GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XIssue 3
Published occasionally for Zion’s mourners
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Hebrews 12::12-13

THE SOLITARY SAVIOR

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. Matthew 14:23

The LORD made men to be social creatures. In fact, the first time, the word “alone” appears in the scriptures, is a testament to this very fact. “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” (Gen 2:18) The LORD created the woman as a “help” (or completer) which was “meet” (or fit) for him. Now while it is true that the woman’s creation from the side of the man is a union which is distinct from all other relationships, it is the very fact that she was designed to bear children that insures that man and (subsequently) the woman should never be “alone” in the earth but be surrounded by those of like kind.

When men are incarcerated in prison, one of the most dreaded punishments for misbehavior is to be put in solitary confinement. Only those who are hermits prefer this arrangement. Fairly reliable history teaches us that the beloved apostle, John, was banished to the isle of Patmos where he could only view the mainland (and fellowship with the saints) from afar. In fact, it seems that it was quite a relief to him when in his vision he reports that “there was no more sea” (see Rev. 21:1) which could continue to separate him from those he longed to be with.

The scriptures describe the LORD JESUS CHRIST as ONE who is “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” (in large part because) “we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isa 53:3) Even when HE was a child, HE had business to attend to that even HIS own mother could not comprehend. “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.” (Luke 2:49-50)

HE was rejected by the very people into whose nation HE was born, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:10-11) The people of HIS own acquaintance had no regard for HIM, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:3-4)

On top of that is the most egregious offence that a man can commit towards another, which is to abandon and deny ONE who has done all things for his benefit. This is one of the exact crimes which the sons of GOD have committed towards HIM. “Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.” (Mat 26:56) Yet this was no deterrent to HIM who “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1) “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight.” (Col 1:21-22)

HE is indeed a SOLITARY SAVIOR because HE:

Came to do HIS FATHER’s will. HE had one purpose for which HE lived HIS life here upon the earth. “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 6:38) HE sought no earthly possessions nor gave any consideration to HIS own comfort, rather HE says, “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isa 50:6) HE describes the fulfillment of HIS FATHER’s will, thusly, “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” (John 6:39) To this single end HE lived, died, and arose again on the third day.

Was a SUBSTITUTE for HIS elect children. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. ”(2Cor 5:21) It is upon this transaction, which is known as imputation, that all of the hopes of the sons of GOD do rest. The law is very clear that the “wages of sin is death” and that the “soul that sinneth shall die.” If the children of GOD were to pay their own debt, they would perish forever, yet HE who had no sin of HIS own was alone qualified to take their sin, as their KINSMAN, with its guilt, upon HIMSELF and forever settle their debt in full. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1) None other but HIM, could have ever been able to perform this task. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)

Bore the just wrath of GOD alone. “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me-----And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me." (Isa 63:3-5) Did ever any man undergo greater loss or was plunged into any deeper despair than HIM whose chief delight was to please HIS FATHER, and yet the only way HE could please HIS FATHER was to become an OUTCAST from HIS own FATHER’s face. Was there ever sorrow like this as HE cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mat 27:46)

Is worthy of all praise. “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” (Rev 5:11-13)

Will not fail to manifest the total accomplishment of the purpose for which HE came into the earth. “For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.” (2Cor 4:11-14)

Hark! from the cross a gracious voice Salutes my ravished ears;
“Rejoice, thou ransomed soul, rejoice, And dry those falling tears.”
Amazed, I turn, grown strangely bold, This wondrous thing to see;
And there the dying Lord behold, Stretched on the bloody tree!
“Sinner,” he cries, “behold the head This thorny wreath entwines;
Look on these wounded hands, and read Thy name in crimson lines.”
The power, the sweetness of that voice, My stony heart does move;
Makes me in Christ my Lord rejoice, And melts my soul to love.
Hymn #591 Gadsby’s Hymns by Joseph Swain (1761-1796)

Oh, for grace to rejoice in HIM alone. HE who with single eye and solitary purpose did undertake and accomplish the redemption of those which HE loved from before the foundation of the world. Is there any like HIM?

mam