As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.So far? So good!
How far does God remove the sins of His people from them? As far as the east is from the west. How far is that? Well you couldn't measure it! If you start walking east you'll never arrive at the east - you'll just keep on going, and if you turn around and start walking west you'll never arrive at the west - you'll just keep on going. It's not just that you can't measure the distance, but you actually can't even begin to measure it! This is the very point - when God forgives those who repent and turn to the Lord, He removes their sins from them so that they will never return.
Isn't it wonderful, and interesting, that the Psalmist didn't say "As far as the north is from the south." I don't know what the writer knew about astronomy and cosmology, but the One who inspired the Psalm, and inspired all Scripture, knew all about astronomy and cosmology, so He guided David to write east and west, not north and south. If he had written north and south it would have been a promise that would hold fear and terror because that is a distance that can be measured (about 12,440 miles apparently!) And you can go to the equator and stand at the line where north meets south, but I am so glad that because I have put my trust in the One who paid for my sins on the cross (1 Peter 2 v 24) I will never meet my sins again.
Can I just say to those of you reading this who are not saved, your sins are very close to you. In fact, the Lord Jesus said that you are "in your sins", that is, they are upon you, clinging to you, and the Lord also warned that if you die in your sins you will be shut out of heaven eternally (John 8 v 21-24). You will meet your sins again when you stand before God, and it will not be a happy reunion.
I'm glad the Lord Jesus Christ made that great journey and went "so far" so that our sins could be taken away (Psalm 22 v 1). He didn't stop short or turn back. He is able to remove your sins from the record, never to be recalled or recovered again, and He will do it if you turn to Him in acknowledgement of your guilt. He'll remove them "so far", and that really is so good.
