D. Scott Meadows

“Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” —Micah 5.2

27 FEBRUARY PM, MORNING AND EVENING BY C. H. SPURGEON

The Lord Jesus had goings forth for his people as their representative before the throne, long before they appeared upon the stage of time. It was “from everlasting” that he signed the compact with his Father, that he would pay blood for blood, suffering for suffering, agony for agony, and death for death, in the behalf of his people; it was “from everlasting” that he gave himself up without a murmuring word. That from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot he might sweat great drops of blood, that he might be spit upon, pierced, mocked, rent asunder, and crushed beneath the pains of death. His goings forth as our Surety were from everlasting.

Pause, my soul, and wonder! Thou hast goings forth in the person of Jesus “from everlasting.” Not only when thou wast born into the world did Christ love thee, but his delights were with the sons of men before there were any sons of men. Often did he think of them; from everlasting to everlasting he had set his affection upon them.

What! my soul, has he been so long about thy salvation, and will not he accomplish it? Has he from everlasting been going forth to save me, and will he lose me now? What! Has he carried me in his hand, as his precious jewel, and will he now let me slip from between his fingers? Did he choose me before the mountains were brought forth, or the channels of the deep were digged, and will he reject me now? Impossible! I am sure he would not have loved me so long if he had not been a changeless Lover. If he could grow weary of me, he would have been tired of me long before now. If he had not loved me with a love as deep as hell, and as strong as death, he would have turned from me long ago.

Oh, joy above all joys, to know that I am his everlasting and inalienable inheritance, given to him by his Father or ever the earth was! Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night.

On Micah 5.2

That, according to Scripture, this verse is a prophecy of Jesus as the Christ, there can be no doubt (Matt 2.6).

Some modern translations fall far short of what is justified from the Hebrew text and the biblical theology: “whose family line goes back to ancient times” (GNB). This was how Socinian heretics misconstrued Micah’s meaning (Richard Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, 4.284). Micah uses a literary form that implies intensification by repetition. “His origins are from primeval [old] times, from the days of eternity” (literal translation, LHEIB).

Francis Turretin wrote of this verse, “Here a twofold going forth is mentioned: the one future in time at Bethlehem, from the fathers as to his human nature—‘out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler’; the other past (or better, eternal) by generation from the Father according to the divine nature—‘whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.’ Thus no one might suppose he began to exist just when he was born” (Institutes of Elenctic Theology, 1.285). Matthew Poole explains that Christ’s “generation, as he is the Son of God equal with his Father, is eternal: this asserts the eternity of his Divine nature” (in loc.).

Spurgeon uses this text to speak about something it does not mention, namely, the eternal covenant of redemption between the Father and the Son revealed elsewhere in Scripture. This is allowable because it is good, biblical teaching.

The structure of this devotional message

I. Jesus an Eternal Surety
II. Jesus My Eternal Surety
III. Jesus My Invincible Surety
IV. My Joy in This Changeless Lover

Points of interest

1. Once again, Spurgeon shows us how the most profound, Trinitarian theology rightly belongs to the man in the pew, and that it has the most practical implications for his daily experience as a Christian, touching matters of the heart.

2. The gospel, rightly understood, promotes true spiritual joy. Arminian notions of “amissible grace,” capable of being lost, undermine that joy because, if they were true, no Christian could be absolutely sure of being saved. Instead, since everything ultimately depends upon God and His sovereign grace, the salvation of His elect is certain. As long as we are diligent to make our calling and election sure, we shall never fall. We shall have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet 1.10, 11).

3. “Scripture warrants the idea of such a covenant [of redemption], speaking freely of the eternal nature of salvation and giving prominence to the promises made from eternity by the Father to the Son. In addition, Christ repeatedly referred to the commission He had received from the Father (John 5:30, 43; 6:38–40; 17:4–12)” (Alan Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms, 112).

4. A “surety” is “a person who takes responsibility for another’s undertaking, e.g. the payment of a debt” (COED), as illustrated in Genesis 43.9. This is one of the most important aspects of the Bible’s explanation of the significance of Christ’s death as a substitute for His people. In our place, He bore our punishment and satisfied divine justice as a propitiation (2 Cor 5.21; 1 Jn 2.2). Ω