"He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)
This is the dwelling-place of every true Christian; for God has Christ, and "has raised us up together in Christ Jesus;" (Ephesians 2:6) and in that we are made alive in Christ, and raised to the heavenly places in Him, we are placed "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion." (Ephesians 1:21)
The King in His Beauty
From this elevated position the Christian has a broad outlook. First of all, he sees the King in His beauty.
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me." (Psalm 27:4-6)
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High must necessarily see the Lord. God is the one great object in the Christian's horizon, and it is this continual view that ensures his safety. "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not the moved." (Psalm 16:8)
With the Lord always before him, he cannot fail to obey this injunction: "Behold your God!" (Isaiah 40:9) "We all, open [unveiled] face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
None of this language is figurative; it is literal and real. "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God," (Matthew 5:8) not only in the future, but now; for nothing but impurity can shut out God from the right. Wherever there is purity of heart and life, there is the vision of God. His glory is to be seen in the heavens, while every flower reveals some of His beauty. "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." (Psalm 33:5)
Walking in the Light
And therefore the one whose eyes are opened has all the goodness of the Lord continually passing before him. For the Christian's eyes are opened, Christ is the light of the world, and God "has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." (Colossians 1:13)
Those who have fellowship with God, "walk in the light, as He is in the light," (1 John 1:7) so that we can say, "Whereas I was blind, not I see;" (John 9:25) for, "The Lord opens the eyes of the blind." (Psalm 146:8)
And with his opened eyes the Christian sees "wondrous things" in the law of God. (Psalm 119:18) The law is magnified and honorable in his eyes, for he sees it as "the perfect law of liberty," (James 1:25) the life of Jesus Christ. What more glorious outlook could anybody have than this, to behold God and His salvation? for of the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, it is said, "With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." (Psalm 91:16)
It could not be otherwise, since God is his salvation. The Christian, therefore, beholds the arm of the Lord revealed, the arm that brings salvation,--and he rests in Him.
All Things New
From his safe retreat in the Lord, the Christian looks out upon the earth; and, having been made a new creature, he sees everything with new eyes. He that sits upon the throne says, "Behold, I make all things new." (Revelation 21:5)
And He begins with the man who abides in Him: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Looking beyond that which to the mere physical eye seems to be all there is, he sees all things transformed, and tastes even here the power and the joy of the world to come. In every stream of pure water, in every shower of rain, and in every sparkling dewdrop, he sees. "[The] pure river of water of life, clear as crystal." (Revelation 22:1)
What matters it to him if others say that they can see nothing? He whose eyes are opened must needs be a seer, and the universe of God will reveal to him wonders that are hidden from those who "have eyes, but they see not." (Jeremiah 5:21)
He has in earth a heaven in which to go to heaven. Someone may object to the statement that the Christian can see the river of life, saying that is spiritual. Very well, we have the assurance that: "the things of the Spirit of God ... are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
And, further, "You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." (Romans 8:9)
God himself is a spiritual being, yet He is revealed to the pure in heart, to the one who is spiritual. As to seeing the water of life, we have in it a daily illustration of how people can have eyes and can look directly at an object, and not see it. Read the following: "You visit the earth, and water it; You greatly enrich it with the river of life; which is full of water; You prepare them corn, when You have so provided for it. You water the ridges thereof abundantly; You settle the furrows thereof; You make it soft with showers; You bless the springing thereof; You crown the year with your goodness; and your paths drop fatness." (Psalm 65:9-11)
There is nothing good that does not come directly from God, and He does not keep any good thing back from us. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17)
The rain that falls from heaven, enriching the earth and making it fruitful, is the overflowing water of life from the throne of God, and it comes to us laden with God's own righteousness.
"Drop down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it." (Isaiah 45:8)
All may see it as such, if they are dwelling in the secret place of God, the place whence the water of life springs. God does not reserve the sight of His glories for a select and specially favored few; but He spreads them out in full view of everybody, so that whether or not anyone sees them depends wholly on himself. Whoever walks in the Spirit can daily see wonders that are hidden from the eyes of the one who has only the mind of the flesh.
Seeing God's Salvation
The Christian, having God continually before him, sees the power of God, which saves; "For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity." (Romans 1:20,RV)
Thus it is that he sees the salvation of God. Everything that is made, even his own body, reveals the personal presence of the Divine Word that upholds all things, so that he sees victory written on every blade of grass and every leaf of the forest; upon every flower, and in every star. So he is glad through the works of the Lord, and triumphs in the works of God's hands. (Psalm 92:4)
Still more, the one who dwells with God, sees His ways, and learns how to live. "You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11)
So, instead of going about feeble in body and mind, the Christian has before him the prospect of renewed youth and fresh, joyous life, which, beginning now, will continue without interruption throughout eternity. Surely, no outlook could be more pleasing and encouraging than this.
Everybody who has ever been ill--and how few there are who have not suffered more or less from disease--knows how dark is the outlook when the vitality is low. It cannot be otherwise, even though one hopes in God for a final release from pain. But God provides for a glorious view, and invites us to enjoy the reality of it here and now. "The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us; That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." (1 John 1:2-4)
God wishes all of His children to be healthy and happy, and He provides the manna to that end.
Deliverance From Trouble
If the Christian looks ahead, he sees before him a time of trouble such as never was, when plagues and pestilence--the out-breaking of the plague that is in the hearts of all who have not turned to the Lord--will ravage the land; but in that time of trouble he sees deliverance for "every one that shall be found written in the book." (Daniel 12:1)
Though a thousand fall at his side, and ten thousand at his right hand, he has no fear that any plague will come near him. Where others see nothing but darkness, he sees only light, "because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines." (1 John 2:8)
In short, the Christian,--"Looking unto Jesus," (Hebrews 12:2) "the fullness of Him that fills all in all," (Ephesians 1:23) "in whom all things consist," (Colossians 1:17) and beholding God, "who is over all, and through all, and in all," (Ephesians 4:6) sees only perfection, for his eyes are turned away from beholding vanity. (Psalm 119:37) He beholds Christ crucified before him, (Galatians 3:1) and glories in the cross, by which the world is crucified unto him, and he unto the world. (Galatians 6:14)
He sees the new creation in the cross, and knows no man after the flesh; (2 Corinthians 5:16) so he begins the life everlasting, living in this world just as he will continue to live throughout eternity, for he lives now in the secret place of God, (Psalm 91:1) as close to Him as he can possibly be. Taking refuge under the shadow of God's wings, (Psalm 57:1) he sees light in God's light, (Psalm 36:9) and drinks continually from the river of God's Eden, (Psalm 36:8) for Eden means pleasure. "How excellent is your lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of your house; and You shall make them drink of the river of your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life: in your light shall we see light." (Psalm 36:7-9)
And so, with Christ and His power and goodness filling the whole range of our vision, we look forward with glad anticipation to the time when we shall see Him come to the clouds of heaven, even as He left this earth; (Acts 1:11) for we shall behold His face in the righteousness which He imparts, and shall be satisfied with His likeness. "As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness." (Psalm 17:15)--Present Truth, January 24, 1901--Psalm 91:1.