Finding Christ as our Peace

24 MAY

And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. Micah 5:5

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Isaiah 9:1-7

How can we venture to believe the promise that in times of trouble, eventually all will be quiet and secure? Micah assures us, “this man” shall be our peace. We should thus be satisfied with the protection of the king whom God the Father gives us. Let the shadow of that king suffice us, for we shall be safe enough from all trouble.

We now see in what sense the prophet calls Christ the peace of His people, or of His church. God calls Christ His peace because He will drive far away all hurtful things. He will be armed with strength and invincible power to check all the ungodly, that they may not make war on the children of God or prevent them in their course, if they would cause any disturbances.

Christ is our peace in another way; for He reconciles us to the Father. What would it serve us to be safe from earthly annoyances if we were not certain of being reconciled with God? Unless our minds are sure of the paternal benevolence of God, we must necessarily tremble at all times, even if no one causes us any trouble. Even if all men were our friends and applauded us, our condition would still be miserable. We would surely struggle with restlessness unless our consciences were pacified with the sure confidence that God is our Father.

Christ can be our peace in no other way than by reconciling God to us. At the same time, the prophet promises that we shall lie safely under the shadow of Christ, so that we fear no evil. For though Satan furiously assails us, and the whole world becomes angry with us, we shall fear nothing if Christ keeps and protects us under His wings.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

The only real hope for peace in our world is for men and women to find peace with God. If the human race were to turn to Christ, we would soon find our world full of peace. Let us pray, then, for the Prince of Peace to reign in our world.

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke

Understanding the Counsel of God

23 MAY

But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they His counsel: for He shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Micah 4:12

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Isaiah 46:9-13

The prophet now speaks of the failure to understand the design and thoughts of God. If only that is brought before us, we will have little solid comfort and have nothing of much force or power.

But there is another principle that should be understood here: the thoughts of God are known to us who are taught in His school. The counsel of God is not hidden from us, for it is revealed to us in His Word. Our consolation, therefore, depends on a higher and more profound doctrine, which is that the faithful in their miseries ought to contemplate the counsel of God as in a mirror.

What does this mean? When God afflicts the godly, he holds a remedy in His hand; and when He throws the godly into the grave, He can restore them to life and safety. We therefore can understand the design of God to chasten His church with temporal evils. If we know this, there is no reason why the slanders of the ungodly should deject our minds. When the ungodly vomit forth all their reproaches, we ought to more firmly adhere to the counsel of God.

The pride of the ungodly should not surprise us, for if they raise their horns against God, why should they also not despise us, who are so few in number and of hardly any influence, at least compared to what they possess? The church is indeed contemptible in the eyes of the world. It is no wonder, then, if our enemies deride us and load us with ridicule and contempt when they dare to act so forwardly toward God.

It is enough for us to know that they do not understand the counsel of God.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

When we who are believers think we cannot understand God and His ways, particularly in times of evil and even death, we can take comfort in reading His Word. It tells us what is true and what is not. It assures that God loves us, even when evil people ridicule us for our faith.

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke

How to Walk with God

A further part of our wisdom is to know how to walk with God.

If we would walk with God, six things are necessary:

(1) If we would walk with God, it is necessary that we agree with Him (Amos 3:3). By nature, God and man are enemies (Rom. 8:7, 8). Walking with God is the last thing an enemy of God seeks. Only in Christ can foolish men learn the wisdom of walking with God.
Christ takes away the cause of the enmity between God and man, which is sin and the curse of the law (Dan. 9:24; Gal. 3:13).
Christ has destroyed him who would continue the enmity between God and man (Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15).
Christ made reconciliation for the sins of the people ( Heb. 2:17; 2 Cor. 5:19). He reconciled God to man.
Christ reconciles man to God by slaying the enmity on our part (Rom. 5:11; Eph. 2:18). Only in Christ is this reconciliation to be found. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire.

(2) If we would walk with God, it is necessary that we be friends of God. Strangers do not walk together. Not only must our enmity be taken away, but we must also know God as our friend. This also is hidden in Christ, and comes from Him (1 John 5:20; John 1:18). Only in Christ can we know God and know Him as our friend and no longer our enemy.

(3) If we would walk with God, it is necessary that we walk with Him in the way of holiness. This way is hidden in Christ and can only be learned from Christ (Heb. 10:20; John 14:6; Isa. 35:8; 42:16).

(4) If we would walk with God, it is necessary to be strong. We need strength to walk in the way of holiness. In ourselves we have no strength (Rom. 5:6). All strength comes from Christ (Phil. 4:13). Our sufficiency is in Christ (2 Cor. 3:5). In Christ we are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37). Any step taken in this way without Christ is one step to hell. He takes us by the arm. He teaches us the way to go. He leads to perfection. So 'be strong in the Lord and in His almighty power' (Eph. 6:10).

