A Jot from John
Perhaps in the bosom of each man lies sheltered the ultimate dream that things will be better than they now are. Men have various ways of stating their dreams, and how thankful we can be that men have the courage of holding them.
The dreams that men know, however, must have some basis for expectations or fulfillment, lest their dreams carry with them not only the strong measure of unreality but also cruelty.
Perhaps no one has more beautifully expressed his dream than did Isaiah the prophet. Listen to these words. “6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6-9).
Every wild and ferocious beast that Palestine knew at that time was selected by the prophet. He speaks of the tranquility and the domestic qualities that shall be enacted by these previously ferocious beasts. The symbolism of peace and comfort is brought greatly to the attention of all; jealousy, envy, distrust, and destruction are laid aside.
What can bring to pass the beauty of harmony among men, nothing but the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Thus, it was the will of the Father that the “. . .earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” As the waters of the sea wash up on every land so must the knowledge of the Lord touch every shore. As in the swelling of the flood waters there is the imminent, irresistible, far-reaching, and gradual power that they exercise, so must the gospel of Jesus come in contact with, and dominate every heart.
If God wants a victory over immorality and ignorance, what are you doing as his child to assist in the fight? What type of action are you fulfilling that would lead men to the knowledge of the Lord? If God aspires that in this generation the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, what tangible, concrete action on your part is being currently initiated to bring “the golden dream” to pass?
If you aren’t doing something, can you think of a better time to start than now?
Onward Rejoicing, John B. Daniels, Associate Minister
