The Pulpit Commentary — Obadiah — Section 30

Every one ahall receive-that is, carry away with him-tbe things done in the body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Tbe bad-the ein11-m118t tie.eh be BB a eoorpion-eting throughout eternity. Every sinner will be his own bell. The memory of hie sine will be perpetual torment. In days when men argue a.gain1t a. future hl'll, it may be asked-Who will argue tbat justice must extinguish tbe memory and take away the remorse of the sinner's wilful transgressions? The recollection of the unpardoned sins of a lifetime will in itself be terrible. Let us, in this day of grace, when Jesus of Nazareth paeeetb by, offering salvation and everlasting life, let ue every one come to him without delay. Let us accept hie forgiving mercy, tha.t our sine may be blotted out. Let us yield to the guida.nce of bis Holy Spirit. And let UB put on the Lord Jesus Obrist, tbat we may be able to et.and in the judgment. Hence- forth may this be our language- " Jesus, thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress; 'Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head" I A. C.T. Ver. 17.-Safety, sanctity, and sujficiency. "But upon Mount Zion shall be deliver- ance, and it shall be holy; and the house of Ja.cob shall possess their possessions." What a burst of heavenly sunshine! What an effusion of joyous light I What music from the throne of God I What an evangel at the fourth watch of the night I What a smile of Divine love for the cast-down and sorely afflicted captive I Safety, sanctity, sufficiency. The inspired prophet here sets forth some of the richest treasures of the grace of God. They tell of deliverance from Babylon aud restoration by Cyrus; they expand to the later deliverance from the Idumeans by the Maccabees; and, what espe- cially applies to us, they stretch to the glorious salvation wrought for captive sinners by the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Safety, sanctity, and suffi.ciency,-these are fully set before us in the gospel. They are the heritage of those who have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God. Let us prayerfully study them. I. SAFETY, "Upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance." 1. This is delive-rance from the Law. "There is no condemnation to them who are in Obrist Jesus." "Tbe law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death." The ten thousand condemning voices of the Law are silenced by the Deliverer. Christ has met the Law's requirements. His people are free. They are free indeed. The old handwriting against them was cancelled by the cross. The debt is paid. We are not under Law, but under grace. 2. This is deliverance from sin. "He shall be called Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." Yes, from the penalty, from the power, and from the presence of their sins. What a glorious deliverance I 3. This is deliverance from Satan. "The Seed of the woman has bruised the serpent's head." Christ has vanquished our deadly foe. Now, if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. "Captivity is captive led, Since Jesus liveth who was deud." 4. This is deliverance from the world. He who said, "Be of good cheer; I have over- come the world," prayed that his people might be kept from the evil in the world. Through him we are more tban conquerors. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 6. This is deliverance from death. "0 death, where is thy sting?" He thut trusteth in Christ shall never die. 'l'hat which we call death is to the servant of God the gate of life. The Christian is promised that he shall not taste of death. The death he undergoes is only the death of pain, of sickness, of sorrow, of sin, of death. To depart is to be with Christ, which is far better than remaining here -far better. "For ever with the Lord : Amen, so let it be. Life from the dead is in that word. 'Tis immortality." "Upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance." 26 THE BOOK OF OBADIAR. [1-21.