“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
What does this fine image imply? What does it express? Solomon traces the resemblance between the path of the just and the rising light in three articles. Each shines; each shines more and more; each shines more and more unto the perfect day.
The rising light shines. It is the very nature of it to do so. It thus shows itself, and renders other things visible; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Without this, the works of the field and the human face divine would be all a blank. But the shining of the light lays open their beauties, and fills us with admiration and praise. Thus the Christian’s path breaks out of obscurity; the darkness is past, and the true light shineth. His religion is not only real, but apparent. And as it need not and should not be hid, so it will not and cannot be hid. Its operation will evince its existence; its principles will display themselves in its practice. There will be the work of faith, and the labor of love, and the patience of hope, and the fruit of the Spirit. Pity will get into the eye; meekness will smile in the features; and the law of kindness will dwell upon the tongue; the hand, ready to communicate, will unawares slide into the pocket. They that were in darkness will show themselves, and in a thousand ways their light will shine before men.
But the shining of the rising light is noble and glorious. It is one of the most splendid appearances in nature. The rising sun is a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. We hardly wonder the poor heathen, in the absence of revelation, should worship it. The luster is often too powerful for the naked eye. And how was it with Moses after communion with God? His face shone so that the Israelites could not steadfastly behold the glory of his countenance. He was not aware of it himself till, seeing the people dazzled, he was obliged to take a veil. And the humility of the Christian may keep him from perceiving his own excellences, but others will take knowledge of them, and his profiting will appear unto all men. And nothing is so impressive and influential as the life of a Christian when he walks worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called. It was not necessary for the first believers at Jerusalem to lay down rules to exclude improper characters from their communion; their purity, their dignity, their majesty repelled them. “And of the rest durst no man join himself to them; but all the people magnified them.”
Yet the shining of the rising light is not mere luster. It is a source of usefulness as well as of admiration. It warms and enlivens. It fertilizes the gardens and the fields. It makes the valleys to stand thick with corn, and the little hills to rejoice on every side. And so Jesus went about doing good. And so Christians are blessings in all the places wherein they move. Let us make this image our model in our endeavors to serve our generation. The sun says nothing. It does good without noise. It shines unasked, constantly, impartially. It rises on the evil as well as on the good. So may we be merciful.
But the shining light shines more and more. So does the path of the just. His religion is a gradual and progressive thing. We therefore read of growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. Of the Thessalonians it is said, Their faith grew exceedingly, and the love of every one of them towards each other abounded. As far as we are stationary in our attainments, we are censured and condemned by the image. But to derive comfort from it, it is not necessary that we should be every thing at once. Nothing in nature reaches its perfection suddenly. The babe proceeds by slow degrees into the man. The blade precedes the full corn in the ear. Let us not despise the day of small things. What was the oak once but an acorn? What is the dawn to the noon?
But the shining light shines more and more unto the perfect day. The allusion is not taken from a meteor, that blazes for a moment and then disappears; nor from the morning cloud and early dew, that soon passeth away; but from the rising sun, that always attains its end, and completes what it begins, rising upwards and shining onwards till it is day perfect day.
When did the sun ever make a dawn, and not carry it into full day? Who can drive him back, or stop his course? If it had enemies, and they cursed its beams, the rage would be as vain as it would be unreasonable. “He rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” So shall it be with all those who are set in motion for eternity by divine grace. “They that love Him shall be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.” There is no enchantment or divination against them. In all opposition they shall be more than conquerors. He who is the Author shall also be the Finisher of their faith. They shall soon lose all their infirmities. They shall emerge into perfect knowledge, holiness, and joy. And “then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. HE THAT HATH EARS TO HEAR LET HIM HEAR.”
Who can help recalling the beautiful lines of Dr. Watts, which, though written for the infant mind, are worthy the perusal of angels?
“How fine has the day been, how bright was the sun,
How lovely and joyful the course that he run;
Though he rose in a mist when his race he begun,
And there followed some droppings of rain.
But now the fair traveler's come to the west,
His rays are all gold, and his beauties are best;
He paints the sky gay as he sinks to his rest,
And foretells a bright rising again.”
“Just such is the Christian. His course he begins
Like the sun in a mist, while he mourns for his sins
And melts into tears; then he breaks out and shines,
And travels his heavenly way:
But when he comes nearer to finish his race,
Like a fine setting sun, he looks richer in grace,
And gives a sure hope, at the end of his days,
Of rising in brighter array.”
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