Evening, December 21, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped yoy with fine linen and covered you with silk.” — Ezekiel 16:10

See with what matchless generosity the Lord provides for his people’s apparel. They are so arrayed that his divine skill is seen producing an unrivalled embroidered work, in which every attribute takes its part and every divine beauty is revealed. No art is like the art displayed in our salvation, no astute workmanship is like that beheld in the righteousness of the believers.

Justification has captivated scholarly pens in all ages of the church, and will be the theme of admiration in eternity. God has indeed “curiously fashioned it.” With all this elaborate design there is mingled together both utility and durability, comparable to our being shod with porpoise’s skins. The animal here noted is unknown, but its skin covered the tabernacle, and formed one of the finest and strongest leathers known. The righteousness which is of God by faith endures forever, and he who is shod with this divine preparation will tread the desert safely, and may even set his foot upon the lion and the adder. Purity and dignity of our holy clothing are brought out in the fine linen. When the Lord sanctifies his people, they are clad as priests in pure white; not even the snow itself excels them; they are in the eyes of men and angels fair to look upon, and even in the Lord’s eyes they are without spot. Meanwhile the royal apparel is delicate and rich as silk. No expense is spared, no beauty withheld, no elegance denied.

What, then? Is there no inference from this? Surely there is gratitude to be felt and joy to be expressed. Come, my heart, do not refuse your evening hallelujah! Tune your pipes! Play your chords!

“Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed

By the Great Sacred Three!

In sweetest harmony of praise

Let all thy powers agree.”