



Produced by Keith G. Richardson




The Lord of Glory


MEDITATIONS ON THE PERSON, THE WORK

AND GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

BY

A. C. GAEBELEIN

PUBLICATION OFFICE OF "OUR HOPE,"

456 Fourth Avenue, New York, N. Y.

  PICKERING & INGLIS,      L. S. HAYNES,
  GLASGOW,                 502 Yonge Street,
  SCOTLAND                 TORONTO, CANADA

Copyright 1910 by A. C. Gaebelein.

Printing by

Francis Emory Fitch

of New York



Contents


  Preface
  Dedication
  The Lord of Glory
  Jehovah.  The "I am"
  That Worthy Name
  The Doctrine of Christ
  The Pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ
  Ye are Christ's--Christ is God's
  The Wonderful
  Honor and Glory unto Him
  Christ's Resurrection Song
  The Glory Song
  The Firstborn
  The Waiting Christ
  A Vision of the King
  The Fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord
  Out of His Fulness,
  The Twenty-second Psalm
  The Exalted One
  A Glorious Vision
  My Brethren
  The Patience of Christ
  He Shall Not Keep Silent
  The Love of Christ
  The Joy of the Lord
  This same Jesus
  The Wondrous Cross
  His Legacy
  What Have I to do with Idols
  The Never Changing One
  Be of Good Cheer
  Make Haste



Preface.


For a number of years the first pages of each issue of "Our Hope"
have been devoted to brief meditations on the Person and Glory of
our adorable Lord Jesus Christ. Three reasons led the Editor to do
this:  1. He is worthy of all honor and glory, worthy to have the
first place in all things.  2. The great need of His people to have
His blessed Person, His past and present work, His power and glory,
His future manifestation constantly brought before their hearts.  3.
There is an ever increasing denial of the Person of our Lord. In the
most subtle way His Glory has been denied. It is therefore eminently
necessary for those who know Him to tell out His worth. Long and
learned discussions on the Person of the Lord have been written in
the past, but are not much read in these days. We felt that short
and simple meditations on Himself would be welcomed by all
believers.

All these brief articles were written with much prayer and often
under deep soul exercise. It has pleased the Holy Spirit to own them
in a most blessed way. Hundreds of letters were received telling of
the great blessing these meditations have been and what refreshing
they brought to the hearts of His people. Weary and tired ones were
cheered, wandering ones restored and erring ones set right. Many
wrote us or told us personally that the Lord Jesus Christ has become
a greater reality and power in their lives after following this
monthly testimony.

Suggestions were made to issue some of these notes in book form so
that these blessed truths may be preserved in a more permanent form.
We have done so and send this volume forth with the prayer that the
Holy Spirit, who is here to glorify Christ, may use it to the praise
and glory of His worthy Name. We are confident that such will be the
case.

A. C. G.

New York City, October 1, 1910.



Dedication.


"Unto Him who loveth us and washed us from our sins in His own
blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God His Father; to
Him be glory and dominion forever."--Rev. i: 5-6.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."--Rev. v:
12.

"Then they that feared the Lord spake one to another: and the Lord
hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before
Him for them that feared the Lord and that _thought upon His Name_."
--Mal. iii: 16.

"Let us go forth, therefore, unto Him without the camp bearing His
reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to
come. By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is the fruit of our lips, _confessing His Name_."
--Hebrews xiii: 13-15.

"Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so. Come Lord Jesus."--Rev.
xxii: 20.



The Lord of Glory.


1 Cor. ii:8.


OUR ever blessed Lord, who died for us, to whom we belong, with whom
we shall be forever, is the Lord of Glory. Thus He is called in 1
Cor. ii:8, "for had they known they would not have crucified the
_Lord of Glory_." Eternally He is this because He is "the express
image of God, the brightness of His Glory" (Heb. i:3). He possessed
Glory with the Father before the world was (John xvii:5). This Glory
was beheld by the prophets, for we read that Isaiah "saw His Glory
and spake of Him" (John xii:41). All the glorious manifestations of
Jehovah recorded in the Word of God are the manifestations of "the
Lord of Glory," who created all things that are in heaven, and that
are in earth, visible and invisible, who is before all things and by
whom all things consist. He appeared as the God of Glory to Abraham
(Acts vii:1); Isaac and Jacob were face to face with Him. Moses
beheld His Glory. He saw His Glory on the mountain. The Lord of
Glory descended in the cloud and stood with him there (Exod.
xxxiv:5). How often the Glory of the Lord appeared in the midst of
Israel. And what more could we say of Joshua, David, Daniel,
Ezekiel, who all beheld His Glory and stood in the presence of that
Lord of Glory.

