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Ezekiel Chapter
Sixteen
Ezekiel 16
Chapter Contents
A parable showing the first low estate of the Jewish
nation
its prosperity
idolatries
and punishment.
Commentary on Ezekiel 16:1-58
(Read Ezekiel 16:1-58)
In this chapter God's dealings with the Jewish nation
and their conduct towards him
are described
and their punishment through the
surrounding nations
even those they most trusted in. This is done under the
parable of an exposed infant rescued from death
educated
espoused
and richly
provided for
but afterwards guilty of the most abandoned conduct
and punished
for it; yet at last received into favour
and ashamed of her base conduct. We
are not to judge of these expressions by modern ideas
but by those of the
times and places in which they were used
where many of them would not sound as
they do to us. The design was to raise hatred to idolatry
and such a parable
was well suited for that purpose.
Commentary on Ezekiel 16:59-63
(Read Ezekiel 16:59-63)
After a full warning of judgments
mercy is remembered
mercy is reserved. These closing verses are a precious promise
in part
fulfilled at the return of the penitent and reformed Jews out of Babylon
but
to have fuller accomplishment in gospel times. The Divine mercy should be
powerful to melt our hearts into godly sorrow for sin. Nor will God ever leave
the sinner to perish
who is humbled for his sins
and comes to trust in His
mercy and grace through Jesus Christ; but will keep him by his power
through
faith unto salvation.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Ezekiel》
Ezekiel 16
Verse 3
[3] And
say
Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of
the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite
and thy mother an Hittite.
Jerusalem —
The whole race of the Jews.
Thy birth —
Thy root whence thou didst spring.
Thy father —
Abraham
before God called him
(as his father and kindred) worshipped strange
gods beyond the river
Joshua 24:14.
An Amorite —
This comprehended all the rest of the cursed nations.
Verse 4
[4] And as for thy nativity
in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut
neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all
nor swaddled at all.
In the day — In
the day I called Abraham to leave his idolatry.
Salted —
Salt was used to purge
dry
and strengthen the new-born child.
Nor swaddled — So
forlorn was the state of the Jews in their birth
without beauty
without
strength
without friend.
Verse 5
[5] None
eye pitied thee
to do any of these unto thee
to have compassion upon thee;
but thou wast cast out in the open field
to the lothing of thy person
in the
day that thou wast born.
To the loathing — In
contempt of thee as unlovely and worthless; and in abhorrence of thee as
loathsome to the beholder. This seems to have reference to the exposing of the
male children of the Israelites in Egypt. And it is an apt illustration of the
Natural State of all the children of men. In the day that we were born
we were
shapen in iniquity: our understandings darkened
our minds alienated from the
life of God: all polluted with sin
which rendered us loathsome in the eyes of
God.
Verse 6
[6] And
when I passed by thee
and saw thee polluted in thine own blood
I said unto
thee when thou wast in thy blood
Live; yea
I said unto thee when thou wast in
thy blood
Live.
When I passed by —
God here speaks after the manner of men.
Live —
This is such a command as sends forth a power to effect what is commanded; he
gave that life: he spake
and it was done.
Verse 7
[7] I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field
and thou hast
increased and waxen great
and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy
breasts are fashioned
and thine hair is grown
whereas thou wast naked and
bare.
Thou art come —
Thou wast adorned with the choicest blessings of Divine Providence.
Thy breasts —
Grown up and fashioned under God's own hand in order to be solemnly affianced
to God.
Verse 8
[8] Now
when I passed by thee
and looked upon thee
behold
thy time was the time of
love; and I spread my skirt over thee
and covered thy nakedness: yea
I sware
unto thee
and entered into a covenant with thee
saith the Lord GOD
and thou
becamest mine.
When I passed —
This second passing by
may be understood of God's visiting and calling them
out of Egypt.
Thy time —
The time of thy misery was the time of love in me towards thee.
I spread my skirt —
Espoused thee
as Ruth 3:9.
Entered into a covenant — This was done at mount Sinai
when the covenant between God and Israel
was sealed and ratified. Those to whom God gives spiritual life
he takes into
covenant with himself. By this covenant they become his
his subjects and
servants; that speaks their duty: and at the same time his portion
his
treasure; that speaks their privilege.
Verse 9
[9] Then
washed I thee with water; yea
I throughly washed away thy blood from thee
and
I anointed thee with oil.
Washed — It
was a very ancient custom among the eastern people
to purify virgins who were
to be espoused.
And I anointed —
They were anointed that were to be married
as Ruth 3:3.
Verse 10
[10] I
clothed thee also with broidered work
and shod thee with badgers' skin
and I
girded thee about with fine linen
and I covered thee with silk.
Broidered —
Rich and beautiful needle-work.
Badgers skin —
The eastern people had an art of curiously dressing and colouring the skins of
those beasts
of which they made their neatest shoes
for the richest and
greatest personages.
Verse 11
[11] I
decked thee also with ornaments
and I put bracelets upon thy hands
and a
chain on thy neck.
A chain — Of
gold
in token of honour and authority.
Verse 14
[14] And
thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect
through my comeliness
which I had put upon thee
saith the Lord GOD.
My comeliness —
"That is
thro' the beauty of their holiness
as they were a people
devoted to God. This was it that put a lustre upon all their other honours
and
was indeed the perfection of their beauty. Sanctified souls are truly beautiful
in God's sight
and they themselves may take the comfort of it. But God must
have all the glory for whatever comeliness they have
it is that which God has
put upon them."
Verse 15
[15] But
thou didst trust in thine own beauty
and playedst the harlot because of thy
renown
and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
Playedst the harlot —
Thou didst go a whoring after idols.
Thy renown —
Her renown abroad drew to her idolatrous strangers
who brought their idols
with them.
Pouredst out —
Didst readily prostitute thyself to them; every stranger
who passed thro' thee
might find room for his idol
and idolatry.
He it was —
Thy person was at the command of every adulterer.
Verse 16
[16] And
of thy garments thou didst take
and deckedst thy high places with divers
colours
and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come
neither shall it be so.
Thy garments —
Those costly
royal robes
the very wedding clothes.
High places —
Where the idol was.
With divers colours —
With those beautiful clothes I put upon thee.
The like things — As
there was none before her that had done thus
so shall there be none to follow
her in these things.
Verse 17
[17] Thou
hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver
which I had given
thee
and madest to thyself images of men
and didst commit whoredom with them
Images —
Statues
molten and graven images.
Commit whoredom —
Idolatry
spiritual adultery. And possibly here is an allusion to the rites of
Adonis
or the images of Priapus.
Verse 18
[18] And
tookest thy broidered garments
and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil
and mine incense before them.
Coveredst —
Didst clothe the images thou hadst made.
Set mine oil — In
lamps to burn before them.
Verse 19
[19] My
meat also which I gave thee
fine flour
and oil
and honey
wherewith I fed
thee
thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was
saith the Lord GOD.
For a sweet savour — To
gain the favour of the idol.
Thus it was —
All which is undeniable.
Verse 20
[20]
Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters
whom thou hast borne unto
me
and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy
whoredoms a small matter
And those —
These very children of mine hast thou destroyed.
Sacrificed —
Not only consecrating them to be priests to dumb idols; but even burning them
in sacrifice to Molech.
Devoured —
Consumed to ashes.
Is this —
Were thy whoredoms a small matter
that thou hast proceeded to this unnatural
cruelty?
Verse 21
[21] That
thou hast slain my children
and delivered them to cause them to pass through the
fire for them?
For them —
For the idols.
Verse 24
[24] That
thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place
and hast made thee an high
place in every street.
In every street —
Idol temples were in every street; both in Jerusalem and her cities.
Verse 25
[25] Thou
hast built thy high place at every head of the way
and hast made thy beauty to
be abhorred
and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by
and
multiplied thy whoredoms.
At every head of the way — Not content with what was done in the city
she built her idol temples
in the country
wherever it was likely passengers would come.
Verse 26
[26] Thou
hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours
great of
flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms
to provoke me to anger.
Great of flesh —
Naturally of a big
make
and men of great stature.
Verse 30
[30] How
weak is thine heart
saith the Lord GOD
seeing thou doest all these things
the work of an imperious whorish woman;
How weak —
Unstable
like water.
An imperious woman — A
woman
that knows no superior
nor will be neither guided nor governed.
Verse 31
[31] In
that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way
and makest
thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot
in that thou
scornest hire;
Not as an harlot —
Common harlots make gain of their looseness
and live by that gain; thou dost
worse
thou lavishest out thy credit
wealth
and all
to maintain thine
adulterers.
Verse 34
[34] And
the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms
whereas none
followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward
and no
reward is given unto thee
therefore thou art contrary.
Contrary —
Here we may see
what the nature of men is
when God leaves them to themselves:
yea
tho' they have the greatest advantage
to be better
and to do better.
Verse 38
[38] And
I will judge thee
as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I
will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
Blood —
Thou gavest the blood of thy children to idols in sacrifice; I will give thee
thine own blood to drink.
Verse 42
[42] So
will I make my fury toward thee to rest
and my jealousy shall depart from
thee
and I will be quiet
and will be no more angry.
My jealousy —
The jealousy whereto you have provoked me
will never cease
'till these
judgments have utterly destroyed you
as the anger of an abused husband ceases
in the publick punishment of the adulteress.
No more angry — I
will no more concern myself about thee.
Verse 44
[44]
Behold
every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee
saying
As is the mother
so is her daughter.
The mother —
Old Jerusalem
when the seat of the Jebusites
or the land of Canaan
when full
of the idolatrous
bloody
barbarous nations.
Her daughter — Jerusalem
or the Jews who are more like those accursed nations in sin
than near them in
place of abode.
Verse 45
[45] Thou
art thy mother's daughter
that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou
art the sister of thy sisters
which lothed their husbands and their children:
your mother was an Hittite
and your father an Amorite.
Thou —
The nation of the Jews.
Thy mother's daughter — As much in thy inclinations
as for thy original.
Loatheth —
That was weary of the best husband.
Verse 46
[46] And
thine elder sister is Samaria
she and her daughters that dwell at thy left
hand: and thy younger sister
that dwelleth at thy right hand
is Sodom and her
daughters.
Thine elder sister —
The greater for power
riches
and numbers of people.
Her daughters —
The lesser cities of the kingdom of Israel.
Thy left hand —
Northward as you look toward the east.
Thy younger sister —
Which was smaller and less populous.
Thy right hand —
Southward from Jerusalem.
Verse 47
[47] Yet
hast thou not walked after their ways
nor done after their abominations: but
as if that were a very little thing
thou wast corrupted more than they in all
thy ways.
Not walked after their ways — For they
all things considered
were less sinners than thou.
Nor done —
Their doings were abominable
but thine have been worse.
Verse 49
[49]
Behold
this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom
pride
fulness of bread
and
abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters
neither did she
strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
This was —
The fountain and occasion of all.
Fulness of bread —
Excess in eating and drinking.
Strengthen —
She refused to help strangers.
Verse 51
[51]
Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine
abominations more than they
and hast justified thy sisters in all thine
abominations which thou hast done.
Hast justified —
Not made them righteous
but declared them less unrighteous
than thou; of the
two they are less faulty.
Verse 52
[52] Thou
also
which hast judged thy sisters
bear thine own shame for thy sins that
thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than
thou: yea
be thou confounded also
and bear thy shame
in that thou hast
justified thy sisters.
Hast judged —
Condemned their apostacy
and hast judged their punishment just.
Verse 53
[53] When
I shall bring again their captivity
the captivity of Sodom and her daughters
and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters
then will I bring again the
captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:
When — Sodom
and Samaria never were restored to that state they had been in; nor were the
two tribes ever made so rich
mighty
and renowned
though God brought some of
them out of Babylon: the words confirm an irrecoverably low
and despised
state
of the Jews in their temporals.
Then —
Then
not before.
Verse 54
[54] That
thou mayest bear thine own shame
and mayest be confounded in all that thou
hast done
in that thou art a comfort unto them.
A comfort —
Encouraging sinners like those of Sodom and Samaria.
Verse 56
[56] For
thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride
Not mentioned —
The sins of Sodom
and her plagues
were not minded or mentioned by thee.
Verse 57
[57]
Before thy wickedness was discovered
as at the time of thy reproach of the
daughters of Syria
and all that are round about her
the daughters of the
Philistines
which despise thee round about.
Before —
The time of her pride was
when they were not yet afflicted
and despised by
the Syrians.
And all —
The nations that were round about and combined in league against the house of
David.
Her —
Syria
the chief whereof were the Philistines.
Verse 58
[58] Thou
hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations
saith the LORD.
Thy lewdness —
The punishment thereof.
Verse 59
[59] For
thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done
which
hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.
In breaking the covenant — So will I break my covenant with thee.
Verse 60
[60]
Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth
and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.
Nevertheless —
The Lord having denounced a perpetual punishment to the impenitent body of the
Jewish nation
doth now promise to the remnant
that they shall be remembered
and obtain covenanted mercy.
My covenant — In
which I promised I would not utterly cut off the seed of Israel
nor fail to
send the redeemer
who should turn away iniquity from Jacob.
With thee — In
the loins of Abraham
and solemnly renewed after their coming out of Egypt
which is the time
called the days of thy youth
Isaiah 44:2.
Establish —
Confirm and ratify. It shall be sure
and unfailing.
An everlasting covenant — Of long continuance
as to their condition in the land of Canaan
and in
what is spiritual
it shall be absolutely everlasting.
Verse 61
[61] Then
thou shalt remember thy ways
and be ashamed
when thou shalt receive thy
sisters
thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for
daughters
but not by thy covenant.
Then —
When that new covenant shall take effect.
