Job 22:21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to you. Peace — where does it dwell? There is peace in nature. But is there peace with man? Why has man no peace? Sin is the destroyer of your peace and mine. As sin is alienation from God, the recovery of that peace is only to be sought in deliverance from sin, and in a return to the knowledge and love of Him. I. IN WHAT SENSE ARE WE TO ACQUAINT OURSELVES WITH GOD? To what kind of knowledge does the text refer? Is it required for our peace that we should know Him "as He is"? Shall we strain our puny minds to span the countless ages of the eternity of the past? Surely eternity, self-existence, omnipotence, infinite and essential wisdom, holiness and love, these are depths which even angels can only "desire to look into." Is it then to know Him in His counsels and ways — to understand His dealings in providence and grace? No. How often have His people to trust and not to trace! How seldom does He vouchsafe to show to them the thing that He does! How then shall man acquaint himself with God? "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." To know God as a reconciled Father in Christ, is saving, sanctifying, comforting, peace-speaking knowledge of God to your souls and mine. It is a knowledge which changes, warms, strengthens and cheers the heart. II. BY NATURE WE ARE NOT THUS ACQUAINTED WITH HIM. We are not talking of an intellectual, but, if I may say so, of a moral, a spiritual, knowledge. Sin must ever involve ignorance of God. The unrenewed heart cannot have the rich, experimental knowledge of the true child of God. Examine well, then, the character of your acquaintance with God, your religious knowledge. III. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE MORE SPIRITUAL ACQUAINTANCE IS TO BE GAINED. Turn to the Bible. See in Jesus of Nazareth, "God with us." IV. THE HAPPY RESULT PROMISED AS ATTENDANT UPON THIS ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD. "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (John C. Miller, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.WEB: "Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you. |
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