In the fulness of time He appeared on earth "God manifested in the
flesh." Though He made of Himself no reputation and left His
unspeakable Glory behind, yet He was the Lord of Glory, and as such
He manifested His Glory. In incarnation in His holy, spotless life
He revealed His moral Glory; what perfection and loveliness we find
here! We have the testimony of His own "We beheld His Glory, the
Glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (John i:14). "They saw
His Glory" (Luke ix:32) when they were with Him in the holy
mountain. They heard, they saw with their eyes, they looked upon,
their hands handled the Word of life, the life that was manifested
(1 John i:1-2). In His mighty miracles the Lord of Glory manifested
His Glory, for it is written "this beginning of miracles did Jesus
in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth His Glory" (John i:11).

And this Lord of Glory died. The focus of His Glory is the cross. He
was obedient unto death, the death of the cross. He gave Himself for
us. Without following here all the precious truths connected with
that which is the foundation of our salvation and our hope, that the
Lord of Glory, Christ died for our sins, we remember that God
"raised Him up from the dead and _gave Him Glory_" (1 Pet. i:21). He
was "received up into Glory" (1 Tim. iii:16). "Ought not Christ to
have suffered these things and to enter into _His Glory_" (Luke
xxiv:26). The risen Lord of Glory said: "I ascend unto my Father and
your Father; to my God and your God." He is now in the presence of
God, the Man in Glory, seated in the highest place of the heaven of
heavens "at the right hand of the Majesty on high." He is there "far
above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is to come" (Eph. i:21). He is highly exalted, the heir of all
things. In that Glory He was beheld by human, mortal eyes. Stephen
being full of the Holy Spirit "looked up steadfastly into heaven and
saw the _Glory of God_, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God"
(Acts vii:55). This was the dying testimony of the first Christian
martyr. Saul of Tarsus saw this Glory; he "could not see for the
Glory of that light" (Acts xxii:11). John beheld Him and fell at His
feet as dead. And we see Him with the eye of faith. "But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering
of death _crowned with Glory and Honor_" (Heb. ii:9).

But this is not all. The unseen Glory of the Lord and the unseen
Lord of Glory will some day be visible, not to a few, but to the
whole universe. He will come in the Glory of His Father and the holy
angels with Him (Matt. xvi:27). The Lord of Glory will be "revealed
from heaven with His mighty angels" (2 Thess. i:7). He will come in
power and Glory, come in His own Glory (Luke ix:26) and sit on the
throne of His Glory (Matt. xxv:31). His Glory then will cover the
heavens (Hab. iii:3) and "the earth will be filled with the
knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea"
(Hab. ii:14). The heavens cannot be silent forever and He who now is
the object of the faith of believers, and the One whom the world has
rejected, will come forth in all His Majesty and Glory and every eye
shall see Him. Then every knee must bow at the name of Jesus and
every tongue confess Him as Lord. In that manifestation of the Lord
of Glory and the Glory of the Lord we His redeemed will be
manifested in Glory. He will then be glorified in His saints and
admired in all them that believed (2 Thess. i:10). He will bring His
many sons to Glory (Heb. ii:10). We are "partakers of the Glory that
shall be revealed" (1 Pet. v:1). The God of all Grace hath indeed
called us unto His eternal Glory by Jesus Christ. "And when the
chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of Glory that
fadeth not away" (1 Pet. v:4). "But rejoice inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when His Glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1 Pet. iv:13).

But ere this visible Glory is manifested over the earth and on the
earth and He comes forth as the King of kings and Lord of lords His
own will be gathered unto Him and be caught up in clouds to meet Him
in the air. Then we shall see Him as He is and be like Him. The
Glory which the Father has given Him as the head of the body will be
bestowed upon the whole body; for thus He prayed "the Glory, which
thou hast given me I have given to them" (John xvii:22). And in the
Father's house where He is, in the Holy of Holies we shall behold
His Glory. We shall be changed into the same image "that He might be
the first born among many brethren" (Rom. viii:29).

