October 15

Morning

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. — Mal 3:2 BSB

His first coming was without outward grandeur or display of power, yet it carried a testing force that few could withstand. Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled by the news of His birth. Those who claimed to be waiting for Him showed the emptiness of their profession by rejecting Him when He arrived. His life on earth was like a winnowing fork, sifting through the outward show of religion, and few were able to endure it.

But what will His second coming be like? What sinner can even bear to think of it? “He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips, He will slay the wicked.” When He humbled Himself and simply said to the soldiers, “I am He,” they fell backward to the ground. What terror will His enemies feel when He fully reveals Himself in judgment? His death shook the earth and darkened the skies—what will be the overwhelming glory of that day when the living Savior calls both the living and the dead to stand before Him? Oh, that the fear of the Lord would lead people to turn from their sins and “kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may quickly ignite!”

Though He is the Lamb, He is also the Lion of Judah, who tears His prey to pieces. Though He does not break the bruised reed, He will crush His enemies with a rod of iron and shatter them like pottery. None of His foes will stand before the storm of His wrath, or escape the hail of His righteous fury.

But His redeemed, His beloved ones, look forward to His return with joy, knowing they can stand before Him without fear. Even now, He refines them, and when His work is complete, they will shine like pure gold. Let us examine ourselves this morning, making sure of our calling and election, so that His return holds no dread for us. Oh, for the grace to throw off all pretense and hypocrisy, that we may be found “blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation” on that great day!

Evening

You must redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb; but if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before Me empty-handed. — Exod 34:20 BSB

Every firstborn creature belonged to the Lord, but since the donkey was considered unclean, it could not be offered to Him as a sacrifice. What then? Should it be exempt from the universal law? No, God makes no exceptions. The donkey was His due, but He would not accept it. His claim was absolute, but still, He could not be satisfied with the offering. The only escape was through redemption—the donkey had to be redeemed by the sacrifice of a lamb, or it must die!

My soul, here is a lesson for you. You are that unclean donkey! You belong to the Lord, for He made you and sustains you, yet you are so sinful that God cannot accept you as you are. It comes down to this: the Lamb of God must take your place, or you must die eternally! Let all the world know how grateful you are to the spotless Lamb who died for you, redeeming you from the curse of the law!

Surely, there must have been moments when an Israelite wondered which should die—the donkey or the lamb. Wouldn’t they have paused to compare their values? But for you, there’s no comparison between your sin-stained soul and the priceless Lord Jesus. And yet, the Lamb died, and you were spared! My soul, marvel at the boundless love of God toward you! Wretched worms are bought with the blood of the Holy Lamb! Dust and ashes are redeemed with a price far greater than silver or gold. What would have been my fate if there had been no redemption?

The breaking of the donkey’s neck was a quick, momentary punishment. But who can comprehend the wrath to come, a punishment with no end? Oh, how dear and precious is the Lamb who redeemed me from such a fate!