Receive —
Admit into church-communion
the Gentiles
now strangers
but then sisters.
Thine elder —
Those that are greater and mightier than thou; that by their power
wealth and
honour are as much above thee as the elder children are above the younger.
Thy younger —
Thy lesser or meaner sister.
For daughters — As
daughters hearken to
and obey
so shall the Gentiles brought into the church
hearken to the word of God
which sounded out from Jerusalem.
But not —
Not by that old covenant which was violated; nor by external ceremonies
which
were a great part of the first covenant
but by that covenant which writes the
law in the heart
and puts the fear of God into the inward parts.
Verse 63
[63] That
thou mayest remember
and be confounded
and never open thy mouth any more
because of thy shame
when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast
done
saith the Lord GOD.
Open thy mouth —
Neither to justify thyself
or to condemn others
or to quarrel with thy God.
Because of thy shame — Such a confusion for thy sin will cover thee. Indeed the more we feel of
God's love
the more ashamed we are that ever we offended him. And the more our
shame for sin is increased
the more will our comfort in God be increased also.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Ezekiel》
16 Chapter 16
Verses 1-63
Son of man
cause Jerusalem to know her abominations.
Vile ingratitude
I. Let us consider
our iniquities--I mean those committed since conversion
those committed
yesterday
and the day before
and today--and let us see their sinfulness in
the light of what we were when the Lord first looked upon us.
1. Hath the Lord loved us
though there was nothing in our birth or
parentage to invite regard or merit esteem? Then surely every sin that we
commit now is aggravated by that sovereign choice
that infinite compassion that
doted upon us
though our birth was vile and our origin base.
2. There was everything in our condition that would tend to
destruction
but nothing in us that would tend upwards towards God. There we
were
dying
nay dead
rotten
corrupted
so abominable that it might well be
said
“Bury this dead one out of my sight
” when Jehovah passed by and He said
unto us
“Live.” The recollection of our youthful iniquity crushes us to the
very earth. Yet though sovereign mercy has put all these sins away; though Jove
has covered all these iniquities
and though everlasting kindness has washed
away all this filth
we have gone on to sin. If some of us who are rejoicing in
covenant love and mercy could have a clear view of all the sins we have
committed since conversion
of all the sins we shall commit till we land in
heaven
I question whether our senses might not reel under the terrible
discovery of what base things we are.
3. One thing else appears designed to represent our sins as blacker
still. “Thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in
the day that thou wast born.” Great God! how couldst Thou love that which we
ourselves hated? Oh! ‘tis grace
‘tis grace
‘tis grace indeed! And yet--O ye
heavens
be astonished--yet we have sinned against Him since then
we have
forgotten Him
we have doubted Him
we have grown cold towards Him; we have
loved self at times better than we have loved our Redeemer
and have sacrificed
to our own idols and made gods of our own flesh and self-conceit
instead of
giving Him all the glory and the honour forever and forever.
II. The time when
He began to manifest His love to us personally and individually.
1. He washed us with the water of regeneration
yea
and truly washed
away the stain of our natural sanguinity. Oh
that day
that day of days
as
the days of heaven upon earth
when our eyes looked to Christ and were
lightened
when the burden rolled from off our back! That day we never can
forget
for it always rises to our recollection the moment we begin to speak
about pardon--the day of our own pardon
of our own forgiveness. The galley
slave may forget the time when he escaped from the accursed slave holder’s
grasp
and became a freeman. The culprit who lay shivering beneath the
headsman’s axe may forget the hour when suddenly his pardon was granted and his
life was spared. But if all these should consign to oblivion their surprising
joys
the pardoned soul can never
never
never forget. Unless reason should
lose her seat
the quickened soul can never cease to remember the time when
Jesus said to it
“Live.” Oh! and has Jesus pardoned all our sins and have we
sinned still? Has He washed me
and have I defiled myself again?
2. When He had washed us
according to the ninth verse
He anointed
us with oil. Yes
and that has been repeated many and many a time. “Thou hast
anointed my head with oil.” He gave us the oil of His grace; our faces were
like priests
and we went up to His tabernacle rejoicing. Shall the body that
is the temple of the Holy Ghost be desecrated? Yet that has been the case with
us We have had God within us
and yet we have sinned. O Lord
have mercy upon
Thy people !Now we see our abomination in this clear light
we beseech Thee
pardon it
for Jesus sake!
3. He not only washed us
He not only anointed us with oil
but He
clothed us
and clothed us sumptuously. “Jesus spent His life to work my robe
of righteousness.” His sufferings were so many stitches when He made the
broidered work of my righteousness. What would you think of a king with a crown
on his head going to break the laws of his kingdom? What would you think if a
monarch should invest us with all the insignia of nobility
and we should
afterwards violate the high orders conferred upon us while adorned with the
robes of state? This is just what you and I have done.
4. We have not only received clothing
but ornaments. We cannot be
more glorious; Christ has given the Church so much
she could not have more. He
could not bestow upon her that which is more beautiful
more precious
or more
costly. She has all she can receive. Nevertheless
in the face of all these
we
have sinned against Him.
III. What our sins
really have been. The germs
the vileness
the essence of our own sin
has lain
in this--that we have given to sin and to idols things that belong unto God.
When you pray at a prayer meeting
the devil insinuates the thought
and you
entertain it
“What a fine fellow I am!” You may detect yourself when you are
talking to a friend of some good things God has done
or when you go home and
tell your wife lovingly the tale of your labour
there is a little demon of
pride at the bottom of your heart. You like to take credit to yourself for the
good things you have done. Sometimes a man has another god besides pride. That
god may be his sloth. Have you never detected yourself
when inclined to be
dilatory in spiritual things
leaning on the oar of the covenant
instead of
pulling at it
and saying
“Well
these things are true
but there is no great
need for me to stir myself.” Sometimes it is even worse. God gives to His
people riches
and they offer them before the shrine of their covetousness. He
gives them talent
and they prostitute it to the service of their ambition. He
gives them judgment
and they pander to their own advancement
and seek not the
interest of His kingdom. He gives them influence; that influence they use for
their own aggrandisement
and not for His honour. What is this but parallel to
taking His gold and His jewels
and hanging them upon the neck of Ashtaroth?
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
A charge to city ministers
I. Ezekiel had a
commission to a corrupt city; So have you. Superstition
sensuality
formality
worldliness
were rampant in Jerusalem. But were her sins greater than those of
Manchester
Glasgow
London?
II. Ezekiel’s
commission was to reveal the corrupt city to itself; this is yours.
1. Because the moral corruptions of a city expose the population to
terrible calamities.
2. Because the city itself is ignorant of its moral corruptions.
“They know not what they do.” Poor
miserable
blind
naked
etc. Go and tell
them. Take the torch of the Gospel into their midst
and let it flame down upon
their consciences.
3. Because a revelation of it to itself may lead it now to moral
reformation.
4. Because unless you make this revelation to it no one else can be
expected to do it. Who else will or can do it? Not scientists
legislators
merchants
soldiers. The work is given to you. (Homilist.)
Fearless preaching
It is related of John Wesley that
preaching to an audience of
courtiers and noblemen
he used the “generation of vipers” text
and flung
denunciation right and left. “That sermon should have been preached at
Newgate
” said a displeased courtier to Wesley on passing out. “No
” said the
fearless apostle; “my text there would have been
‘Behold the Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin of the world!’”
Uncomfortable sermons
“I remember one of my parishioners at Halesworth telling me
” says
Whately
“that he thought a person should not go to church to be made
uncomfortable: I replied that I thought so too; but whether it should be the
sermon or the man’s life that should be altered so as to avoid the discomfort
must depend on whether the doctrine was right or wrong.”
Conviction of sin--the preacher’s aim
It is plain dealing that men need. A toyish
flashy sermon is not
the proper medicine for a lethargic
miserable soul
nor fit to break a stony
heart. Heaven and hell should not be talked of in a canting
jingling
and
pedantic strain. A Seneca can tell you that it is a physician that is skilful
and not one that is eloquent
that we need. If he have also fine and neat
expressions
we do not despise them
nor over much value them. It is a cure
that we need
and the means are best
be they never so sharp
that will
accomplish it. If a hardened heart is to be broken
it is not stroking
but
striking that must do it. It is not the sounding brass
the tinkling cymbal
the carnal mind puffed up with superficial knowledge that is the instrument
fitted to the renewing of men’s souls. It is the illuminating beams of sacred
truth communicated from a mind that by faith hath seen the glory of God
and by
experience found that He is good
and living in the love of God; such an one is
fitted to assist you first in the knowledge of yourselves
and then in the
knowledge of God in Christ. (R. Baxter.)
Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite.
Hieroglyphics of truth
I. Man is
essentially religious. Religion in the heart of man is something that pertains
to the land of Canaan. It has not been invented by man
or created in his soul
by human science or culture: it is not a product of education or civilisation.
It is part of man’s nature more truly than the raindrop is part of the cloud
from which it falls
or than the river is part of the sea from which it flows
and to which it returns. It is in the soul as fire is in the flint; as the oak
is in the acorn
or as the day is in the dawn. Religion belongs to the soul
as
hunger and thirst belong to the body. Hunger and thirst may not create bread
any more than the organ of vision can create light
or the organ of hearing
sound; but bread and water
light and sound
would be useless without these organs.
Were it not that man is essentially religious
all our preaching of the Gospel
and all our missionary labours at home and abroad
would be vain. Go with me in
thought
and view the ruins of the temple of Heliopolis on the borders of
Arabia
or the gigantic ruins of Luxor and Thebes on the banks of the Nile
or
those of Baalbeck in the valley between the Lebanons. Whence the origin and
purpose of these ancient temples? These temples
it may be said
were largely
the outcome or expressions of man’s religious beliefs--superstitious beliefs
if you will. But whence the origin of these superstitious beliefs? What was
their root cause? Their root cause was man’s religious nature. The word
superstition means a resting upon
yes
resting upon man’s natural religious
convictions.
II. May by nature
is morally corrupt. “Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite.” The
Amorites and Hittites
though born in the land of Canaan
were aliens to the
commonwealth of Israel
and strangers to the covenants with promise; they were
without God and without hope in the world. This doctrine of human depravity or
moral corruption applies to all races and to men of all ranks. Sin in the soul
is not the result of evil habits
as some suppose
nor the issue of a false
education and corrupting companionship and circumstances. It is not a thing
like cold
which a man may or may not take in certain circumstances
and which
if taken
may develop into consumption or some other disease. No. We are all
horn with it. It is a constitutional malady. Apart from the doctrine of
sin--original sin in the soul; I know not the doctrine of salvation
even in
theory. Apart from the doctrine of man’s natural alienation from God
I know
not the meaning of Christ’s mission to the world. What would be the meaning of
physicians were there no human ailments? or of drugs were there no human
diseases? or of bread and water were there no such things as hunger and thirst?
Without sin in the soul
the Gospel could have no meaning
and the Cross could
have no power.
III. Christianity is
God’s remedy for man’s malady. He who at the beginning said
“Let there be
light
and there was light
” now says to all men “Live.” The description given
in the context of man’s state by nature
speaks of death
moral and spiritual
of orphanage and great feebleness. There is a great amount of life in the
world
and man is not without life. It is called natural life; but natural life
is somewhat as the river Jordan
that ends its flow in the Dead Sea. Human
life
at the best
is as the grass
and its glory as the flower. It does not
last
and its duration is a contradiction of our supreme desires. Death is not
natural to man. Man was not made to die
as some men seem to suppose
but to
live; hence the fear of death makes men subject to bondage. The keynote of
Christianity is life
life that cannot die. “I am come
said Jesus
that ye
might have life
and that ye might have it more abundantly.” To all who hear
and believe the Gospel
God says “Live.” Is there any other religion in all the
world that can be compared with the Christian religion in this respect?
Christianity
as a system of truth
is in harmony with the soundest deductions
of enlightened reason; Christianity
as exhibited in the Person and work of
Jesus Christ
is the complement of the deepest cravings
the strongest desires
and the universal wants of humanity. It makes man great with the “hopes which
cheer the just.” It lifts him as from “the dunghill
and sets him among
princes.” While it fosters the conviction that heaven is needed to complete his
life on earth
it opens the way
and gives him health and power to reach it. It
makes him hopeful
useful
and great. (J. K. Campbell
D. D.)
None eye pitied thee
to do any of these unto thee
to have
compassion upon thee.
--
Ezekiel’s deserted infant
I. A survey of the
misery of man’s estate. The verse presents to us an infant exposed to die. All
the common offices that were necessary for its life and health have been
forgotten.
1. At the very first glance
we remark
here is an early ruin. It is
an infant. A thousand sorrows that one so young should be so deeply taught in
misery’s school! It is an infant; it has not yet tasted joy
but yet it knoweth
pain and sorrow to the full. How early art thou blasted
O sweet flower! From
the very birth we go astray
speaking lies
and in the very birth we lie under
the condemnation of the law of God.
2. The next very apparent teaching of the text is utter inability. It
is an infant--what can it do for itself? Not even clay on the potter’s wheel is
more helpless than this infant as it now lies cast out in the open field. Such
is human nature; it can by no means help towards its own restoration. But
mark
you
and this is a thought that may crush our boastings and make us hang our
head like a bulrush evermore--this inability is our own sin.
3. Apparent
too
is yet a third misfortune--we are utterly
friendless. “None eye pitied thee
to do any of these things unto thee.” We
have no friend in heaven or in earth that can do aught for us
unless God shall
interpose. Weep and lament your kinsfolk may for you
but no lamentation can
make an atonement for your sins
no human tears can cleanse your filthiness
no
Christian zeal can clothe you with righteousness
no yearning love can sanctify
your nature.
