He Led Them Forth

He led them forth. Forth out of the world-forth out of sin-forth out of a profession-forth out of a name to live-forth out of everything hateful to his holy and pure eyes.

To go to a city of habitation.

They had no city to dwell in here below; but they were journeying to a city of habitation above, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation, and whose gates are praise...

Where there are eternal realities to be enjoyed by the soul; where there is something stable and eternal; something to satisfy all the wants of a capacious and immortal spirit...

And give it that rest which it never could find while wandering here below. 

If we have a city here, we want no city above; and if we have a city above, we want no city here.

This then must be our state and case; either to be pilgrims, journeying onwards, through troubles, to things above...

Or taking up our abode below; seeking heaven here, or heaven hereafter; resting upon the world, or resting upon the Lord...

Panting after the things of time, or panting after the things of eternity...

Satisfied in self, or satisfied only in Christ.

One of the two must be our state and case.

The Lord decide it clearly in the hearts of his people that they are on his side...

And give us to know and feel that our very restlessness and inability to find food and shelter in the things of time and sense, are leading us more earnestly and believingly to seek after the things that have reality in them; 

That finding no city to dwell in here below, we may press forward to be manifestly enjoying testimonies of being citizens of that city which is above, "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God!"

~J. C. Philpot~