psalm 75.7). The whole disposing of the cast lot is "of
the Lord", the Wise Man tells us (Proverbs 16.33). And
therefore, sometimes, the servants of the Lord are required
to go down in some way or other, in order that His purpose
might be accomplished in them. Joseph, for example, was sent
down to Egypt, as he later perceived, to preserve life (Genesis
45.5). The finest illustration, as in all things, comes from
the Son of God himself. In spite of his unique parentage and
his exalted status as one in whom the Father was well pleased,
he took upon himself the form of servant and humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
(Philippians 2.8).
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How
was the Master able to succeed in this remarkable undertaking? All
his life he had learned to put no confidence in the flesh. And,
because of that, he understood the need to commit himself to Him
that judgeth righteously (1 Peter 2.23); to place complete trust
in the One who said "Vengeance is mine: I will repay."
In consequence, he was able to do those things which inspired the
later counsel of one of his apostles: "Humble yourselves, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time."
(1 Peter 5.6) He submitted to his captors and went through the mockery
of a trial. He accepted the wicked sentence without protest and
walked with his stake to Calvary. And, in so doing, he demonstrated
his total trust in his heavenly Father.
FROM THE TOMB That is why, on the third day, he emerged from
the tomb. That is why, after restoring the faith of his disciples,
he was elevated to the right hand of the throne on high. That is
why, on the day appointed, he will judge the world in righteousness.
That is why, in the end, every knee will bow to his name and every
tongue confess his power and his glory. And the example he left,
he expects his disciples to follow. They have to learn the same
lessons of submission and acceptance. And, through him, they have
the same hope of glory in the age to come, because he will raise
them up at the last day.
In one of his hymns Bunyan wrote: "He that is down need fear
no fall". Sometimes the disciples of the Lord have to go down
into the valleys of life. Even there, however, the Great Shepherd
is with them, He is, as the enemies of Israel discovered, a God
of the valleys as well as of the hills. By His grace, the time will
come when those disciples will return to the heights, having learned
through His providence necessary lessons to prepare them for their
role in the age to come.
May we have the wisdom to recognize His hand in all the experiences
of life and to seek to use them now to bring honour to His Name.
R.L.
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