4. Furthermore
our text very clearly reveals to us that we are by
nature in a sad state of exposure. Cast out into the open field
left in a wilderness
where it is not likely that any should pass by
thrown where the cold can smite
by night and the heat can blast by day
left where the wild beast goeth about
seeking whom he may devour--such is the estate of human nature: unclothed
unarmed
helpless
exposed to all manner of ravenous destroyers. O Lord God
Thou alone knowest the awful dangers which prowl around an unregenerate man;
what mischiefs waylay him; what crimes beset him; what follies haunt him.
5. It seems that this child
besides being in this exposed state
was
loathsome. “Thou wast cast out to the loathing of thy person.” It was in such a
condition that the sight of it was disgusting
and its person was so destitute
of all comeliness that it was absolutely loathed. Such is man by nature.
6. We close this fearful description by observing the certain ruin to
which this infant was exposed
as setting forth the sure destruction of every
man if grace prevent not.
II. We are now to
search for motives for God’s grace
and we have a very difficult search before
us when we look to this infant which is cast out
because its loathsomeness and
its being covered with its own blood
forbid us at once to hope that there can
be anything in it which can merit the esteem of the merciful One. Let us think
of some of the motives which may urge men to assist the undeserving.
1. One of the first would be
necessity. Not a few are placed in such
a position that they could not well refuse to give their help when it is asked
of them. But no necessity can ever affect the Most High. The first of all
causes must be absolutely independent of every other cause. Who dictateth
counsel to the Most High? Who sits at His bar
and giveth Him advice and
warning
and maketh Him do according to his pleasure? Nor had God any necessity
in order to make Himself happy or to increase His glory.
2. In this case there was nothing in the birth of this child
in its
original parentage
that could move the passer-by. You were conceived in sin
and stained in your very birth
and there is
therefore
nothing here that
could move the heart of Deity.
3. Nor was there anything in this child’s beauty
for it was
loathsome. What can there be in a worm to gratify the Almighty?
4. Furthermore
as we have found no motive yet
either in necessity or
the child’s birth or beauty
so we find none in any entreaties that were
uttered by this child. It doth not seem that it pleaded with the passer-by to
save it
for it could not as yet speak. So
though sinners do pray
yet when a
sinner prays
it is because God has begun to save him.
5. Yet
further
it does not appear that the pity of the passer-by
was shown upon this child because of any future service which was expected of
it. This child
it seems
was nourished
clothed
luxuriously decorated; and yet
after all that
if you read the chapter through
you will find it went astray
from Him who had set His heart upon it. The Lord foresaw this
and yet” loved
that child notwithstanding.
III. But now
consider the mandate of his mercy. “I said unto thee
Live.”
I. This fiat of
God is majestic. He looks
and there lies an infant
loathsome in its blood; He
stops
and He pronounces the word
the royal word “Live.” There speaks a God.
Who but He could venture thus to deal with life and dispense it with a single
syllable? ‘Tis majestic
‘tis Divine!
2. This fiat is manifold.
3. It is an irresistible voice. When God says to a sinner
“Live
”
all the devils in hell cannot keep him in the grave.
4. It is all-sufficient. “Live
” dost Thou say
great God? Why
the
man is dead! There is life--not in him
but in the voice that bids him live.
“Live
” dost Thou say? “By this time he stinketh
for he hath been dead four
days!” There is power--not in his corruption
but in the voice that crieth
“Come forth!”
5. It was a mandate of free grace. I want to lay that down again
and
again
and again
that there was nothing in this infant
nothing but
loathsomeness
nothing therefore to merit esteem; nothing in the infant
but
inability
nothing therefore by which it could help itself; nothing in it but
infancy
nothing therefore by which it could plead for itself
and yet grace
said
“Live”--freely
without any bribe
without any entreaty
said
“Live.”
And so when sinners are saved
it is only and solely because God will do it
to
magnify His free
unpurchased
unsought grace. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The allegory of the foundling child
Though marked by a breadth which offends against modern taste
the
allegory of the foundling child which became the faithless wife is powerful
and
when the details are forgotten and only the general idea kept in mind
even beautiful
as well as true. An outcast infant
exposed in the open field
and weltering in her blood
was seen by the pitying eye of a passer-by. Rescued
and nourished
she grew up to the fairest womanhood
and became the wife of her
benefactor
who heaped on her every gift that could please or elevate. But the
ways into which he led her were too lofty to be understood
and the atmosphere
around too pure for her to breathe; the old inborn nature (her father was an
Amorite and her mother a Hittite) was still there beneath all the refinements
for which it had no taste
and at last it asserted itself in shameless
depravity and insatiable lewdness. (A. B. Davidson
D. D.)
The first step for man’s salvation taken by God
I know some think that the sinner takes the first step
but
we
know better. If he did
it were like the old Romish miracle of St. Dennis
where we are told that after his head was off
he picked it up and walked two
thousand miles with it in his hand. Whereupon
some wit observed that he did
not see any wonder in the man’s walking two thousand miles
for all the
difficulty lay in the first step. Just so
I see no difficulty in a man’s
getting all the way to heaven if he can but take the first step; for all the
miracle lies in that first step--the making the dead soul live
the melting the
adamantine heart
the thawing of the northern ice
the bringing down of the
proud look--this is the work
this is the difficulty; and if man can do that
himself
verily he can do the whole. But when God looketh upon men to save
them
it is not because they cry to Him
for they never do and never will cry
until the work of salvation is begun. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
I said unto thee
. . .Live.
Spiritual life
I. The miracle of
grace performed. As everything in the Bible is a parable to an unregenerate
man
so everything in Christian experience is a miracle wrought by the hand of
God. What! is it not a miracle
to vanquish Satan and take the prey out of his
hands--to “take the prey from the mighty and the captive from the terrible”? Is
it not a miracle to unstop deaf ears? Is it not a miracle to raise the dead
and give them another
a new and deathless life and existence? Jehovah not only
speaks into life at first--speaks it into pre-existence
if I may so express
it--animating
quickening
--and then causing to grow
“that they may have life
and have it more abundantly”; but it is His also to speak life to the soul in
the most exalted sense
consummating it in the life of glory. “Live!” I think
strictly speaking
in the literal sense of the word we can hardly be said to
live till we get to the world of glory. And what some people call dying
I
think is just Jehovah saying to the souls of His people
Live. We have hardly
begun to live yet; here we have much to do with the old Adam nature
much to do
with corruption
much to do with the things that mar our enjoyment and our
life
so that we live at a “poor dying rate”; but
oh! the blessedness of that
moment
when all that is earthly
all that pertains to time
shall be shaken
off
and by one sweet sovereign command--one gracious
kind
paternal
word--Jehovah shall say
Live; and we shall pass from our deathy clay hut to
the world of spirits
and live everlastingly with Himself.
II. An epitome of
spiritual experience. You may have a religion of education--and yet none of
God; you may have a religion of natural feeling
natural passions--and yet none
of God; you may have a religion of alarm
and be terribly frightened about
going to hell--but none of God; you may have a religion of supposed joy
natural passions moved and somewhat inflamed
which perhaps may be exhibited in
the style of the book you read or the eloquence you listen to--and yet none of
God. All these will leave you deficient. Nothing will do but a spiritual
existence. The man of the world has a natural existence
a mental existence
a
rational existence
which makes him differ from the brute creation; but a real
Christian has
in addition to this
spiritual existence
a heavenly life--the
persons and perfections of Deity dwelling in His soul--a new creation--another
a holy
a sinless principle--the life of God--called the participation of the
Divine nature. A worldling may appear like a Christian among Christians; but
let him loose
and his whole heart is in the world immediately. A Christian may
have to mix with the men of the world in worldly business; but let him loose
and you see in a moment that his soul has a spiritual being. This spiritual existence
is the epitome of godliness. It is communicated by a word from the throne--by a
touch of Jehovah’s hand
by the voice of Christ
by the whisper of the Spirit.
Moreover
it is immortal. I pass on
just to notice that this spiritual
existence is known by the spiritual negotiations it keeps up. If I have nothing
to do for God
the devil will be sure to find me something to do for him. The
very nature of life is to be active. If it be animal life
it must try to move
and walk and run; if it be mental life
it must find some object to pursue
something to hear or read
something to call it forth. So with spiritual life;
it must have its activity called forth into exercise.
III. The testimony
of Divine prerogative. Jehovah says
“Live.” I hear nothing in this of “I will
if he will”; I see nothing of proposal
nothing of overture
nothing of an
offer
nothing of a condition in all this. I know there are not a few who would
have us deal with mankind
treat with sinners
as if they had a power--as if
they had a capacity for spiritual things--as if they had a spiritual work to
perform. I confess I have little heart--I have no heart at all for this
because I never saw an instance of its success. Find me one instance in which a
sinner ever began to inquire after Christ
or knew anything about a spiritual
emotion
until God had said
“Live.” I will yield the point. The Son of God
took this prerogative upon Himself
when
tabernacling in the likeness of
sinful flesh
He went up to the widow’s son as they carried him out of the city
of Nain
touched the bier
and called the young man to life again; to the no
small comfort of his mother. He pursued the same course
and assumed the same
prerogative
when Lazarus had lain four days in the grave. And to this hour the
same prerogative is exercised by the Son of God
as well as by the Father.
Moreover
of the Holy Ghost it is said
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth.” So
that Father
Son
and Holy Ghost are concerned in the resurrection of the
sinner
as well as (as we showed the other morning) in the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus Christ. One thing more I just invite your attention to: while our
covenant God exercises His sovereignty in calling sinners out of darkness into
light and the dead into life
what a revenue of praise belongs to His holy
name! (J. Irons.)
The life of souls the ordinance of God
How manifold
how great
are the works of our God! How curious
various
and vast are the forms of dead matter! Think of earths
stones
metals
waters
clouds
and all the same matter combined
modified in endless
variety. Ascend one step higher
and think of the organised matter which
constitutes the living verdure of our world. Ascend another step
and survey
for a moment the countless tribes of beings animate. Who can number the birds
that fill the air
to say nothing of insects? Think of the cattle of our home
fields
the game of our woods
and the wild beasts of far-off deserts and
forests
to say nothing of reptiles. Think too of the vaster seas and of the
innumerable fishes
from the whale to animalcule. We lift our eyes to the
heavens
and our earth
huge as it is
and much as it contains
is but as a
particle of dust
or as a drop filling a bucket. Shoals of planets greater than
ours are over our heads
and even suns stand crowded there as thick as forest
leaves. What a universe! What a God is ours! But how instructive is the
relation between man and the all things of God! Man has an eye to look abroad
upon all
and to read all
and he has a spirit to conceive and adore the God
who is over all. Indeed
the all things of our God are only the ladder which
aids man to climb to the feet of God. When I think that man is not only
elevated to bow with the ranks of prostrate angels at the feet of their God
but that he is the immediate minister of the high and lofty One
that the God
of eternity is literally achieving His grandest purposes by the agency of man
I am struck dumb with amazement!
I. What
then
is
our office? Interesting
most animating
as it would be to be the instrumental
cause of awakening nature into new life and beauty
it is less animating than
our real work. Sublime as it would be to go forth awakening the dead
it is
less sublime than the actual ministry committed to us. But our work is so old
that we forget its grandeur. So the grandeur of the universe is slighted
because suns and moons and stars are stale things
and
as stale things
are
sure to be deserted for the sake of a few fireworks. The greatest change in
nature--that from mid-winter to mid-summer
is but a physical change
a change
in the mode of matter. Matter is therefore the agent which effects this; sun
rain
and dew are the servants of God in this work. And to call forth the
bodies of men from their graves is a work very inferior to that of awakening
souls to the life of God. “The former work has no glory by reason of the glory
which excelleth.” If our office is an office in relation to souls
then we have
to do with the highest of all forms of existence. The souls of our world are
desolate and dead as winter: it is the will of God that a springtime should be
brought out in their history
that they should become verdant and flourishing
as the garden of the Lord. Piety is ever-living verdure
and the graces of
piety are never-withering flowers. Instrumentally to call forth these from
human souls is the ministry committed to our hands. In a word
our ministry is
a ministry of life to the dead--not to dead matter
nor to dead bodies
but to
souls dead in sin.
II. There are souls
dead!
1. Men are ignorant of the nature of their souls. Truly they know not
what souls are
or they would perceive at once that there is no adaptation
between money and souls
between sensual pleasures and souls and they would be
at least uneasy that there is nothing in the wide world suited to enrich and
bless the soul. Then
if souls know not their own nature
it is not too strong
a figure to speak of them as dead.
2. The souls of men are not fulfilling the end of their being. Their
affections are not excited; their powers are not developed; their energies are
not devoted to truth
to excellence; their thoughts do not soar away in
contemplation of the infinite and the eternal; their affections do not embrace
the God of love; eternity is before them
but they are making no preparation;
they are laying no foundation for the time to come.
3. The souls of men are strangers to the peculiar joys of their
being. Every distinct order of creatures has its peculiar pleasures: insects
have their pleasures
birds have their pleasures
the cattle of the field have
their pleasures
and souls have their pleasures; but of all these creatures the
souls of men only are alienated from
and indifferent to
their own peculiar
delights. The difference between the joys of angelic minds and those of human
minds consists in this
that angels are in the full and constant fruition of
the proper bliss of souls; but human souls are cut off from it
if dead to this
bliss; so that
without inconsistency or exaggeration
we may speak of the
state of human souls under the figure of death
and of their conversion to God
as a passing from death unto life. And the peculiar characteristic of the
Gospel is
that it is a ministration of life to souls
immortal souls dead in
sin.