(5) If we would walk with God, it is necessary to walk with confidence. We need confidence to walk with God, who is a consuming fire' (Heb. 12:29). Only in Christ have we boldness and confidence to walk with God (Eph. 3:12). This boldness comes from faith in Christ's blood (Heb. 10:19). Christ takes away the spirit of fear and bondage and gives us the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry 'Abba, Father' (Rom. 8:15). Now as there is no sin that God will more severely punish than any boldness to walk with Him apart from Christ, so there is no grace more acceptable to Him than boldness to walk with Him in Christ through faith in the blood of Jesus.

(6) If we would walk with God, it is necessary to have the same purpose and aim as God. This also is to be found in Jesus. God's purpose is to glorify Himself and none can aim at this purpose except those who are in Christ Jesus. 

So the whole wisdom of our walking with God is hidden in Christ and come to us from Him alone.


John Owen
Communion with God, pp. 97-98

Seeking Peace with Others

22 MAY

And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Micah 4:3

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Isaiah 52

Micah now more fully explains how the gospel of Christ will be to the nations a standard of peace, like a banner that is raised up when soldiers engage in battle.

We learn that the real fruit of the gospel will not grow in us unless we exercise love and benevolence among one another and exert ourselves in doing good. The gospel may be purely preached among us at the present time, but when we consider how little progress we have made in brotherly love, we ought to be ashamed of our indolence. God daily proclaims that Christ is our peace with God. He graciously makes Christ propitious to us so that we may live in harmony with others. We indeed wish to be regarded as children of God and to enjoy the reconciliation obtained for us by the blood of Christ. But in the meantime, we tear one another apart and sharpen our teeth against each other. Our dispositions are cruel.

If we truly desire to be disciples of Christ, we must pay attention to the divine truth that each of us must strive to do good to his neighbor. This cannot be done without opposing the flesh, for we have a strong inclination to love self and to seek our own advantage. We must therefore put off these inordinate and sinful affections so that brotherly kindness may succeed in their place.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

The gospel brings peace and reconciliation. When these things are absent, we can be sure the gospel is absent, no matter how much religion is present. Are we agents of peace, or do we cause strife and division wherever we go?

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke

Offering Hope in the Midst of Fear

21 MAY

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. Micah 4:1

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 46

Though the prophet publicly proclaims a promise of hope, he undoubtedly offers it only to the children of God, for others are not capable of receiving this consolation. We see the same thing in the writings of other prophets whose practice is to add consolations to threats, not for the sake of all people, but to sustain hope in the faithful, who might have despaired had not a helping hand been stretched forth to them.

We know the faithful tremble when God manifests any token of wrath, for the more one is touched with the fear of God, the more one dreads God’s judgments and fears His threats. We thus see how necessary it is for prophets and teachers to moderate threats and terrors against the children of God, for they have enough fears without heaping more on them.

Formerly Micah spoke to the wicked who despised God while putting on the cloak of religion. But now the prophet turns to address the true and pious worshippers of God. In addressing the faithful of his age, his doctrine especially belongs to us now, for otherwise how could the kingdom of God have been propagated through all parts of the earth? How could the truth of the gospel have come to us and we be made partakers with the ancient people of the same adoption, unless this prophecy was fulfilled?

So the calling of the Gentiles, and consequently our salvation, is included in this prophecy of Micah.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

The thought of God’s disfavor was very distressing to godly people in Micah’s day. Is it to you? They needed no more than a hint of judgment to upset them. How loud must God thunder before you listen?

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke

Distinguishing the Truth

20 MAY

Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. Micah 3:9

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: John 16: 12-16

God’s servants ought to courageously break through those obstacles that Satan uses either to delay or to force them backward. In addition, the godly ought to wisely distinguish between the faithful servants of God and impostors who falsely pretend his name. Then no one who wants truly and from the heart to obey God will be deceived, for the Lord give him the spirit of judgment and discrimination.

The reason why many miserable souls today are led to endless ruin is because they either shut their eyes or willfully involve themselves in such subterfuges as the following: “I cannot form any judgment, for I see on both sides learned and celebrated men, who are in some repute and esteemed. Some call me to the right hand and others to the left. So where am I to go? I therefore prefer to close my mouth and my ears.” Seeking a cloak for their sloth, many thus manifest their ignorance, for we see that the eyes of the godly will be opened when the Lord exercises and tries their faith.

God allows discords and contentions to rise in the church so that some may choose one way and others another way. Though God relaxes the reins of Satan so that contests and turmoil of all kinds may arise in the church, it is no excuse for us not to follow what the Lord prescribes, for God will always guide by His Spirit, provided we do not foster our own sloth.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

In our day, indecision has become endemic. What is more, we have developed philosophies to justify our indecision. If some think one way and others another, we justify taking no position by saying the truth too hard to discern. But God has not left is to stumble around in such uncertainty; He has given us His sure Word and His Holy Spirit. We can know the truth, and we must daily strive to find it.

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke