THE JOYS OF THE LORD JESUS

(A Lord's Day Morning Meditation)

Every believer should delight more and more in the Person and worth of our glorious Lord. At the commencement of another year, let us meditate on the Joys of the Redeemer. Two of these joys are past, two are present and three are yet in the future. May we enter into these delights of His, as we sing in James G. Deck's delightful hymn:

"We triumph in Thy triumphs Lord,
Thy joys our deepest joys afford
And make our faces shine."

1. JOY BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. We cannot but believe that from all eternity the Son found infinite joy in the Father's love. And all the Father's joy was in the Son of His love. How wondrous are His words: "Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). What mighty grace that He who shared such joy in Heaven should become a "Man of Sorrows" in His own earth.

2. JOY AT CREATION. "When the morning stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7), where was He? He was the mighty Creator of all things and what joy filled his heart as He, the Uncreated Creator, called all things into being. Without Him (Christ) was not anything made that was made. His power, wisdom and control is seen in all His glorious works and yet this joyful and Eternal one came down into this scene to shed tears, and finally His precious blood, in the fulfillment of the Father's will.

3. JOY BEFORE HIM IN HIS HUMILIATION. The words of the
people in Hebrews 12:2, are very touching to us all. In anticipation of the finishing of the work given Him to do, He was filled with Joy. This was before Him as He endured the Cross, despising the shame. The Cross was terrible in its reality, its agony and loneliness but He endured it all without one murmuring word, thus bringing pleasure to His God and eternal blessing to every saint. The shame of Pilate's mock trial, the foul spitting, the cruel thorny crown, the buffeting, and the scourge were patiently borne in light of the Joy that would be His forever. This was the Joy of having perfectly pleased the Father, the Joy of having the Bride of His heart, the Joy of Israel's blessing and the glory of the eternal state of bliss in the New heavens and the New earth.

4. JOY NOW IN HEAVEN. This same One Who was for a little while lower than angels is now highly exalted. He has gone on high having led "captivity captive." God has placed high honours upon the Head that once was bound with thorns. "He hath annointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows" (Heb. 1:9). That which was foretold in Psalm 45:7, has been fulfilled in the glorious Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. In all things He has the first place. At the present time, joy is His over every sinner who truly repents and in their walk afterwards as a testimony to His power to save.

5. JOY AT THE RAPTURE. The moment when the present era will end is unknown, but the manner in which it will be consummated is revealed in I Thess. 4. The sleeping saints (their bodies) will arise and be reunited with the living ones and the whole church together with the friends of the Coming Bridegroom (the Old Testament saints) will all be raptured into the mid-air to be forever with the Lord. What joy will be His in that glad day as He looks with infinite gladness upon the fruit of His sore travail on the Tree. Our joy will be full, but we cannot but believe He will say "REJOICE WITH ME".

Soon thy saints shall all be gathered, inside the veil:
All at Home, no more be scattered, inside the veil.
Nought from Thee our hearts shall sever
We shall see Thee, grieve Thee never;
"Praise the Lamb!" shall sound forever, inside the veil.

6. JOY AT HIS CROWNING DAY. He is coming to the air, and also to the earth; to the air for His Church, but to earth to set up His glorious Kingdom and for the future blessing of Israel. All His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be literally fulfilled. Then will be sung, "The Lord in the midst of thee is mighty. He will rejoice over thee with JOY, He will rest in His love and will joy over thee with singing" (Zeph. 3:17). Are not the majestic words of Isa. 62:5 full of wonder to us? "For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee, and as a bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride so shall thy God rejoice over thee."

7. JOY FOR ETERNITY. "When He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power... the Son also Himself shall be subject unto Him... that God may be all in all" (I Cor. 15:24-28).

This carries us on beyond time and all dispensations to that final bliss of the Eternal State. What full joy will be the happy portion of all His people of every age and what exceeding joy to Him who made it possible by the pouring out of His life at Calvary. Our minds are lost in wonder at the prospect. May it have a present bearing on our lives, that our future joys may mellow our sorrows here and produce Joyful service and worship.

"Yes with joy we'll praise Him now
Till with saints above we bow,
And to all Eternity
Praise Him, Praise Him, cheerfully."