III. As the servants
of the Gospel
the cry of our ministry is
live! O souls! as servants of our
God and your God
our business is with you. If you carry on no commerce with
your Maker
if your thoughts and affections rise not to contemplate and embrace
things hidden and Divine
you are strangers to the high and joyous life of
souls. In your bodies there may be life
but in your souls there is death
which will become eternal death unless it be soon plucked out of your spirits.
By the will of God the ministry of life is now in exercise in your presence
the design of which is to abolish death
to exterminate death’s empire without
you
and to plant in its room the principles of life and immortality. But how
are we to exercise this ministry? Our text cries
Live! Are we then to
reiterate the cry
Live! Live! to the dying souls who may be within the sound
of our voice? No; but we are to employ those means which God has instituted for
the very purpose of awakening within you a life unto God. This is our ministry.
We are charged by God to call upon you to repent
to sue for mercy
and
solemnly declare to you that not to repent is to perish. We are to tell you
that He who knew no sin died for your sins
and that
therefore
life
eternal
life
is offered to you through His death. (J. Pulsford
D. D.)
Yea
I sware unto thee
and entered into a covenant with thee
saith the Lord God
and thou becamest Mine.
Two immutable
things
Biographies are generally interesting
if they are biographies;
that is to say
if the events of the person’s life are truly told; but the most
interesting biography to any man is his own life. Turn over the pages of the
book of memory
and think of those first times when you sought and found the
Saviour
when you repented
when you believed
when you yielded yourself up to
Jesus
when He took you to be His
and you took Him to be yours. I am sure that
this exercise will awaken many happy thoughts
and I feel equally certain that
it will suggest many regrets; but the happiness will be good for you if it
excites your gratitude
and the regrets will be good for you if they deepen
your penitence. Beloved
tim time of our conversion
the time when we joyously
realised that we were saved
was a covenanting time. It is a somewhat singular
thing that
in this chapter
God does not say anything about Israel’s part of
the covenant; He seems to pass that over as though it were never worth
mentioning. So
at this time
I shall not say much about the covenant that you
made with God; do not forget it
and do not forget that you have often
forgotten it.
I. It was a
covenant freely made.
1. It was a covenant which He made at His own suggestion
out of the
greatness of His own love; for the nation of Israel
of which He speaks
had
nothing in its pedigree to suggest it. There are some who do not believe in the
depravity of human nature. I must believe in it if I am myself a fair specimen
of human nature; and every man who has watched his own heart
and has any idea
of the sin which dwells within him
will know that his origin is tainted
that
from the very first there is a tendency to evil
and only evil; and
therefore
that there is nothing in him as to his birth that can command or deserve the
favour of God.
2. There was nothing in our condition to commend it. This poor child
had never been washed or clothed--it was left in all its filthiness to die;
there was nothing about it to commend it to the attention of the passer-by. And
what were we by nature?
3. It was also a covenant freely made because there was
nothing in our beauty to warrant it. Whatever there was there
was undeveloped
and
worse still
unclean. And in that day when Jesus took us to Himself
and
we took Him to be our Saviour
there was nothing as yet apparent of that which
His grace has now wrought in us; it was totally absent then.
II. It was a
covenant entirely of love.
1. Taking our text in its connection
we learn that this covenant was
a marriage covenant.
2. That it was a covenant which was meant to be entirely of love is
proved by the way in which it was carried out (Ezekiel 16:9-13). This is a covenant all
of love
for these are all love-tokens
love-gifts to the beloved one. Now
will you go back in thought
and recollect when you used to receive those gifts
from the Lord?
3. It must be a covenant all of love which God has made with such
creatures as we are
because it could bring the Lord no profit.
III. It was a most
sure covenant: “I sware unto thee
and entered into a covenant with thee.”
1. The covenant which God makes with believers is intended to remain
forever. It is not something which may be broken in a few hours
like a child’s
toys; it is an everlasting covenant (Ezekiel 16:60).
2. In proof that He intended it to remain
He ratified it by an oath.
3. To make a covenant even surer than by an oath
men were accustomed
to seal it by a sacrifice. Now
beloved
you who believe have the precious
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
to confirm the covenant of grace.
4. I would have you notice
in our text
that the covenant is
remembered by God. It is He who Says
“I sware unto thee
and entered into a
covenant with thee.”
5. Yet once more
this covenant will be remembered by Him forever (Ezekiel 16:60; Ezekiel 16:62).
IV. This covenant
involves very gracious consequences. “Thou becamest Mine.”
1. If God has entered into covenant with us
we have become the
Lord’s. Whose were you before? The world’s? Your own? The devil’s? Well
we
will not dispute with the many claimants; but now you can say
“O Lord our God
other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we
make mention of Thy name.”
2. Now
we ought to be the Lord’s more and more.
3. If that be our feeling
it will lead us practically to renew the
bond of the covenant.
4. And you who have never done so
may you come to Jesus this very
moment! Your only hope lies in Him. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
God’s covenant with the reclaimed soul
In Canada they build palaces of ice in the winter time
and very
beautiful things they are; but then
when spring comes where are those palaces?
And in summer
the very foundation upon which they were built has melted back
into the St. Lawrence. God does not make with His believing people covenants
like those ice palaces; His covenant stands secure
though earth’s old columns
bow. If God has promised to save thee
--as He has done if thou believest in
Jesus
--He will save thee in the teeth of death and hell. Rest thou sure of
this
and say with David
“He hath made with me an everlasting covenant
ordered in all things and sure.” Here is something to rest upon: “I sware unto
thee
and entered into a covenant with thee.” He intended it to remain. (C.
H. Spurgeon.)
The moment of being possessed by Christ
“Thou becamest Mine.” Do you recollect the spot--perhaps it was
your own little room--where
as a youth
you sat after having long prayed and
wept? And at last you felt that Jesus was yours; and you sat still
and you
said to yourself “Yes
I am His
every bit of me. He has bought me with His
blood
I am His.” Do you remember those first few days in which you felt half
afraid to do anything lest you should grieve that dear Lover of your soul? Then
you wanted to do everything that you might please Him whose servant you had
become. I remember a verse of Scripture which
as a young believer
I used
often to repeat; for it was very dear to me. I daresay you love it too; it is
this: “Bind the sacrifice with cords
even unto the horns of the altar.” We did
feel then that we were wholly Christ’s; do we feel it as much now? “Thou
becamest Mine.” To come back to the marriage covenant of which the Lord
speaks
--when the husband put the ring upon his bride’s finger
he said to her
“Thou hast become mine.” Do you remember when you felt upon your finger the
ring of infinite
everlasting
covenant love that Christ put there. “Thou
becamest Mine.” Oh
it was a joyful day
a blessed day! Happy day
happy day
when His choice was known to me
and fixed my choice on Him! (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
Owned by God
It is a great privilege not to be one’s own. A vessel is drifting
on the Atlantic hither and thither
and its end no man knoweth. It is derelict
deserted by all its crew; it is the property of no man; it is the prey of every
storm and the sport of every wind; rocks
quicksands
and shoals wait to
destroy it; the ocean yearns to engulf it. It drifts onward to no man’s land
and no man will mourn its shipwreck. But mark well yonder bark of the Thames
which its owner surveys with pleasure. In its attempt to reach the sea it may
run ashore
or come into collision with other vessels
or in a thousand ways
suffer damage; but there is no fear
it will pass through the floating forest
of “the Pool”; it will thread the winding channel and reach the Nore
because
the owner will secure it pilotage
skilful and apt. How thankful you and I
should be that we are not derelict today! We are not our own
not left on the
wild “waste of chance to be tossed to and fro by fortuitous circumstances
but
there is a Hand upon the helm; we have on board a Pilot who owns us
and will
surely steer us into the Fair Heavens of eternal rest. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The adornments of Christ’s Church
It was observed of Queen Elizabeth (as of her father before her)
that she loved to go very richly arrayed. Her sister Queen Mary had
at her
coronation
her head so laden with:jewels that she could hardly hold it up.
King Richard II had one coat of gold and stone valued at 30
000 marks. This was
much
but nothing to the Church’s beauty and bravery
which yet was all but
borrowed
as is said in the next verse. (J. Trapp.)
How to obtain Christ’s beauty
God’s beauty which He puts upon His people is His own moral
loveliness. This attribute of Divine goodness
while enshrined in the teaching
of the Word of God
is most effectively seen in the person of the Lord Jesus.
It is from Him we catch it
if at all. As the sun imprints the image upon the
sensitive plate in the camera when it is exposed to it
so Christ’s beauty is
put upon us if we are exposed to Him by a life of communion. We do not
however
own Christ’s beauty merely passively
there must be a constant
deliberate imitation of His holy example. “I must go home and deepen the colouring
of my infant Hercules
” exclaimed Sir Joshua Reynolds after gazing on the
beautiful sunburnt face of a peasant boy. Frequent communings with Christ make
one dissatisfied with his poor copying of so beautiful a character. “I must be
more Christlike” must be the great resolve as we go forth from His presence if
we would own Christ’s beauty. (Charles Deal.)
The transformation grace works
John Ruskin was one day walking along the streets of London. The
weather had been very wet
and the mud was plentiful and most sticky. The
thought occurred to him that he would have the mud analysed to find out exactly
the inorganic elements in it. This was accordingly done
and the London mud was
found to consist of sand
clay
soot
and water. Musing upon that fact
it struck
him that these are the very substances from which our precious jewels and gems
are formed. From the sand or silica come the onyx
chrysolite
agate
beryl
cornelian
chalcedony
jasper
sardine
amethyst; from the clay come the
sapphire
ruby
emerald
topaz; and from the soot is formed the diamond. London
mud composed of priceless jewels! Man cannot transform the mud into those
glittering points of light
but God transforms and recreates the mud of
depraved humanity into the glory of redeemed and beautiful souls. (John
Robertson.)
I clothed thee also with broidered work.
The clothing of God’s people
See with what matchless generosity the Lord provides for His
people’s apparel.
1. They are so arrayed that the Divine skill is seen producing an
unrivalled broidered work
in which every attribute takes its part and every
Divine beauty is revealed. No art like the art displayed in our salvation
no cunning
workmanship like that beheld in the righteousness of the saints. Justification
has engrossed learned pens in all ages of the Church
and will be the theme of
admiration in eternity. God has indeed “curiously wrought it.”
2. With all this elaboration there is mingled utility and durability
comparable to our being shod with badgers’ skins. The animal here meant is
unknown
but its skin covered the tabernacle
and formed one of the finest and
strongest leathers known. The righteousness which is of God by faith endureth
forever
and he who is shod with this Divine preparation will tread the desert
safely
and may even set his foot upon the lion and the adder.
3. Purity and dignity of our holy vesture are brought out in the fine
linen. When the Lord sanctifies His people
they are clad as priests in pure
white; not the snow itself excels them; they are in the eyes of men and angels
fair to look upon
and even in the Lord’s eves they are without spot.
4. Meanwhile the royal apparel is delicate and rich as silk! No
expense is spared
no beauty withheld
no daintiness denied.
5. Surely there is gratitude to be felt and joy to be expressed.
Come
my heart
refuse not thy evening hallelujah! Tune thy pipes! Touch thy
chords! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Thou hast also taken thy fair Jewels of My gold.
The degrading nature of sin
Manton says
“If you saw a man labouring in filthy ditches
and
soiling himself as poor men do
would you believe that he was heir-apparent to
a crown
called to inherit a kingdom? Who will believe in your heavenly calling
when you stick in the mud of worldly pleasures
and are carried away with
carking care for secular interests?” Princes should behave as princes. Their
haunts should be in palaces
and not amid dung heaps. How
then
is it that
some who profess and call themselves Christians are found raking in
questionable amusements to discover pleasure
and many others groping amid
sordid avarice to find satisfaction in wealth? What are they at to be thus
disgracing the blood royal? How dare they drag the name of the “Blessed and
only Potentate” through the mire? A prince of the blood acting as a beggar
would dishonour not only himself but all the royal house. Nobility has
obligations. Grace
which is the eminent nobility of saints
lays them under
heavy bonds to act as the true aristocracy of the universe. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
God ill requited for all His love
I remember William Huntingdon says in his autobiography that one
of the sharpest sensations of pain that he felt after he had been quickened by
Divine grace was this
“He felt such pity for God.” I do not know that I ever
met with the expression elsewhere
but it is a very expressive one; although I
might prefer to say sympathy with God
and grief that He should be so
ill-treated. Many a man has been slandered and abused
but never was man abused
as God has been. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
I have stretched out My hand over thee
and have diminished thine
ordinary food
and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee.
The tyranny of Satan
To be “delivered unto the will of them that hate us”--this seems
given as amongst the most oppressive of calamities--the judgment which God
after having long striven with the unrighteousness of a nation
selects from
the stores of His retributive appointments. Suppose one person knew another to
be his rancorous enemy
bent on doing him every kind of injury
and causing him
every kind of pain; it may be that this enemy had left the kingdom and gone to
foreign parts
so that it did not seem likely that he would again cross the
path of the object of his bitter dislike. But the individual himself may be
called to quit his home
and navigate distant seas; and he himself
falling
amongst pirates
may find that
though life is spared
liberty is gone
and
that he is to be sold as a slave on reaching the land. Who can tell the anguish
of his soul? The endearing recollections of his native shores crowd thickly
upon him; and he thinks that not only shall he never again meet the friends of
his youth
but that he shall drag out the remainder of his days in subjection
to some tyrant whose delight will be to torment. Yet perhaps not so! It is a
galling thing that he--a freeborn man--should stand in the slave market
exposed for sale like a mere beast of burden; but it may be that
through this
degradation
he shall recover all that he has lost. He therefore waits with
trembling eagerness to know who his purchaser shall be. On a sudden his eye
rests on his ancient enemy; he cannot be mistaken. He knows that form; it will
not allow him to doubt. Oh! that he might hide himself! But in vain! His foe
has purchased him; he has paid down the demanded price. Tell me! did the man
till this moment feel himself utterly wretched? Now
the case would be much the
same with a community or nation as with the individual. If a nation must yield
to a foreign power
it would desire that it might not be to a power by which it
had always been held in dislike
and with which it had often been at war. The
galling thing would be
not merely that we were subdued
but that we were
subdued by those to whom we knew ourselves to be objects of inveterate hatred
and who cherished against us deep-rooted antipathy. Now
whilst these may be
thoroughly accurate illustrations of our text
they are not those which cause
the passage to be surveyed under its most instructive aspects. The text
when
separated from its local and temporary application
may justly be considered as
describing the state to which the human race was reduced when
by the first
rebellion against God
it severed the links which had heretofore associated the
Creator and the creature. We all admit that through the apostasy of Adam
Satan
acquired a dominion over the globe which he never could have held had our first
parents remained firm in their allegiance
He became
in the language of St.