And now, dear reader, joint heir with the Lord of Glory, called by
God unto the fellowship of His Son, in meditating on these wonderful
facts given to us by revelation, does not your heart burn within
you? What a blessing, what a place, what a future is ours linked
with the Lord of Glory, one with Him! What a stupendous thought that
He came from Glory to die for us so that He might have us with Him
in Glory!

And these blessed truths concerning the Lord of Glory and the Glory
of the Lord we need to hold ever before our hearts in these dreary
days when darkest night is fast approaching. To walk worthy of the
Lord, to be faithful to the Lord, to render true service, to be more
like Him and show forth His excellencies, we but need one thing, to
know Him better and to behold the Glory of the Lord. It is written
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the
Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the Lord." Guided by the Spirit we can look on the
Lord of Glory and His Glory, mirrored in all parts of the Word of
God. And then as we look on this wonderful person and His relation
to us and ours to Him, as we behold His glory both moral and
literal, in humiliation and exaltation, past, present and future, we
are changed into the same image. Our path will be from Glory to
Glory! And some day there will come that supreme moment when we
shall be _suddenly_ changed "in a moment, the twinkling of an eye."
Oh child of God see your need! It is Christ, the Lord of Glory set
before your heart; all worldly mindedness, all insincerity, all
discouragement, all unbelief, all unfaithfulness must flee when we
follow on to know the Lord and daily behold "as in a glass the Glory
of the Lord."

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless _before the presence of His Glory_ with exceeding joy,
to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and
power, both now and ever.  Amen."



Jehovah. The "I Am."


WHEN Moses in the desert beheld the burning bush God answered his
question by the revelation of His name as the "I Am." "And God said
unto Moses, I am, that I am: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto
the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exod. iii:14).
He who spake thus out of the bush to Moses was the same who in the
fullness of time appeared upon the earth in the form of man. Our
Lord Jesus Christ is no less person, than the I AM. If we turn to
the fourth Gospel in which the Holy Spirit pictures Him as the Son
of God, one with the Father, we find His glorious title there as the
I AM. In the eighth chapter of that blessed Gospel we read that He
said to the Jews, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am" (v:58). And the Jews took stones to cast them upon Him.
In the fifth chapter we read that they wanted to kill Him, not only
because He had violated the Sabbath, but also said that God was His
Father, making Himself equal with God (v:18). They wanted to stone
Him because in saying that word "Before Abraham was, I am" He had
claimed that holy name for Himself, which was revealed to Moses. The
Jews then, as the orthodox Jews do still, reverenced that name to
such a degree that they did not even pronounce it, but substituted
in its place the word "Adonai." Little did they realize that the
same "I am" who spoke to Moses out of the bush, saying, "I am;" who
descended before Moses later in a cloud and proclaimed the name of
the Lord (Exod. xxxiv) was standing in their midst in the form of
man. And this is not the only time He used this word. We find it in
the xviii chapter of John. When the band and officers of the chief
priests and Pharisees came with lanterns, torches and weapons, Jesus
stepped majestically into their presence with the calm question:
"Whom seek ye?" When they had stated that they were seeking Jesus
the Nazarene He answered them with one word "I AM." What happened?
They went backward and fell to the ground. What a spectacle that
must have been. The dark night, a company of people, all on the same
satanic errand, with their lanterns, torches and different kinds of
weapons. And then the object of their hatred steps before them and
utters one word and they fall helpless to the ground. What warning
it should have been to them. Once more He asks the question; again
He answers with the "I am" and with the understanding that His own
should be free, He allows Himself to be bound.

He likewise called Himself "I am" in talking with the Samaritan
woman. In John iv:26 we read, "Jesus saith unto her, I that speak
unto thee am he." This does, however, not express the original. This
reads as follows: "I AM that speaks to thee." After this mighty word
had come from His lips the woman had nothing more to say, but left
her waterpot and went her way back to the city. The I AM had spoken
to her. In chapters vi:20 and viii:28 we find Him using the same "I
am" again. In the former passage "It is I" should read "I am."

