Verses on Various Occasions · Chapter
LXXX: Day-Labourers explained
The chapter reflects on the completion of Christ's work and the partial contributions of other servants like Moses and David, who labored but did not see the final fulfillment.
What happens
The chapter reflects on the completion of Christ's work and the partial contributions of other servants like Moses and David, who labored but did not see the final fulfillment. It calls the Christian warrior to labor for the Church's deliverance, knowing that the ultimate victory belongs to Christ and that the worker may die before the work is finished.
Themes in this chapter
Sin and Redemption
Christ's finished work is the redemption that completes what human laborers like Moses and David could only begin.
Suffering and Humility
The Christian warrior is called to labor and suffer, even to death, without seeing the final victory.
The Church and Tradition
The 'Mother' Church is in chains, and the faithful are called to labor for her deliverance.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“One only, of God’s messengers to man, Finish’d the work of grace, which He began”
Only Christ, among all God's messengers, completed the work of grace that He started.
Emphasizes Christ's unique and complete redemptive work.
“E’en Moses wearied upon Nebo’s height, Though loth to leave the fight With the doom’d foe, and yield the sun-bright land To Joshua’s armèd hand.”
Even Moses grew weary on Mount Nebo, reluctant to stop fighting the doomed enemy and hand over the promised land to Joshua's armed forces.
Moses' labor was incomplete; he could only see the land, not enter it.
“And David wrought in turn a strenuous part, Zeal for God’s house consuming him in heart; And yet he might not build, but only bring Gifts for the Heavenly King; And these another rear’d, his peaceful son, Till the full work was done.”
David labored zealously for God's house, but he was not allowed to build it; he could only gather materials, which his son Solomon later used to complete the temple.
David's role was preparatory; the completion was left to another.
“List, Christian warrior! thou, whose soul is fain To rid thy Mother of her present chain;— Christ will avenge His Bride; yea, even now Begins the work, and thou Shalt spend in it thy strength, but, ere He save, Thy lot shall be the grave.”
Listen, Christian soldier! You who desire to free the Church from her current bondage—Christ will vindicate His Bride; indeed, He is already beginning the work, and you will expend your strength in it, but before He brings salvation, you will die.
The call to labor for the Church's liberation, with the sobering reminder that the worker may not live to see the victory.