Paul
“The God of this world.” If it were to be said of the Jews that God
“delivered them unto the will of them that hated them
” it is easy to be said
of man in general that God surrendered him to the hands of the devil. Though
never let it be for a moment forgotten that whilst He thus allowed judgment to
fall on sin
and caused the disobedient to “eat of the fruit of their own
ways
” He was providing for the emancipation of our race--arranging that His
blessed Son should be “manifested” for the express purpose of “destroying the
works of the devil.” And you are yet to be told the worst feature in this our
natural condition. Not only are we slaves
but they that “hate” us are they
that rule over us. There can be nothing darker
if we may judge from the
scattered touches of Scripture
than the character of apostate angels. Fallen
from the very summit of created glory
their debasement seems to bear
proportion with their original eminence; and they move to and fro burning with
the fiercest animosity against God
and eager for nothing but to drag down
others to share their sufferings and their shame. It may have been that it was
hatred to man which first moved Satan to attempt his destruction. That haughty
spirit
chafed by his defeat
and furious at his own exile from happiness
could not endure to look on the purities and felicities of Paradise. Man was
innocent
and that made him hateful; man was happy
and he was therefore
instinctively detested. And if we may speak of man as an object of hatred to
Satan whilst he held fast his allegiance
what may we suppose him now--now
that
seduced into apostasy
he hath been rescued by the interference of “God
manifest in the flesh”? Was the lofty angel to be passed by and this inferior
being taken note of? And was it to be the result of Satan’s machinations
against the inmates of Paradise that a richer than that rich garden was to open
to them all its loveliness
and a deeper than the happiness they then enjoyed
be placed within reach as their everlasting portion? This surely were sufficient
to account for a hatred the most intense and inveterate on the part of the
devil toward man! Again
Satan must hate man
so that whosoever is the servant
of this chief of fallen angels is accurately in the condition described in our
text; and every one of you is that servant
on whom there has not passed the
great moral change of conversion. Oh! that we could bring all that imagery
which was furnished by the slave market
or the horrors of an invasion
and
force those who are yet indifferent to religion to recognise in it a
delineation of themselves! He who really feels that the devil is both his
master and his enemy is not far from embracing Christ as his Redeemer and his
friend. But it in no degree alters the fact of your being ruled by one who hates
you that you are blind to your condition
and not even conscious of being ruled
at all: it does but make that condition all the worse. Why
suppose that when
the inveterate enemy has entered the slave market
and possessed himself of the
wretched being who actually quails before his look;--suppose he should speak
soothingly to his victim
easing his chains as he leads him away
promising him
abundance and enjoyment
and all because he knows a generous friend of the poor
captive is waiting on the road
and will be attracted by a cry of disquietude
or a shriek of distress;--suppose this
and you suppose precisely the policy of
Satan
who
if he can only prevent a man from feeling that uneasiness which
would prompt an appeal to the Saviour
is quite content to defer the season for
giving swing to all his malice and wreaking all his vengeance. But that season
will come. It is little
it is nothing to say that imagination is utterly
incompetent to the giving to such season its due measure of horror. We pretend
not to lift the veil which shrouds from human gaze the future
with its direful
retribution. But we may venture to say that in the brief description of our
text is condensed whatever tongue can express
or thought compass
of the
wretchedness which must be the portion of the lost. We do not attempt to carry
the description further; we have adventured thus far only in hopes that the
terrors of the future may scare some of those who
if they were this instant to
die
must have these terrors for their own. Why shrink ye from our picture of
the man sold to be a slave--a slave to his bitter enemy
who has long sought
opportunity of indulging all the vengeance of a fierce and implacable nature?
Wherefore are ye moved by this imagined wretchedness? Wherefore is the cheek
pale
and wherefore the blood cold
as you fancy that you hear the clanking
chain and the stifled cry
and behold the oppressor grinding down the captive?
Wherefore is it? Because there is a consciousness which you cannot repress
of
being in the power of one who hates you. This is supreme misery in itself
and
such a finishing stroke to all others as leaves nothing for imagination to add.
It is
indeed
to one who hates you that you are making yourselves slaves in
following the course which the God of this world prescribes to the children of
disobedience. That the devil hates you witness what he has already done to make
mankind wretched. Witness a devastated earth; witness every grave; witness
every tear. He was a murderer from the beginning; and to his foul machinations
we owe all our woe. Oh! shall it then be that you will so live that
when you
come to die
there will remain nothing but that you go down to the prison house
of woe
to experience all the terribleness of the saying--a saying from which
the most hardened amongst you instinctivley recoils when it is exhibited as
brought to pass on earth;--the saying that when God has a vast vengeance to
inflict
and a vast retribution to exact
He appoints for the
guilty--what:--that they be “delivered unto the evil of them that hate them?” (H.
Melvill
B. D.)
How weak is thine heart
saith the Lord God
seeing thou doest all
these things.
The weak place
Three great errors of the day will stand corrected if due
attention be paid to our text.
I. That a man’s
life may be irregular and yet the man’s heart be good. Here is a man who has
little or no sense of practical honesty. He thinks the very least of getting
into debt without the slightest probability of ever being able to discharge his
liabilities. He lives in a superior house
lives in luxury
his family dress
well
give entertainments
etc. But they never trouble about paying anybody;
they will fail and begin over again
that they may do the same trick. Now
people will say of such an one: “Yes
he is sadly wanting in prudence
in
discretion
in management; but really
he is as generous
good-hearted a fellow
as ever lived.” But
in fact
he is nothing of the sort. Content to feed on the
fruits of others’ industry
he is essentially false and cruel. Another of these
good-hearted fellows is the man who won’t work. People say of him
“What a
pity! He has a fine disposition
he ought to have been born a gentleman.” The
fact is
he has made a blackguard of himself
whatever he was born; he has not
a fine disposition
but
a base disposition; he lacks all that independence
self-reliance
courage which are the very essence of noble character. Another
of these deceivers is the specious fellow
wanting in social purity and honour.
People will speak regretfully of the escapades
the gallantries
the scandals
of what are termed the gay Lotharios; but these scoundrels are chided as if
their infidelities and libertinism were simply on the surface
and
despite
their licence
they are reckoned as honest
kind men of the world. Not so. Such
men are profoundly selfish
cowardly
bloodguilty. Or take many intemperate
men. People say: “Fine fellow; only
his own enemy.” But that will not do.
Breaking the heart of his friends
killing his wife
reducing his family to
shame and wretchedness
he is altogether destitute of the qualities of
honourable men. Evil conduct may assume the aspect of innocence
gaiety
greatness
but analyse it and it shall be seen to be mean
base
low
cowardly
ignoble. How weak
corrupt
vile is thine heart
seeing thou doest all these
things.
II. That a man’s
life may be irregular and yet the man’s heart be strong. This is the second
error to be corrected by our text. There is really weakness in all sin
most
pitiful weakness no matter how cunningly it may simulate strength. Take a
passionate man. He feels strong
he looks strong
his language is strong; but
in truth he is weakness itself. No matter how in his wrath he affects the god
he is the mere sport of the wind. The very word “passion” signifies the
passivity of the man--not that he is the actor
but that he is being acted
upon. The calm
patient man is the strong man. Take the ambitious man. He seems
strong-natured
strong-willed
but real strength is wanting. A man like
Napoleon seems a very incarnation of strength
but the fretfulness displayed by
him on the rock of exile betrayed his essential weakness. Take a discontented
man. People are ready to think that the complainings of such are signs of a
large
powerful genius which frets at narrow conditions; but it is not so.
Emerson says: “Discontent is the infirmity of the will.” And this view is fully
borne out by Paul: “I have learned
in whatsoever state I am
therewith to be
content . . . I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Contentment is a question of strength. Take a selfish man. He is restless
daring
aggressive
assertive
grasping
and may easily be accounted a man of
superior force; but one of the greatest preachers of our age has just shown us
that the mightiest of all energies is the energy of unselfishness. Take a man
of great animal appetites and indulgences. He thinks himself a bold
strong
man
and many are disposed to think this type manly; but that is not the view
of the prophet: “How effeminate is thine heart
seeing thou doest all these
things.” Carlyle says truly: “Crabbedness
pride
obstinacy
affectation are at
bottom want of strength.” The revelation of divinest strength lies in
overcoming wickedness
and he who is overcome by wickedness is in soul
dyspeptic
paralysed
crippled
impotent.
III. That a man’s
life may be irregular and yet the man’s heart be neutral. The third error
corrected by the text. Without saying
perhaps
that a man who leads a bad life
has a noble heart
or a strong one
many are prepared today to say that the
man’s heart has nothing to do with his conduct whatever. The fault is not in
the thoughts
affections
will
at all. The source of man’s conduct is boldly
affirmed to be his organisation; the man has an inborn character from which he
cannot escape
his general constitution determines his personal conduct. And
the circumstances of the man complete the ring of necessity in which he moves.
Now
in opposition to this
the text declares the heart to be originative
the
prime source of mischief. The conduct of Israel in entering into alliances with
Egypt and Babylon and Nineveh is not condoned on the ground of Israel occupying
a peculiar geographical situation
which rendered such alliances politic and
necessary in the view of worldly wisdom; nothing is said of the peculiar
geographical position
but the conduct of Israel is referred at once to their
lack of true faith
of noble will
of inward loyalty to their covenant-keeping
God. So today God does not excuse our bad conduct on the grounds of the nature
we inherit
or the events which influence us
but He attributes to the
individual a full
solemn responsibility. It is false; we are not waifs and
strays
the sport of winds and currents: we are ocean steamers throbbing with a
mysterious independent energy; we can set winds and waves at defiance
we know
in which direction lies our path
we can turn the helm whithersoever we list
and
if we make shipwreck we are not blameless
as an empty bottle driven on this
shore or that
but we are found guilty and condemned by God and man as men at
the wheel are found disobedient
as captains are found asleep
as pilots are
found drunk or presumptuous. The great need then is the renewal of the human
heart. Society needs regeneration before it will permit any considerable
reconstruction. Seek in the Church to strengthen the conscience
to purify the
life--that is our first grand work. And as to the individual
the defects of
our life must be cured in the defects of our spirit. (W. L. Watkinson.)
Half-hearted men
A half-and-half man
a half-and-half creed
will never meet with
violent opposition or enmity from the world. Even what might be called a three-quarters
man will escape without very much harm. It is the out-and-out Christian
and
the out-and-out creed that the world hates. Making compromises is an old trade
of Satan’s. It is one at which he shows consummate skill; he is wilting to be
large and liberal; he will concede far more than at first sight anyone would
suppose; in fact
he will go so far as to say
You may be nine-tenths Christ’s
if only as regards the remaining tenth you will agree to be mine. The man of
God must nail his colours to the mast
and not listen even for a moment to any
terms upon which those colours are to be struck. (P. B. Power.)
Pride
fulness of head
and abundance of idleness.
The conflict in a luxurious age
1. We must be on our guard against the suggestions of pride and
self-complacency
by endeavouring to form as humble an estimate as possible of
our own powers and works. We cannot better the world but by bettering
ourselves. We cannot put down the pride of the generation in which we live
but
we can mortify our own.
2. In regard of that danger which arises to the soul from living in
plenty and abundance
we can regulate ourselves in our use of meats and drinks and
personal indulgence
practising at certain times a holy moderation and
abstinence
that we be not overcome of such delights. And as a safeguard to
ourselves in this matter
let us remember the poor. It may be said that in our
nation no sooner is a case of real suffering made public than contributions
flow in on all sides; and yet do our public prints reveal
almost daily
abuses
of the very law by which we provide for poor and indigent persons
which ought
to bring to our remembrance more keenly than it does that cumulative sin of
Sodom and her daughters
“Neither did she strengthen the hands of the poor and
needy.”
3. In regard of the disposition to abundance of idleness
which is
increasing
I believe
daily
to which all the incidents of our national prosperity
minister
and which must in the end issue in the disturbance of our
tranquillity
it is not that you here can do anything to stem that torrent of
self-indulgence which is flowing in upon us
especially in the lowest orders
whose tastes are the coarsest
and whose wills through ignorance are the most
perverse; but you can resist the tendency to it in yourselves; you can endure
this hardness at least
of girding up your loins to do the work which God has
appointed for you in the world
as men who believe that it is their duty
required of them by the laws of true religion and sound morality. (T. L.
