Spurgeon: August PM
* 08/26/PM
"The people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and
running to Him saluted Him."
--Mark 9:15
How great the difference between Moses and Jesus! When the
prophet of Horeb had been forty days upon the mountain, he
underwent a kind of transfiguration, so that his countenance
shone with exceeding brightness, and he put a veil over his
face, for the people could not endure to look upon his glory.
Not so our Saviour. He had been transfigured with a greater
glory than that of Moses, and yet, it is not written that the
people were blinded by the blaze of His countenance, but rather
they were amazed, and running to Him they saluted Him. The glory
of the law repels, but the greater glory of Jesus attracts.
Though Jesus is holy and just, yet blended with His purity there
is so much of truth and grace, that sinners run to Him amazed at
His goodness, fascinated by His love; they salute Him, become
His disciples, and take Him to be their Lord and Master. Reader,
it may be that just now you are blinded by the dazzling
brightness of the law of God. You feel its claims on your
conscience, but you cannot keep it in your life. Not that you
find fault with the law, on the contrary, it commands your
profoundest esteem, still you are in nowise drawn by it to God;
you are rather hardened in heart, and are verging towards
desperation. Ah, poor heart! turn thine eye from Moses, with all
his repelling splendour, and look to Jesus, resplendent with
milder glories. Behold His flowing wounds and thorn-crowned
head! He is the Son of God, and therein He is greater than
Moses, but He is the Lord of love, and therein more tender than
the lawgiver. He bore the wrath of God, and in His death
revealed more of God's justice than Sinai on a blaze, but that
justice is now vindicated, and henceforth it is the guardian of
believers in Jesus. Look, sinner, to the bleeding Saviour, and
as thou feelest the attraction of His love, fly to His arms, and
thou shalt be saved.