Our Praise is Of God

As I read of the line of king David in 1 Chronicles, there is a notable contrast between the consistency of David's sons reigning in Jerusalem and the upheaval in the northern kingdom.  While kings in the north and their many sons were snuffed out again and again for a new line to be established, David's sons ruled until the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took Israel into captivity for 70 years.  Amazingly and according to God's promise, David's line continued even without a throne and went all the way to Jesus--where in a natural sense it ended because Jesus was never married and did not sire a son or daughter.  With eyes of faith we comprehend what Jesus did by the power of the Gospel, for He has innumerable progeny as John 1:12-13 says:  "...But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

This truth ought to impact the perspective of those who seek or long for an earthly legacy of children and grandchildren.  Our family name may continue for generations, but our earthly legacy will someday end; we will not live to see it endure.  I wonder if Joseph and Mary weren't a little disappointed Jesus did not marry or have children like many young men did.  Jesus immersed Himself in the business of His heavenly Father by making saints of sinners, people born again by faith in Him.  Though voluntarily celibate, there was no one more fruitful than Jesus Christ.  God spoke to the foreigner and eunuchs on the subject of divine belonging and spiritual fruitfulness trumping that of having children in Isaiah 56:3-5:  "Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree." ⁴ For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, ⁵ even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off."  Our satisfaction is found by being joined to Jesus Christ in faith and being a child of God--not by having a child to carry on our family name.

Seeing the line of Jesus Christ multiply and expand is a great blessing to all God's children, for we are in Him and He is us.  He has given us an eternal inheritance with Him in heaven, and we are called by His name.  I have heard some people share romantic notions of their arrival into heaven and being met or greeted by people who had been saved through their ministry with thanks and gratitude.  To me, this sounds woefully inappropriate and out of place in the presence of Jesus Christ.  Wouldn't every one of those people who are born again and redeemed be like the cleansed leper who returned to thank Jesus and be worshipping at His feet--not at the feet of His messenger and servant?  The thought of people thanking me in heaven for anything good I have done on earth is unpleasant and repulsive when the whole point of our creation and salvation is for us all is to be united together in thanking the LORD Jesus and giving Him honour He alone is worthy of.  Somehow we have a knack of making heaven about us and being honoured by men, and I want no part of it.

While personal compliments can be a source of encouragement, it is far more satisfying to hear a testimony of what God has done and is doing in your life.  John had no greater joy than to hear his children were walking in the truth, and pastors and parishioners alike have no greater joy than to hear of how awesome Jesus is from awestruck fellow believers.  When people are given glory by men the wise hand it over to the LORD for His credit and honour, and when we hear of God's ministry in the lives of people we can all celebrate before almighty God together.  It is wonderful God chooses to use people and ministries as tools in His hands to accomplish fruitful labour, yet all our usefulness and capacity for good is found in Jesus Christ alone by His grace.  In Christ we have a name better than that of having sons and daughters, for we have an everlasting name that shall not be cut off even after our lives on earth end.  The praise of men is a little thing indeed, and it is good not to seek it.  Having entered into the covenant in Christ's own blood, our praise is of God.  Hearing "Well done!" from God is what we ought to prize because He is holy and glorious above all.