Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake.
Why are men saved?
I. A glorious Saviour--“He saved them.” Who is to be understood by that pronoun “he”? Possibly many may answer, “Why, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of men.” Right; but not all the truth. Jesus Christ is the Saviour; but not more so than God the Father, or God the Holy Ghost. Thou canst not be saved by the Son without the Father, nor by the Father without the Son, nor by Father and Son without the Spirit. But as they are one in creation, so are they one in salvation. But, note here, how this Divine being claims salvation wholly to Himself. “Nevertheless He saved them.” But, Moses, where art thou? Didst not thou save them, Moses? Thou didst stretch the rod over the sea, and it clave in halves. And thou, Aaron, thou didst offer the bullocks which God accepted; thou didst lead them, with Moses, through the wilderness. Wast not thou their Saviour? They answer, “Nay, we were the instruments, but He saved them. God made use of us, but unto His name be all the glory, and none unto ourselves.” But, Israel, thou wast a strong and mighty people; didst not thou save thyself? Perhaps it was by thine own holiness that the Red Sea was dried up; perhaps the parted floods were frighted at the piety of the saints that stood upon their margin; perhaps it was Israel that delivered itself. Nay, nay, saith God’s Word; He saved them; they did not save themselves, nor did their fellow-men redeem them.
II. The favoured persons. “He saved them.”Who are they? In the first place, they were a stupid people--“Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt.” In the next place, they were an ungrateful people--“they remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies.” In the third place, they were a provoking people--“they provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.” Ah, these are the people whom free grace saves, these are the men and these the women whom the God of all grace condescends to take to His bosom and to make anew.
III. The reason of salvation. “For His name’s sake.”
1. He saved them, first, that He might manifest His nature. God was all love, and He wanted to manifest it; He did show it when He made the sun, the moon, and the stars, and scattered flowers o’er the green and laughing earth. He did show His love when He gave the air balmy to the body, and the sunshine cheering be the eye. “How can I show them that, I love them with all My infinite heart? I will give My Son to die be save the very worst of them, and so will I manifest My nature.” And God has done it; He has manifested His power, His justice, His love, His faithfulness, and His truth; He has manifested His whole self on the great platform of salvation.
2. He did it, again, to vindicate His name. Some say God is cruel; they wickedly call Him tyrant. “Ah!” says God, “but I will save the worst of sinners, and vindicate My name; I will blot out the stigma; they shall not be able to say that, unless they be liars, for I will be abundantly merciful. I will take away this stain, and they shall see that My great name is a name of love.” And said He, again, “I will do this for My name’s sake; that is, to make these people love My name. I know if I take the best of men, and save them, they will love My name; but if I take the worst of men, oh, how they will love me! If I go and take some of the offscouring of the earth, and make them My children, oh, how they will love Me! Then they will cleave to My name; they will think it more sweet than music; it will be more precious to them than the spikenard of the Eastern merchants; they will value it as gold, yea, as much fine gold. The man who loves Me best, is the man who has most sins forgiven; he owes much, therefore he will love much.” This is the reason why God often selects the worst of men to make them His. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Salvation entirely free
God is a sovereign and jealous of:His prerogative. Especially is He jealous of the undivided honour of redeeming man from the degradation and ruins of the fall. In the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, He has taken, as it should seem, extraordinary pains to establish and illustrate this fact; for this reason; that therein He, or His name, is more deeply interested--that thereby His name is more highly magnified and more abundantly glorified, both in heaven and in earth, than by any other of His most stupendous works.
I. The nature of the salvation granted to the people of God. It is a spiritual and eternal salvation--a salvation of the sinner from the power, the love, the pollution, the practice, and the punishment of sin.
II. Upon what grounds or upon what terms this salvation is vouchsafed. “For His name’s sake.” By the name of God we may understand His person and attributes. For the sake, therefore, of illustrating His power, mercy, wisdom, truth and faithfulness, justice and holiness, He devised the great work of redemption.
III. In opposition to what impediments this salvation is vouchsafed. “Nevertheless He saved them”--nevertheless what? In spite of what, according to the calculations of reason and of conscience, were utterly insuperable difficulties. But, blessed be God, His “thoughts are not as our thoughts.” Notwithstanding therefore the sins of Israel were so numerous and so heinous He saved them; and to judge of their enormity you have only to consult this psalm--by which it appears they were guilty of the most abominable idolatries, of the blackest ingratitude, of the most determined rebellion. Notwithstanding all which God “saved them for His name’s sake.” Yes, and so likewise are we encouraged to hope that He will save us. (Essex Remembrancer.)