PRECIOUS THINGS

PRECIOUS THINGS

“He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.” (Job 28:10)
There are many, many things that are said to be precious. In human culture there are some things that are precious to some men, but are not precious to God. On the other hand there are some things that are precious to some men, and are precious to God as well.
Our text declares that God’s eye sees every precious thing. There can be no doubt that Job was talking about the things that are precious to God. This is not to say that God does not see all things for he does. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Pr 15:3) “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.” (Pr 5:21) However, the things that God takes pleasure in, and is of great worth to him, are the things that are precious to him. In this article I want to look at some things that are precious both to some men, and to God.
The apostle Peter declared that Jesus is precious to God, and that he is precious to the believer too. (1Pe 2:4-7) Notice, “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner." He also said that the faith of the children of God is much more precious than gold. (1Peter 1:2) Now gold, silver, and all kinds of stones, is considered as precious because of their beauty, and worth. However, to God, and to the true believer faith is much more precious. It is so, because gold, silver, and stones are perishable, but “faith” is imperishable.
Solomon said, “A good name is better than precious ointment.” (Ecclesiastes 7:1) Now if, a “good name” is better than precious ointment, then a good name must also be precious, and its worth, must be much more than the ointment. A good name is not only precious to men, but is precious to God also. Solomon also said, “The lips of knowledge are a precious thing.” (Proverbs 20:15) To have the knowledge of the things of God, His works and ways, and then to speak of those things is a precious thing. It is precious because it brings knowledge to others, as seen in the expression of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:4. “Whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of God.” Again, not only are the “lips of knowledge precious to men, but it is precious to God also.
We learn from the apostle Peter that he considered knowledge as a precious thing. Notice what he said, “ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2Peter 3:18)
The psalmist David said that the redemption of a man’s soul is precious. (Psalm 14:8) Without the redemption of man’s soul he would forever be lost, and condemned to hell. Oh’ how precious redemption is! Redemption comes as a result of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross. It comes to us experimentally in regeneration as the redemptive blood of Christ is applied to the soul. The redemption of a man’s soul guarantees his deliverance from wrath to come, and his everlasting joy in heaven. In Psalms 116:15 we read, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” What comfort this brings to the saint of God. His death is precious to the Lord because he himself is precious to Him. The saint then, can take comfort in knowing that when he dies he, in soul and spirit goes to the Lord in heaven, and in the resurrection he will reunite with his changed body, and in body, soul, and spirit live forever in the beautiful city of God.
W. R. Daniels Jr.