[477]The thought here is that ultimately no creature will ever be
standing in Jehovah's presence boasting of what he did. But all those
who compose the church will realize that all they have came to them as a
gracious gift from Jehovah. To those who have really had the desire to
know and serve the Lord the call has been and is beautiful indeed. Such
have been thrilled with the gracious words of Jehovah spoken through his
prophet, inviting them to become members of the royal family of heaven.
The Psalmist wrote: "Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline
thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so
shall the king greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and
worship thou him".--Psalm 45:10,11.
[478]As Jesus is the Son of God, so the church, the bride of Christ, is
the daughter of God. Hence the Psalmist speaks to her here, inviting
those who are to become the daughter to forget their own people and
their earthly father's house and earnestly and willingly follow in the
Master's footsteps. These are invited to worship the Lord and grow in
his likeness and thereby become beautiful; and it is that beauty, the
character-likeness of the Lord, that he desires.
DEVELOPMENT
[479]The development of the church is not an instantaneous matter. It is
a gradual process. Some have erroneously thought and taught that a man
might be wicked all his life and then on his deathbed confess his sins,
accept Christ, become a Christian and die and go immediately to heaven.
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