Claughton
M. A.)
The bread of idleness demoralising
Honest work is the best employment for fallen man; and the bread
of idleness breeds trouble in those that eat it. This is often illustrated in
the luxuriant affluence of tropical vegetation. “Mr. Dilke believes that the
banana plant is one of the greatest curses of tropical countries
because it
will support life with no labour. It grows as a weed
and hangs down its
bunches of ripe tempting fruit into your lap as you lie in its cool shade. The
terrible results of the plentiful possession of this tree are seen in Ceylon
at Panama
in the coast lands of Mexico
and at Auckland in New Zealand. At
Pitcairn’s island the plantain grove has beaten the missionary from the field;
there is much lip Christianity
but no practice to be got from a people who
possess the fatal plant. The much-abused cocoanut cannot come near it as a
devil’s agent.” Such are the results of eating the bread of idleness. (R. A.
Bertram.)
Idle and aimless living
Some time ago I read in a paper of a gentleman being brought up
before the magistrate. What was the charge against him? “Nothing very serious
”
you will say. He was found wandering in the fields. He was asked where he was
going
and he said he was not going anywhere. He was asked where he came from
and he said he did not know. They asked him where his home was
and he said he
had none. They brought him up for wandering as what? a dangerous lunatic. The
man who has no aim or object in life
but just wanders about anywhere or
nowhere
acts like a dangerous lunatic
and assuredly he is not morally sane.
What! Am I aiming at nothing? Have I all this machinery of life
making up a
vessel more wonderful than the finest steamboat
and am I going nowhere? My
heart throbs are the pulsing of a divinely arranged machinery: do they beat for
nothing? Do I get up every morning
and go about this world
and work hard
and
all for nothing which will last? As a being created of God for noblest
purposes
am I spending my existence in a purposeless manner? How foolish! (C.
H. Spurgeon.)
Prosperity tests character
The soundness of a vessel is not seen when it is empty
but when
it is filled with water
then we shall see whether it will leak or no. (Manton.)
It is in our prosperity that we are tested. Men are not fully
discovered to themselves till they are tried by fulness of success. Praise
finds out the leak of pride
wealth reveals the flaw of selfishness
and
learning discovers the leak of unbelief. David’s besetting sin was little seen
in the tracks of the wild goats
but it became conspicuous upon the terraces of
his palace. Success is the crucible of character. Hence the prosperity which
some welcome as an unmixed favour may far more rightly be regarded as an
intense form of test illustrations and meditations. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The folly and danger of pride
I. The sinfulness
and danger of pride.
1. Pride is
as far as we know
the first sin that ever was
committed. It seems to have been the leading transgression in the defection of
fallen angels.
2. Pride renders persons
in a special manner
hateful and abominable
in the sight of God (Proverbs 8:13; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
3. Pride is productive of other sins. Hence springs covetousness (Habakkuk 2:5)
persecution (Psalms 10:2)
strifes and quarrels (Proverbs 13:10).
4. Pride is a destructive sin. It is a presage of the ruin of those
in whom it reigns (Proverbs 16:18). It produces shame (Proverbs 11:2). Sodom (Genesis 19:24-25). Haughty Pharaoh and
his hosts (Exodus 14:27-28). Haman (Esther 7:10). Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:32-33). Herod (Acts 12:23).
II. Some remedies
against it.
1. Endeavour to acquire the knowledge of your own meanness and
sinfulness
and of the holiness and majesty of God; for by comparing yourselves
with Him you will sink into nothing in your own esteem.
2. Be persuaded of the excellency of humility
the grace opposite to
pride
and “be clothed with it” (1 Peter 5:5).
3. Consider well the examples of humility set before you in the
sacred Scriptures. Abraham
Jacob
David
Agur
Paul
and many others; yea
the
holy angels fall down before the throne in lowest adoration; but
above all
the example of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5).
4. Understand that all your natural and acquired abilities are the
gifts of God. Talents intrusted to your care and management (1 Corinthians 4:7). (Pulpit
Assistant.)
Idlers
I. Idlers are
generally careless. It is said that a stitch in time saves nine. But the idler
seldom takes the stitch in time. He is careless in his habits
careless over
his soul
and careless about everything. An idle man thinks any way of doing a
thing will do if it gets done. He has not sufficient interest to take pains
with his work. Whatever you do for Christ
do it well; because God sees your
work. He not only looks on the work of stupendous magnitude which is being done
by an angel; but He also sees you at your post of deacon and helper and teacher
and visitor.
II. Idlers are
often sinful. Experience proves this. An English proverb tells us that
“An
idle brain is the devil’s workshop
”--and it is confirmed by an old Latin
proverb
which says
“Evil thoughts intrude in an unemployed mind as naturally
as worms generate in a stagnant pond.” Let me show how idle Christians become
sinful. You join a church
but that is all you do for Christ; you never speak a
word to the perishing
never visit the sick. Your soul is an empty spiritual
house
which the devil uses as a purified workshop where he invents sinful
thoughts and wicked actions.
III. Idlers are
always miserable. Another old English proverb tells us that
“The used key is
always bright.” But the key which hangs on the nail soon becomes rusted. And
your soul will soon rust unless you employ it in good work. Do not allow
yourself to be even for only half an hour without finding something useful to
do.
IV. Idlers soon
tire of work. Some people only pray when they are compelled by misfortune. They
soon tire of what is to them the task of prayer. An idle prayer gets nothing;
it is like a rusted sword.
V. Idlers always
mean well.
VI. Idlers are often
of a kindly disposition. They are too lazy to be angry. But they are always
ready to do a good turn
if it does not last too long. Christians belong to a
life-saving institution. What would you think of the lifeboat men if they sat
smoking their pipes the shore when there was a wreck crowded with human beings
at the entrance of the harbour? Christians
there are human wrecks about! Come
to the rescue! (W. Birch.)
Idleness
Of the various evils to which mankind are subject
few steal upon
the soul with such fatal security
and deprive us at once of dignity
of
happiness
and virtue
as Idleness. To active crimes that annoy the peace of
others
even the most hardened sinner is forced to be awake; but against the
still
corroding vices of the heart
that chiefly affect ourselves
we are
seldom guarded
except by the voluntary exercise of our own reason
or the
friendly admonitions of others.
1. If we look up to the great Creator
as to the source of all
perfections
and contemplate His wisdom and His goodness in His works
we shall
find that no living example of Idleness or inactivity is ordained by His
Providence. All seem “working together
” and gradually fulfilling some wise and
beneficent purpose
which He has appointed. While the face of nature presents us
with this general scene of action
shall man remain
in contradiction to the
will of heaven
in the rest and sloth of Idleness? Nothing could degrade him
more in that scale of being in which he was intended to hold so distinguished a
rank. There are active duties allotted to every human being; and the fulfilling
of them with cheerfulness and diligence should form no inconsiderable portion
of our happiness. While some are assiduously providing for their own household
by following their respective avocations
others may be engaged in laudable
attempts to extend the boundaries of science
and to increase the comforts of
social life;--while many are anxiously employed in protecting the helplessness
of infancy
and in forming the manners of childhood
a few
whom fortune has
placed above these humble duties
might fill the offices of state with
advantage; and
by their industry
their virtues
and their wisdom
greatly
contribute to the general welfare.
2. In a state of indolence are engendered many evils and many
sorrows. Among the lower classes of the community Idleness is productive of
misery and guilt in every varied form. The ties of every duty
indeed
will be
but slightly felt by him who gives himself up to Idleness. His predominant vice
gradually undermines his principles
and spreads licentiousness through his
character. If a man of this description have a family
all bred up under the
contagious influence of his vices
it is impossible to tell how far and wide
the stream of corruption will spread. So much is Idleness to be dreaded in its
consequences when it infects the poor. If we consider those of middle life
who
might be said to possess the object of Agur’s prayer
and to have “neither
poverty nor riches
” we shall perceive the same vice diffusing its miseries.
Under the pleasing delusion of comfort and of ease we may observe some quitting
the active scenes of life
which habit had rendered familiar
and almost
natural
in pursuit of happiness in retirement. But it is not every mind that
is formed or prepared for the enjoyment of solitude. A languid discontent and a
peevish neglect of ordinary comforts soon lead to sensuality and excess of
every kind. Self-indulgence is the last idol of the heart; and the short
remnant of life is often divided between the feebleness or pain of disease and
the stupors of intoxication. To those who may not be in danger of gross and
sensual vices
Idleness still brings with it distresses that ought to be
dreaded. If temptation from the body should be resisted
it seldom fails to
fasten on the mind. The human frame is so constituted as to require frequent
alternations of action and of rest. The animal functions cannot be properly
performed without them; and how these affect the mind is well known. It may be
remarked
however
that even excess of labour is not so injurious as excess of
ease. Idleness
indeed
completely disqualifies us for every rational
enjoyment. One chief pleasure in human life is the blessing of repose after
fatigue; or the relaxation of amusements
either solitary or social
after
labour. But these
to the idle
are like food to one whose appetite is already
cloyed.
3. Let me earnestly exhort you
therefore
to guard against a vice
whose pernicious influence is so extensive
and whose consequences ought to be
so much dreaded. Whatever be your situation
reason and religion will point out
to you some scheme of duties appropriated to it
which it should be at once
your interest and pleasure to fulfil. Life abounds also with such frequent
opportunities of doing good
or improving time
that no part of the small
portion which remains should be squandered away in trifles; for
next to the
vice of Idleness
is that of employing time amiss. It is fortunate
indeed
for
the generality
that many of the active duties are forced on them by necessity:
for those who have it in their power to do what they please
always do the
least; and soon find the ardour of voluntary pursuits gradually subside
till
it is wholly lost in a passion for pleasure
or the love of ease. (J. Hewlett
B. D.)
Neither hath Samaria committed half thy sins.
Sinners compared
The sins of one people may be greater than the sins of another;
all sins are not equal
nor all sinners equally guilty. Jerusalem’s sins
exceeded Samaria’s and Sodom’s; they were not half so great sinners as she was.
The more mercies any people enjoy
the greater are their sins if they answer
not those mercies. Christians’ sins will be found the scarlet and
unparallelable sins.
2. Comparing of sins and sinners together
makes great sins seem
little and great sinners seem righteous. Great things when they are exceeded by
greater in view
they seem little; a great house is nothing to a great rock
a
great mountain or city; a great river is nothing to the ocean; so a great heap
of sins is as nothing to a greater; what is a cartful of dung to a great
dunghill? And as it is in quantities
so in qualities: some poisons are so poisonous
so strong
that they kill immediately; others
though more in quantity
yet are
longer in producing such an effect
and in comparison they are no poisons; so
some sins and sinners compared with others
are as none. Luke 18:14
the publican went down to his
house justified rather than the Pharisee: this Pharisee compared himself with
the publican
and thought himself righteous; but the publican in comparison of
him was righteous. Take heed therefore of comparing yourselves with others who
are worse and greater sinners than you
and from thence of framing a
righteousness to yourselves notwithstanding. Sodom and Samaria were less
sinners
more righteous than Jerusalem
yet you know how God dealt with them
and destruction will be the end of all those who trust to such righteousness.
3. Great sinners see not
or forget their own sins
and are apt to
censure
judge
and condemn others who are less sinful than themselves
and
especially when they are under the hand of God.
4. It is a shame for those who are guilty of the same or greater sins
to judge others.
5. Sin brings shame. What a shame was it to Jerusalem that she was a
greater sinner than Samaria
than Sodom; that she did such things as made the
daughters of the Philistines ashamed of her (verse 27). Shame is the lackey
that waits upon sin
and causeth the conscience to blush as well as the face (Proverbs 14:34): sin is a reproach to
nations.
6. Shame in itself
or as it accompanies the judgments of God upon
sinners
is a burdensome thing. “Bear thine own shame
” reproach
disgrace.
7. Sinners must bear the judgments of God
and the shame that is due
unto them
whoever they be. “Thou also
” even thou Jerusalem
“bear thine own
shame.” (W. Greenhill
M. A.)
Degrees of sin
He that will not be persuaded to leap down from an high chamber at
once
cometh willingly down by the stairs; and yet the declining degrees of his
winding descent make it not less downward to him
but less perceived of him.
His leap might have brought him down sooner; it could not have brought him down
lower. As I am then fearful to act great sins
so I will be careful to avoid
small sins. He that contemns a small fault commits a great one. I see many
drops make a shower; and what difference is it whether I be wet either in the
rain or in the river
if both be to the skin? There is small benefit in the
choice whether we go down to hell by degrees or at once. (A. Warwick.)
Shame ever attendant on sin
Manton says: “The conscience of a sinner is like a clock
dull
calm
and at rest
when the weights are down; but when wound up
it is full of
motion.” Sometimes God winds up conscience in this life
and then it works
vigorously
and strikes the time of day in the sinner’s ears. Shame attends his
sin
and he trembles in secret
A dreadful sound is in his ears
and like the
troubled sea he cannot rest. This is far better than a dead calm. Alas
in many
cases the clock runs down
conscience is again still
and the man returns to
his false peace. Of all states this is most dangerous. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
That thou mayest . . . be confounded in all that thou hast done.
The humiliation of success
The argument of this passage is very original. The prophet reaches
past all limitations to the universal grace of God
and not so much by way of
revelation as of inference. He has spoken of Israel’s past--how like a newborn
child it was thrown out
the prey of any passer-by. God’s mercy found it
and
reared it to strength--filling all the years with His goodness
but the nation
answered with disloyalty
wanton and flagrant. In spite of chastisement and in
spite of grace she sought the lowest; and in Ezekiel’s day
stripped of wealth
and power and land
a disgraced and abandoned people
Israel seemed to have
come back to where she was in the beginning when God found her. Is the story to
be repeated without alteration? Ezekiel looks at the nations around
kindred in
blood and language and custom
partners also in sin
and he sees that either
all must perish together or all must come in together. And as he knows that God
cannot cast off His people
his instincts of justice assure him that in
bringing Israel back God must bring Sodom back
the most sunken and the most
execrable of the race
and yet not so sunken as Israel. Sodom and Samaria
and
such as they
must be pardoned for the sake of a city worse than themselves. It
is substitution upside down. If there is room found in God’s mercy for
Jerusalem
there must be for Sodom
and Sodom may come covered by the blackness
of Jerusalem’s guilt. Our text is one point in the conclusion; it is the
humiliation of success. Jerusalem brings in her train the evil cities in a day
of jubilation--a day of the growth of the kingdom of God; but she herself is
humbled
because everything reminds her of her sin. I wish to speak of the sobering
and humbling quality of even the smallest success
which makes it a means of
grace to those who enjoy it aright.
