Proverbs 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; The delights between the Father and the Son, before His assumption of our nature, were twofold. 1. They delighted in one another without communicating their joys to any other; for no creature did then exist save in the mind of God. 2. They delighted in the salvation of men; in the prospect of that work, though not yet extant. The condition and state of Jesus Christ before His incarnation was a state of the most unspeakable delight in the enjoyment of His Father. Consider this — I. NEGATIVELY. 1. He was not abased to the low estate of a creature. 2. He was not under the law in this estate. 3. He was not liable to any of those sorrowful consequents and attendants of that frail state of humanity which afterwards He assumed with that nature. Unacquainted with griefs. Never pinched with poverty and want. Never underwent reproach and shame. Was never offended with any impure suggestions. Never sensible of tortures and pains. There were no hidings or withdrawings of His Father. No experience of death. II. POSITIVELY. 1. A state of matchless happiness. 2. A state of intimacy, dearness, and oneness with His Father. 3. A state of pure, unmixed, and ravishing delight. III. COMPARITIVELY. 1. Compare it with the delight that some creatures take in each other, and you will soon find that they fall infinitely short of this. 2. Compare it with the delight that God takes in some of His creatures; you will find it to come short of the delight that God takes in Christ. 3. Compare it with the delight that the best of creatures take in God and Christ; how infinitely short it comes of the delight that God takes in Christ!Conclusion: 1. What an astonishing love was this for the Father to give the darling of His soul for poor sinners! 2. Adore the love of Jesus to sinners, that ever He should consent to leave such a bosom. 3. An interest in Jesus Christ is the true way to all spiritual preferment in heaven. 4. Jesus Christ is worthy of all love and delight. 5. It is a grievous thing to see God's dear Son despised, slighted, and rejected by sinners. 6. Let us be ready to forsake and leave all for Christ. ( John Flavel.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;WEB: then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him, |
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