Highway Of Holiness Truth 07

SUCCESSIVE TRUTHS? -- OR -- SUCCESSFUL TEMPTATIONS?

TEXT: -- 1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 IF THOU SEEKEST HER AS SILVER, AND SEARCHEST FOR HER AS FOR HID TREASURES; 5 THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD, AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD" (Proverbs 2:1--5).

In Amos "Binney's Theological Compend," hdm0371, he presents an illustration of the successive treasures which are revealed in God's Word to careful students of His Word as they read through the Bible.

"Little do those who neglect their Bibles think what refined delights they lose by this turning away their eyes from the most sublime and entrancing object of contemplation that the whole universe affords.

"In a museum in Dresden, among many other gems and treasures, may be seen a silver egg, which, when touched springs opens revealing a golden yolk.  Within the golden yolk is a hidden chicken, with its wing pressed against its body.  When that wing is touched, it also flies open, disclosing a splendid golden crown studded with jewels.  This is not all; another secret spring being touched, hidden in the center of the  crown is found a magnificent diamond ring.

"So it is with every truth and promise of God's Word -- therein is a treasure within a treasure, within a treasure, etc.  The more we examine it the richer it becomes.  But how few, comparatively, care to touch the springs as did the Psalmist, in Psalm 119:96-100:

"96 -- I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

"97 -- O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

"98 -- Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

"99 -- I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

"100 -- I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts."

It is a FACT that Bible Teachers can become so busily engaged in teaching Bible Truths to their students that they fail to continually delve deeper and deeper into Divine Truths FOR THEMSELVES!  No matter what may be the depth of our understanding of the Holy Scriptures, we should EVERY DAY seek to have God open unto us even more Truths hidden within those we have already discovered.

However, the fact that within the Bible, Truths are hidden within Truths, that are hidden within Truths, etc., etc., etc., has its antithesis in Satanic Lies!  Those who have "taken Satan's bait" and have first veered outside of God's Truths hidden within the Narrow way "have not known THE DEPTHS OF SATAN" (Rev. 2:24), but it is Fallen Lucifer's intention to land you there, if he can!

In the Dresden museum, within the silver egg, was a golden yolk, within the golden yolk a chicken, within the chicken, a golden crown, studded with jewels, and finally within the golden crown was a diamond ring.

Just as God successively reveals more and more riches of righteousness and grace, even so Satan successively leads souls farther and farther away from Truth into THE DEPTHS OF SATAN AND HIS LIES: -- James 1:14-15, "Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

Sadly, and ALL TO OFTEN, Satan has succeeded in successively leading souls, first just slightly, then a bit more, a bit more, and a bit more, out of the Narrow way and into the Broad Way, until "the light that is in them is darkness, and HOW GREAT IS THAT DARKNESS" (cf. Matthew 6:23)!

In a few days, God willing, I shall turn age 78, and I think it VERY POSSIBLE, IF NOT PROBABLE, that some whom I have known to be taking the TRUE NARROW WAY are NOW on what they consider to be a WISER NARROW WAY, when, in fact, IT IS A WIDER, BROAD WAY "THAT LEADETH TO DESTRUCTION" (Matthew 7:13).

It is already past time for some to pray this prayer: -- "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING" (Psalm 139:23).

DO REMEMBER, that the answer about which way we are on is not a matter of DEBATE!  It is a matter of DESTINY! -- YOUR DESTINY! -- AND MINE!  I am happy for the inward assurance, just now, that I am on my way to Heaven via the Narrow Way!  Reader, wouldn't you rather be on a way that is a bit more narrow than it need be, than to be on a way that is just enough too broad to land you in Hell?! Selah.