1. From the greatness of the work itself. Whatever view we may take
of human nature
it must seem to us a great work to bring a man to God--to
establish in him a new kingdom of desire and hope
so that he whose heart was
narrow now regards the world with Christ’s eyes. That is a great work. It is
the beginning of hope
the beginning of usefulness
and it is the end of sin.
And constantly this great work is done by men: an impulse is given
a word
spoken
a truth pressed. The more personal in this sense the impulse is
the
deeper is the humiliation of the originator of it. He feels how little he has
done
how feebly he has spoken; he has only flung words at One radiant idea of
which he caught sight
and which he has not expressed. His work
he knows
has
been so erring
so partial
so spasmodic
and God has sent this reward. On the
one side
you feel how simple and how near such results are
that but for your
indolence and inexpectancy they might have been more than they are; on the
other
you know that
simple as they are
they are by the diameter of worlds
out of your reach. It is not I that live
but Christ who lives in me; it is not
I who work
but God. But whilst we cast upon God the burden
we must not miss
the purifying efficacy of success. Of course
it is God who works; but it is
also you or I. It is your idiosyncrasy
your peculiarity of temper
your happy
knack which accounts for the immediate result. And it is just as you do set all
you have against this result that you see the want of measure between them
and
you are ashamed because of all you have done
in that you are a comfort to men.
2. Seeing self in another. We wish for men that they might see
themselves as others see them
which is one inference of self-deceiving. We do
not know how our qualities look
for custom and self-love blind us. We scarcely
suspect how much alike we are until we think a man speaking in a certain way is
describing us
whilst probably he is describing himself. The story is told of a
ruffled baronet who complained to George Meredith of having been put into his
“Egoist” as the egoistic hero. “I had no thought of you; I thought of
myself--of us all
” is the answer reported. And as we do not know our likeness
to men we turn from
we do not know our own ugliness. In this very chapter
Ezekiel exhibits a thought of this kind. The Jews pointed with loathing at
Sodom; the name of it had become proverbial
because God had blotted it out. It
at least is worse than we; we may fairly shrink from that as a lower depth of
which we know nothing
to which we have no proclivity. And the prophet says
What was the sin of Sodom? (verse 49). Behold this was its iniquity--pride
fulness
of head
and prosperous ease
and she did not strengthen the hand of the poor
and needy. There is nothing exceptional in it
nothing in Sodom which is not in
you
he says. You meet with an ignorance
wilful and self-complacent; you
struggle in another against that spiritual stupidity to which every worldly
advantage is apparent
and to which none but a worldly advantage can be
demonstrated. You find your efforts for some man thwarted by his intense
sensuality
or by his doubleness and suspicion. You cannot advance
you cannot
outwit his cunning or convince him of your sincerity. That stagnant and
slumberous humour you cannot awake. To that pure animalism it is hopeless to
speak of the glory of Christ. It is painful
disappointing
wearisome; but you come
to know in striving with them what these things mean--sensuality
sloth
anger
envy: to many of us they are the too severe names of pleasant vices. But when
for some man’s good you set yourself to free him from them
you realise the
ugliness
the tenacious and wasting energy of them. And at the same time you
see yourself. It is myself I am fighting in that man: these are my faults. It
is in that real dealing with men that we come to understand the humour of a
saint who could say of an abandoned criminal
There
but for the grace of God
am I.
3. It is a discovery of the meaning of the grace shown to us. When
habit has made a certain level of conduct easy
or when our past shows no
heights or depths
we may easily imagine
that the work of grace was not very
great in us. We were almost born Christians
born and baptized and bred in
Christian homes
with ample knowledge and wise restraint and sedulous training.
Not far from the kingdom of God at any time
we were lightly and easily brought
within it. In strong contrast is another life
gone far astray
full of heat
and passion
in which the lights burn sullenly: a man lost to decency
to hope
to God--what have you to say to him whose life has run in so orderly and
honourable a course? Out of the depths he looks with some faint gleam of hope
to you as you talk of Christ. What can you say to him? I never was very bad
and God has mercifully pardoned the little wrong there was: is that all you
know? The occasion widens your heart. You want to help him
and that eager
desire sends your thoughts back into God’s dealing with you. For the first time
you know your sin; it was very great--the Pharisee’s sin an isolating
loveless
self-complacency--and God came to me. Then you can say in answer
Your sin is
not mine wholly; our lots have been different
and our temptations
and our
falls; but God abundantly pardoned me
and He will pardon you. (W. M’Macgregor
M. A.)
In that thou art a comfort
unto theme--
How saints may help the devil
I. The acts of
many of Christ’s followers have been the cause of justifying and comforting
sinners in their evil ways.
1. The daily inconsistencies of the people of God have much to do in
this matter.
2. Now
it is my mournful duty to go a step further. It is not merely
these inconsistencies
but the glaring crimes of some professed disciples
that
have greatly assisted sinners in sheltering themselves from the attacks of the
Word of God. Every now and then the cedar falls in the midst of the forest.
3. How often do the people of God comfort sinners in their sins by
their murmurings and complaints.
4. Perhaps the greatest evil has been done by the cold-heartedness
and indifference of religious professors.
II. The
consequences of this evil.
1. How often have you and I helped to keep sinners easy in their sin
by our inconsistency!
2. Do you not think that very often
when a sinner’s conscience has
been roused
you and I have helped to give it a soporific draught by our
coldness of heart?
3. Is it not possible that often sinners have been strengthened in
their sin by you? They were but beginning in iniquity
and had you rebuked with
honesty and sincerity
by your own holy life
they might have been led to see
their folly
and might have ceased from sin; but you have strengthened their
hands. “So-and-so is not more scrupulous than I
” says such an one; “I may do
what he does.”
4. Nay
is it not possible that some of you Christians have helped to
confirm men in their sins
and to destroy their souls? It is a masterpiece of
the devil
when he can use Christ’s own soldiers against Christ. But this he
has often done.
III. Bring out the
great battering ram
to bear against this vain excuse of the wicked.
1. What hast thou to do with the inconsistencies of another? “To his
own master he shall stand or fall.” Thou wilt be punished for thine own
offences
remember
not for the offences of another. Man! I conjure thee
look
this in the face. How can this help to assuage thy misery? How can this help to
make thee happier in hell
because thou sayest there are so many hypocrites in
this world?
2. But besides
thou knowest well enough that the Church is not so
bad as thou sayest it is. Thou seest some that are inconsistent; but are there
not many that are holy? There would be no hypocrites if there were not some
true men. It is the quantity of true men that helps to pass off the hypocrite
in the crowd.
3. Then again
I say
when thou comest before the bar of God
dost
thou think that this will serve thee as an excuse
to begin to find fault with
God’s own children? The rather this shall be an addition to thy sin
and thou
shalt perish the more fearfully.
4. But come
man
once again: I would entreat of thee with all my
might. What! canst thou be so foolish as to imagine
that because another man
is destroying his own soul by hypocrisy
that this is a reason why thou
shouldst destroy thine by indifference? (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Comfort to Sodom
What is the meaning of this text? Jerusalem is said to have been a
comfort to Sodom and Samaria; and this is mentioned as if it were a fault. Are
we not bidden to love even our enemies
and to do good even to them that hate
us; and can it then be wrong to be a comfort even to the worst of
mankind
--even to Samaria and Sodom? Yes
in such a case as this it is wrong to
be a comfort to a bad man or a bad city; because in such a case it is the very
reverse of a kind turn to be a comfort to them. It is doing harm to them
and
not doing good to them
to be a comfort in this particular way. For Jerusalem
had been a comfort to Sodom and Samaria
in such a manner as had encouraged
them in their sins. Now
I am sure you will all readily see that there is a
great and important principle suggested to us by the text. You know
every
Christian is solemnly bound to do all he can to make other men Christians. The
knowledge of the Gospel is not a thing which a man may have
and without blame
keep to himself. And just as blessed and happy a thing as it is to bring
another soul to the belief of the Gospel
--so wretched and wicked and fearful a
thing is it when a man who bears the Christian name lives in such a way as
positively encourages those around him to contemn and disbelieve Christianity.
1. There is one obvious way in which professing Christians may do
this
which we mention only to pass it by
in the hope that none of us who bear
even the Christian name are so sorely and shamefully guilty. This is the way in
which we understand from the prophet that Jerusalem was a comfort to Sodom; and
that was
by being actually as bad as Sodom itself. Would not every swearer and
drunkard and liar in the parish quiet his conscience
with the reflection that
he was no worse than that wicked professor of religion? Would not such a man be
a comfort to all the Sodoms and Samarias in the district? It is easy to say
and
it is true to say
that religion is a thing that must be judged of on the
ground of its own merits
and quite apart from the conduct of those who profess
to believe in it; yet
illogical as it may be
foolish and wrong as it may be
the mass of mankind will always encourage themselves in sinfulness when they
find professing Christians going on in sin.
2. If any sincere Christian is present in a company where what is
sinful is said or done
and if he permits it to pass without remark
or even
appears tacitly to approve it
I do not see how he can clear himself from the
charge of having been “a comfort to Sodom.” The apparent approval of one true
and earnest Christian--even the very humblest in worldly rank--will have more
influence to comfort the wicked man
--to keep his mind easy
and his conscience
asleep
--than the loudest declarations of his own wicked associates that he is
a fine fellow and has done nothing wrong. And I am not forgetting the
restraints which the usages of civilised society impose upon our telling a man
to his face what is our opinion of his conduct. The Christian is not called
upon to go up to a man and tell him that he is a bad man
merely because he
thinks he is one. There is a silent
unobtrusive disapproval
by which the
humblest may be a check upon the highest; there is a silent
unobtrusive
disapproval
expressed without words or demonstration of manner
one can hardly
tell how
which even the most hardened sinner will find it very hard
very
uncomfortable
to bear.
3. Another way in which a Christian may so act as to encourage and
comfort an irreligious man in his godless ways is by seeking his society and
acquaintance; showing him that you think him a congenial spirit
and that you
feel it pleasant to be with him. How can he think
” the unbeliever will
judge
--“How can he think that I am going to hell! Is it possible that he
should like to be the companion of my walks
--to interchange thought and
feeling with me
--to discuss great questions with me
--perhaps often to jest
and laugh with me;--and all the while believe and know that
as sure as there
is a God above us
I am going down to hell!” Don’t you see now what eternal
damage you who are Christians may do an unbelieving neighbour? Let them feel
that you dare not make those too dear
from whom the grave must part you
forever! See that you be not a “comfort” to them!
4. I go on to mention
as a way in which Christians may encourage and
countenance ungodly men in their doings
--the cherishing a worldly
spirit
--being as eager for worldly advantage
and as unscrupulous as to the
means by which it may be attained
as men who make no Christian profession.
And
alas! my friends
how much of this them is among professing Christians! Do
not many who bear the Christian name show that they are far more eager to get
on in life than to prepare for immortality? Is there not as much vanity and
pride and grasping at gain and self-seeking and contemptible worshipping of
rank and wealth
--even when completely dissociated from worth and goodness
--among
many professing Christians and Christian ministers
as in any class of men? The
sharp bargain made by the communicant may do worse than levy an unfair tax upon
his neighbour’s pocket: it may damage his neighbour’s soul! It may set him up
to “go and do likewise!” It may lead him to think that there is no difference
between the Christian and the worldly man at all!
5. I shall mention just one way more
in which a Christian may incur
the condemnation pronounced in the text: this is
by never in any way warning
his neighbour that he fears or knows he is not a Christian. I daresay some of
you have some idea that it would be intruding into the priestly office were you
to set yourselves to the work of bringing souls to Christ. But if you saw a
friend manifestly stricken by fever or consumption
would it not be your duty
to warn him
although you are not a physician? If you saw a friend drowning
would it not be your duty to try to save him
although you are not a member of
the Humane Society? If a man be really in earnest about religion he will never
bear the sight of a human being whom he daily sees and talks with going to
eternal ruin
without a word of warning or advice! It is possible enough he may
not like to listen to your warning words; it is possible enough you may make
yourself an annoyance and a discomfort to him: he may think you are his “enemy
because you tell him the truth”; but oh! better
better that than to be a
comfort to one to whom comfort is the anodyne that will drug to death
to whom
comfort is the stream that will bear on to perdition! I have heard of one who
on his deathbed said that if
as he humbly trusted
he had been led to yield
himself to his Saviour
and so to find hope in death
it was by the simple and
solemn warning of one in whom simple earnestness and heartfelt piety gave force
to the words of early youth
unsophisticated and sincere. (A. K. H. Boyd
D.
D.)
I will establish My covenant with thee.
God’s pardoning mercy
I. The way in
which God reveals His pardoning mercy. “I will establish My covenant with
thee.” The covenant of grace is the grand repository of the redemption of man.
It comprehends all the items
all the particulars of Christ Jesus our Lord
in
His person
His name
and all the characters and offices He has fulfilled in
the work of man’s redemption--which holds up all the effects of that work
all
the fruits of that love
all the blessings of that redemption
and withal
tracing it in all its refined ramifications to the covenant of grace.
II. The character
in which He thus reveals it. “Thou shalt know that I am the Lord.” Thus to know
the Lord is to know Him as a covenant God--to know Him as a God in Jesus Christ.
