Expositions of Holy Scripture - Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and First Book of Samuel, - Second Samuel, First Kings, and Second Kings chapters I to VII by Alexander Maclaren
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(2) rigidly observant of obligations. So the word applies to a steward,
a friend, or a witness. Its most wonderful and sublime application is to God. It presents to our adoring love-- I. God as coming under obligations to us. A marvellous and blessed idea. He limits His action, regards Himself as bound to a certain line of conduct. 1. Obligations from His act of creation. 'A faithful Creator,' bound to take care of those whom He has made. To supply their necessities. To satisfy their desires. To give to each the possibility of discharging its ideal. 2. Obligations from His past self. 'God is faithful by whom ye were called,' therefore He will do all that is imposed on Him by His act of calling. He cannot begin without completing. There are no abandoned mines. There are no half-hewn stones in His quarries, like the block at Baalbec. And this because the divine nature is inexhaustible in power and unchangeable in purpose. 3. Obligations from His own word. A revelation is presupposed by the notion of faithfulness. It is not possible in heathenism. 'Dumb idols,' which have given their worshippers no promises, cannot be thought of as faithful. By its grand |
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