Besides these passages in which He speaks of Himself as the
self-existing Jehovah, the great "I am," He saith seven times in this
Gospel what He is to His own. I am the Bread of life (chapter
vi:35.) I am the Light of the world (chapter ix:5). I am the Door
(chapter x:7). I am the Good Shepherd (chapter x:11). I am the
Resurrection and the Life (chapter xi:25). I am the Way, the Truth
and the Life (chapter xvi:6); and I am the true Vine (chapter xv:1).
But this does not exhaust at all what He is and will be now and
forever to those who belong to Him. In the Old Testament there are
seven great names of the "I AM" which are deep and significant. In
them we can trace His rich and wonderful Grace. _Jehovah.--Jireh_
--The Lord provides. The lamb provided (Genesis xxii). _Jehovah
Rophecah_--I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exodus xv). _Jehovah
--Nissi_--The Lord is my banner, He giveth the Victory (Exod. xvii).
_Jehovah shalom_, the Lord is Peace. He is our Peace (Judges vi).
_Jehovah Roi_--The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm
xxiii). _Jehovah-Tsidkenu_, the Lord is our righteousness (Jeremiah
xxiii). _Jehovah shammah_, the Lord is there (Ezek. xlviii).

But this does not exhaust what He is. I AM--what? Anything and
everything what we need in time and eternity.

   "When God would teach mankind His name
   He called Himself the great, I AM,
   And leaves a blank--believers may
   Supply those things for which they pray."

Happy indeed are we, beloved reader, if we know Him, who died for us
as the I AM, if we learn more and more to trust Him as the all
sufficient One and know that the I AM will supply all our need. In
these days in which the person of Christ is so much belittled,
attacked; He as the Holy One, the great Jehovah rejected, not by the
outside world alone, but by those who call themselves after His own
blessed name, let us have for an answer to all these attacks of the
enemy a closer walk with Him, a more intimate fellowship with the I
AM; a better acquaintance with our Jehovah-Jesus, our gracious Lord.
Oh what a union is ours, One with Him the I AM, what a happy,
glorious lot.  Hallelujah.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to come (Rev. ii:8). I am the
bright and morning star (Rev. xxii: 16). What, oh what will He be
for His own in all eternity!



That Worthy Name.


James ii:7.


IN the second chapter of the Epistle of James the Holy Spirit speaks
of our ever blessed Lord as "that worthy Name." Precious Word!
precious to every heart that knows Him and delights to exalt His
glorious and worthy Name. His Name is "far above every Name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come."
(Ephes. i:21.) It is "as ointment poured forth" (Song of Sol. i:3);
yea, His Name alone is excellent (Psalm cxlviii:13). But according
to His worth that blessed Name is far from being fully known and
uttered by the Saints of God. "Thou art worthy" and "Worthy is the
Lamb" shall some day burst from the glorified lips of redeemed
sinners, brought home to be with Him. In that blessed day when at
last we see Him face to face, forever with the Lord, we shall begin
to learn the full worth and glory of that Name, the Name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. In a feeble way here below we get glimpses of His
precious, worthy Name, of His beauty and loveliness, and then only
through the power of the Holy Spirit. The aim of the Spirit of God
dwelling in our hearts will always be to tell us more of Himself.
Like Abraham's servant who had so much to say to the elect bride
about Isaac, so the Holy Spirit ever delights to show us more of
Christ, the Christ of God. Oh! how He is eager to tell us more of
His worth, of His glory, of His grace and of all He is and all He
has. How it grieves Him when our hearts do not respond to the great
message He has for us and when instead we turn to something else to
give us joy and comfort. Only Christ can give joy and comfort, peace
and rest to the hearts of those who are His. The days are evil and
the time is short. Is your heart increasingly attracted to that
worthy Name? Do you have a greater burning desire in your heart for
Himself? Does He, that worthy Name, become more and more day by day
the absorbing object of your heart and life? Do you often weep over
your coldheartedness, your lack of real devotion to Him and
communion with your Lord? Do you appreciate Him more than ever
before? Is the Apostle's longing cry "that I might know Him" coming
also from your heart? Dear reader, these are searching questions. A
better knowledge of our blessed Lord, a deeper acquaintance with
that worthy Name and greater devotion to Him, is the only true
spiritual progress which counts. If you live but little in the
reality of all this you lack that joy and rest which is true
Christian happiness and the Spirit is grieved. Oh let Him unfold to
your heart that worthy name and show you from His Word, His
wonderful person, then His power will attract your heart more and
more. This is what all God's people need. "That worthy Name," the
Lord in all His blessed fulness and glorious reality is what we
need.

