December—16 The Poor Man’s Evening Portion

God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.—Genesis 9:27.

None but God himself could do either. Who but God could enlarge the one, or persuade and overrule the other? Of Japheth came the Gentiles, (Gen. 10:5;) and Shem is the father of Israel. But ‘Jesus, and Jesus only, can bring both Jew and Gentile into one fold, under one shepherd. And when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be completed, then shall all Israel be saved. Then will the deliverer arise out of Zion, to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. My soul! art thou, night by night, and morning by morning, besieging a throne of grace that the Lord would hasten the latter-day of glory? Surely, if thou feelest due concern for the Redeemer’s glory, this must form a part in thy daily petition. Who, indeed, can be indifferent to the interests of Christ’s kingdom? “In the multitude of the people,” saith Solomon, “is the king’s honour;” (Prov. 14:28;) and in the multitude of redeemed souls, is the glory of Christ Jesus. Lord! I would pray, fulfil this blessed promise. Enlarge Japheih, and cause him to dwell in the tents of Shem. Let the heathen be given to our God and Saviour for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession. “Oh! that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Zion! Oh! that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity! then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad!”^[1]

 

^[1] Hawker, R. (1845). The Poor Man’s Evening Portion (A New Edition, pp. 345–346). Philadelphia: Thomas Wardle.