God out of Christ is a consuming fire--I dare not approach Him but in Christ. I
find Him to be a God of sympathy and compassion
because I find God in my
nature is the very High Priest who intercedeth for sinners. God in my nature
can be touched with the feeling of my infirmities
and knows how to sympathise
with me. It is in this character as God in Christ that He reveals the blessings
of His salvation.
III. The effect that
is produced on the heart by this pardoning mercy. “That thou mayest remember
and
be confounded
” etc. If there is not a more pure or a more exalted motive to
obedience than the love of God
there is not a more powerful motive to walking
in the ways of God
than the assurance of His pardoning love and mercy. How
quickly does it excite the attention of a poor trembling sinner to hear the
sound of mercy
when he knows that that sound comes from God who can pardon!
(J. Holloway.)
The lasting covenant
I. What this
covenant is
as revealed to a people among the Jews in the youthful period of
that nation. Now
then
“nevertheless
” notwithstanding all this heathenism
“I
will remember My covenant with thee in the days of thy youth.” The covenant was
made with a people among the Jews in the youthful time of that nation. First
in the 3rd verse of the 12th of Genesis
the Lord said to Abraham--and that was
the infancy
the commencement of the nation
--“In thee shall all families of
the earth be blessed”; which is afterwards explained to mean that in Jesus
Christ shall all families of the earth be blessed. That is God’s covenant. Now
just look at the suitability of this. It is in Christ Jesus. What is it that we
need? Why
the very first thing that every man needs is a Saviour. We are by
sin lost. And so
in the very first chapter of Matthew
“Thou shalt call His
name Jesus
for He shall save His people from their sins.” Here
then
this
covenant is nothing else but a positive engagement on the Lord’s part to bring
about eternal salvation. He has done that. And how suited this is! suited not
only in itself
but in its manner--that “whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved”; that is
brought to see what Jesus Christ is as the
Mediator of this covenant. Let your confidence be in His person
in His
righteousness
in His atonement
and in the promises that are by Him; and if
you can do nothing else but go on from time to time with “Lord
save me; Lord
have mercy upon me; Lord
look upon me; Lord
teach me; Lord
direct me”;--if
you have these desires
together with an acquaintance with the Lord Jesus
Christ
in whom the blessings are
then thou wilt not be lost
for “whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
II. How this
covenant is an everlasting covenant. The covenant the Lord made with the Jews
that He was to be their God
and that they were to have the land of Canaan
and
the great advantages of national distinction
as described in the Word of
God--Leviticus
Deuteronomy
and many other places--they were to continue to
enjoy all these on the ground of their conformity to that covenant; they were
to continue in the purity of it. But instead of this they forsook God’s
covenant
threw down His altars
the altar of sacrifice and the altar of
incense; and the next thing
of course
was to slay those prophets and
ministers that preached even this national covenant. There was no righteousness
belonging to that temporal covenant that was eternal
and that could therefore
perpetuate the covenant. There was no sacrifice in that covenant that could
take away sin
and that could consequently perpetuate that covenant. If the
people apostatised
or gave way
then everything was gone. But here the Lord
says
“I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.” Here is a
testamentary will wherein God has willed everything by Christ Jesus. Now
Jesus
Christ has brought in everlasting righteousness
for His righteousness is
everlasting
and this perpetuates the covenant. This covenant and the promises
cannot fail while Christ’s righteousness remains what it is; and as His atonement
is perfect
and He has perfected forever all them that are sanctified
here it
is the covenant is perpetuated. It must remain.
III. The note of
time. Now
when you are brought to receive this covenant
there is a certain
temper of mind. “Then thou shalt remember thy ways
and be ashamed.” Saul of
Tarsus
before he was brought to this covenant
remembered his ways and was
delighted. (J. Walls.)
That thou mayest remember
and be confounded
and never open thy mouth any more
because of thy shame.
The heart full and the mouth closed
I. Review the
blessed condition into which every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has been
brought by the sovereign act of God’s mercy. The Hebrew word which here sets
forth forgiveness and pardon properly signifies to cover a thing with that
which adheres and sticks to the thing covered; not with dry dust or leaves
which could be easily removed
but with glue or pitch
so that the thing hidden
cannot easily be brought to sight again. O believer
God is pacified towards you
for your sin is covered; it is put away
all of it
and altogether. Since you
have believed in Jesus Christ your sin has not become dimly visible
neither by
searching may it be seen as a shadow in the distance
but God seeth it no more
forever. God is pacified towards His people
for all that they have done
altogether pacified
for their sins have ceased to be. And this is not
occasionally true
but always true
not only so in happier moments
when we
enjoy a sense of it
but always
whether we have a sense of it or not. At all
times
in the dark as well as in the light
in down castings as well as in
upliftings
the Lord is pacified towards His people. I would to God that the
Lord’s people grasped this more fully
and lived in the power of it more completely.
May God grant we may! There is peace
there is nothing but peace
between my
soul and God. Oh
what a joyous thought this is! Grasp it
Christian
and let
your spirit exult in it. And all this
remember
is written in our text
concerning a people who had plunged into wondrous sins. The greatness of the
sin reveals the greatness of the redeeming sacrifice
and the direful nature of
the disease declares the infinity of that Physician’s skill who is able to put
it all away.
II. What we have
learned in the process of reaching this peaceful standing.
1. First
we have learned salvation by a covenant. The thought is
charming
for we were lost by a covenant. Here
then
was the way to restore us
again. As we sinned representatively
it was possible for us to satisfy the law
by a representative. Here was the opening for the way of salvation. By a second
covenant head man may be redeemed
and therefore Jesus Christ comes
the second
Adam
and God makes a covenant with Him
which covenant runs thus--“If He will
bear the penalty of sin--if He will keep the law
then
all that are in Him
shall be delivered from every sin
and the righteousness of the second Adam
shall be imputed to them
and they shall be loved and blessed as if they were
righteous.” Oh
matchless mystery of love!
2. The next thing we have learned while reaching our happy condition
of peace with God is the lesson that Jehovah is indeed God. “Thou shalt know
that I am the Lord.” To be saved in a way that makes us know that God is God is
to be taught aright. That God is God is easy to say but hard to know.
3. We have learned ourselves. To remember and to be confounded--that
is not comfortable. Who likes to remember and be confounded? Once you could
have found twenty excuses
and had your choice out of them; but now that the
Lord has forgiven you
you cannot find one
and as you turn them all up--those
old excuses of yours--those fig leaves of yours
with which you once hoped to
cover your nakedness
you despise them
and think you never saw such flimsy things.
III. The silence
which is forever induced. “Thou shalt never open thy mouth any more because of
thy shame.” If any man who believes himself to have been moral and sinless will
only begin to look at the reasons why he has been so innocent
and search
himself
he will often discover that inside all that purity of his there has
been a mass of pride
self-conceit
self-seeking
indifference to God
and
every detestable thing. When the Lord shows the man all this
and casts him
down into the ditch till he abhors himself
and then cleanses him in the
precious blood till he is pacified towards Him
he will never open his mouth
about that matter any more. Neither will a man who has been cleansed in this
way open his mouth any more against Divine sovereignty. He is the man above all
others who loves to hear of God as absolute. He knows how gracious
how strong
how truly good He is. So
also
this way of salvation shuts a man’s mouth as to
all murmuring and complaining against God upon any score whatever; for
saith
he
“If the Lord has pardoned me
let Him do what He wills with me.” (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
Humiliation and reconciliation
I. The first
doctrine in our text is that of humiliation. It is no small mercy for us that
we are allowed to distinguish between the voice of God’s law and the voice of
God’s gospel. Hence the Apostle Paul saith
“We know that what things soever
the law saith
it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be
stopped
and all the world may become guilty before God.” Now
the humility
here that clothes us with confusion of face and with shame in our own
estimation
this humility is a real internal grace of the Holy Spirit
and not
a mere put-on thing. It is not a mere humility of manner
though that is very
good and useful in its place; but it is a vital
real humility
arising from
what is felt within. Now
the law of God is spiritual
always spiritual. Are
you? The Christian cannot
he dare not
say that he is always spiritual; but
thank God he is not under the law
but under grace
where the spirituality of
One who is perfect is set to his account. But to the natural man we say
The
law is always spiritual
you are always carnal; the law is always holy
you are
always unholy; the law is always good
you are always evil; the law is always
just
you are always unjust; the law is always upright
and you are always as
deceitful as the devil. Your heart is deceitful above all things
and
desperately wicked. When thou seest the law to be thus spiritual
thou wilt
remember thy foolish ways
how thou hast sinned against the Lord. You have not
one reason to assign why the Lord should show mercy to you
or show you any
favour whatever. Now
can you say this is the case?
II. The
reconciliation. Now
“what the law saith it saith to them that are under the
law.” Satan is our enemy; sin is our enemy; take both these in one. Without sin
being put away by Jesus Christ
and Satan conquered by Jesus Christ--without
this everything is against us; but when this is done
things then are made to take
that wonderful turn that everything is in our favour by faith. Those of us that
know thus our condition
we do most solemnly
most firmly and understandingly
and we can say lovingly
sincerely
and decisively
believe in what Jesus
Christ hath done. We see by what He hath done all the sins of which we are the
subjects put away
and we are delivered from them all. We are no longer
reckoned sinners
but saints; no longer reckoned enemies
but friends--“Abraham
My friend”;--and so the Lord’s people are the seed of Abraham
and are God’s
friends by faith in what Jesus Christ has done. And so great is the change He
has wrought that now the Lord doth not behold iniquity in Jacob
nor see
perverseness in Israel. (J. Wells.)
The effect of God’s mercy on
the renewed soul
I. The extent of
man’s wickedness.
I. Give a brief
summary of the chapter; mark how this image was applicable to Judah and
Jerusalem; to us also it may be applied.
II. The exceeding
riches of God’s grace; vile as the Jews had been
He promised to restore them
to favour. This promise is no doubt to be extended to us.
II. The effect of
this grace upon every soul of man. It is thought by some calculated to puff up
pride and conceit in all who receive it. But this is--
1. Contrary to reason;
2. Contrary to fact. Remember--
The silence of penitents
This is plainly a prophecy of the way in which the remnant of
Judah shall be saved in the last days after the fulness of the Gentiles has
come in. Some believe it to mean that in the awful times of Antichrist the
Christian Jews shall be the heroes of the faith and the bulwark of the Church.
Others have seen in the chapter the reunion of Christendom. However interesting
these interpretations may be
we cannot overlook the extraordinary language of
the last verse
which points out the frame of mind appropriate to the redeemed
Jew
or whosoever shall stand for the figurative Jerusalem in those final days
of this world. It is being confounded
and never cloning the mouth
because of
shame. There can be no doubt that we are all too much disposed to underrate the
exceeding shamefulness of wilful transgression against the light. There are
those
indeed
who would eliminate the exercises of penance altogether from the
Christian system. They hold that to expect a man to do penance for his sins
after they have been forgiven him by our Lord is to take away from the
perfection of His atonement
to limit the possibilities of His grace. But there
is also to be considered the temporal punishment due for sin that justice may be
satisfied and the world governed righteously. What right-minded soul does not
yearn to make up in such wise as it can for past acts of coldness and
disobedience? Suppose a son that has been estranged from his mother for years
has neglected her
thought hardly of her
perhaps spoken against her. And then
after a long season he is brought back to her again
to find her poor and old
and wellnigh helpless
going down to the grave uncared for and unloved save by
strangers. The old love of early life comes back to him. Now he counts nothing
too hard to do for her: he watches her day by day to find out in what small
ways he may lighten her heavy burden and brighten her few remaining years. He
knows this does not make up for the past
--only her dear pardon so generously
given can do that; but it is all the reparation he can make
and he strives
with his whole nature to make it. In like manner the true penitent knows that
he cannot give back to God the love and obedience withheld so many years as one
might pay back the money he had stolen; but at least he can show that he truly
grieves for those years of sin
and has the heart to undo them had he but the
power. When
therefore
we consider the relation of love in which we stand to
Almighty God
and the duty of obedience which we know so well
we must
acknowledge that only ignorance or thoughtlessness can make the penitent all
full of joy without intermingling of pain. There is also another aspect of the
matter. This consciousness of one’s own shame
which belongs to the life of
true penitence
must materially affect our judgments of our fellows. If when we
are most earnest and stern voiced in rebuking our fellows we could be suddenly
brought face to face with the words of this text
do you think we should not be
silenced by them? What are we that we should sit in judgment upon our fellow
men? Have we not sinned as grievously as any of them; or if not outwardly
when
our greater light and opportunities of grace are taken into account
is there
much in our favour? This is by no means to say that we ought not to denounce
sin
and to stand out for the very highest type of Christian living. We are to
be absolutely inflexible in maintaining in all points the doctrine of Christ
our Lord. But when it comes to passing judgment upon individual sinners
let us
not lose sight of the solemn words put by God in the mouth of the prophet
concerning penitent Jerusalem. How can the Christian who has any vivid
consciousness of his own past speak uncharitably of his neighbours and sharply condemn
their failings
not making allowance for their circumstances and temptations;
ay
often not even considering his own probable ignorance of some of the facts
about which he so sternly speaks? What if our Master had judged us as we judge
and had not pardoned us instead? Even when we have learned in some measure to
control our tongues and lips
how often do we find rising up in our souls the
self-righteousness of the Pharisee. What a hateful thing it is! How unlike the
spirit of our gracious Master? Is there no way in which it may be conquered
and banished from our souls? I think there is a way. It is that of daily calling
to mind
and that not perfunctorily but very thoroughly
the many evil things
in our past lives of which we have repented and for which we have received
God’s pardon. (Arthur Ritchie.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》