And what the written Word has to tell us of "that worthy Name"! Oh,
the titles, the attributes, the names, the glories, the beauties of
Himself. And we have discovered but so few of these blessed things.
Perhaps a few hundred of the descriptions of that worthy Name are
known to God's Saints; but there are hundreds, still hidden, we have
never touched. Yes, God's Spirit is ever willing to make them known
to our hearts.

Just for a few moments think of some of the familiar titles and
names of that Name which is above every other name. How these titles
of our blessed Lord, what He is and what we have in Him should fill
our hearts with praise and our lips with outbursts of praise, lift
us above present day conditions and give us courage and boldness.
"That worthy Name"; who is He?

The Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father, the living God, the
eternal Life; Emmanuel, the God of Glory, the Holy One; Jehovah, the
everlasting God, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord of Peace, the
Lord our righteousness, the Upholder of all things, the Creator, the
Alpha and Omega, the express image of God. He is the Word, the Word
of God, the Word of Life, the Wisdom of God, the Angel of the Lord,
the Mediator of the better covenant. The good Shepherd, the great
Shepherd, the chief Shepherd, the Door, the Way, the Root and
offspring of David, the Branch of Righteousness, the Rose of Sharon,
the Lily of the valley, the true Vine, the Corn of Wheat, the Bread
of God, the true Bread from heaven. He is also the Light of the
world, the Day dawn, the Star out of Jacob, Sun and Shield, the
Bright and Morningstar, the Sun of Righteousness. Thus we read of
that worthy Name, that He is, the Great High-priest, the Daysman,
the Advocate, Intercessor, Surety, Mercy Seat, the Forerunner, the
Rock of Salvation, the Refuge, the Tower, a strong Tower, the Rock
of Ages, the Hope of Glory, the Hope of His people, a living Stone.
And what else? the Gift of God, the Beloved, the Fountain of Life,
Shiloh, He is our Peace, our Redeemer, He is precious, the Amen, the
Just Lord, the Bridegroom, the Firstborn from the Dead, Head over
all, Head of all principality and power, Heir of all things. He is
Captain of the Lord's Host, Captain of their salvation, Chiefest
among Ten Thousand, the Leader, the Counsellor, the Lion of the
tribe of Judah, the Governor, Prince of Peace, the Prince of Life,
the Prince of the Kings of the earth, the Judge, the King, the King
of Israel, King of Saints, King of Glory, King over all the earth,
King in His Beauty, King of Kings and Lord of lords.

All these names and attributes of that worthy Name are familiar.
What dignity, what power, what grace and blessing for us for whom He
died and shed His precious blood they express. Who can fathom these
names? Who can tell out His worth? And hundreds more could be added,
and many, many more, which are still undiscovered in the Word of
God. What a Lord He is! We worship and adore Thee, Thou worthy One.
Draw us O Lord and we will run after Thee. What a joy and delight it
ought to be to follow Him, to exalt Him, to be devoted to such a
One! Oh! our failures! And still He carries us in kindness and
patience. And He also has a Name, which expresses the fulness of His
work and glory. No one knows what _that_ is. "He had a name written,
that no man knew, but He Himself" (Rev. xix:12). That unknown Name
may never be made known.

But oh! the blessedness which is before us His redeemed people. Of
us it is written "They shall see _His face_": That blessed, blessed
face of that worthy Name, we shall behold at last. We shall see His
face! Oh the rapture which fills the heart in the anticipation of
that soon coming event. "And His Name shall be on their foreheads"
(Rev. xxii:4). We shall be like Him, we shall be a perfect
reflection of Himself.



The Doctrine of Christ.


2 John 9-11.


"