On the Benevolence of Christ to the Human Race
Proverbs 8:31
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.


I. OUR BLESSED LORD REJOICED IN THE HABITABLE PART OF THE EARTH BECAUSE HE FORESAW THAT THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD WOULD BE MANIFESTED AND GLORIFIED. The human race appears to have been created for a twofold purpose.

1. To glorify God upon the earth.

2. That our Lord might defeat the infernal purposes of the malicious spirits, destroy the works of the devil.

II. HIS DELIGHTS WERE WITH THE SONS OF MEN, THAT HE MIGHT MINISTER TO THE COMFORT AND HAPPINESS OF THEIR BODIES. What an amazing constellation of virtues did He exhibit, and how boundless must have been that love which led Him day after day, amidst hunger, and thirst, and fatigue, and suffering, and sorrow, to relieve the wants of the needy and restore to the soundness of health and activity the miserable and forlorn sufferers of calamity and woe!

III. HIS DELIGHTS WERE WITH THE SONS OF MEN, THAT HE MIGHT ENLIGHTEN THEIR MINDS BY HIS WORD AND SPIRIT. Many theories have been propounded to solve the mystery of the introduction of moral evil into the world, but no hypothesis is so credible or intelligible as that of the Scripture account of the fall of man. Our blessed Lord interposed on our behalf, and generously undertook to redeem us from the curse of the law and regain that immortal life which we had forfeited by our disobedience. How can we account for such a display of unparalleled benevolence but from His ardent desire to promote the best interests of men?

IV. HIS DELIGHTS WERE WITH THE SONS OF MEN, THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY THEIR SOULS AND PREPARE THEM FOR THE ENJOYMENTS OF HEAVEN. We ought to be extremely solicitous for the salvation of our souls, and never dare to imagine that, because Christ has died for our sins, we shall be saved without that holiness of heart and life which are the fruits of the Spirit in all them that believe.

(D. Davidson.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

WEB: Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.




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