Deuteronomy 32:11-12 As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her wings: The text suggests the course of God's dealings with His chosen people — the fact that, throughout the shifting scenes of their pilgrimage, God alone is their Guide and Protector. The whole strain of the passage is on the word "alone," and presents to us, not so much the idea of providence itself, as the unity of providence. I. This unity is NOT ALWAYS PERCEIVED IS THIS LIFE. 1. One reason of this is to be found in the nature and extent of man's present capabilities. Man learns bit by bit. 2. Another reason is found in the variety of the circumstances of providence. Life is made up of lights and shades, sweets and bitters, with their endlessly arranged gradations. We cannot see how these crooked, angular chippings can be so placed as to represent the picture sketched by God of His own glory and our welfare. 3. The apparently trivial nature of some events in life hides this unity from us. But can there be anything trivial in God's dealings with us? Who can say one event of his life is of more importance than another? II. This unity FINDS AN ANALOGY IN MAN'S OWN GENERAL PROCEDURE. God often places a heavenly principle under earthly arrangements. "Like as a father pitieth his children," etc. III. This unity WILL BE PERCEIVED IN A FUTURE PERIOD. In providence there is a two-fold unity. 1. The perfection of humanity and restoration to the Divine image, 2. The promotion of the glory of God. These two unite; neither can be without the other. When this is accomplished, Christ's idea of unity will be realised. (C. Gowand, . M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: |
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