Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v26800

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 12KB | 213 lines

26802
 * The Messiah, his character and office. (1-3) His promises of
 the future blessedness of the church. (4-9) The church praises
 God for these mercies. (10,11)

 #1-3 The prophets had the Holy Spirit of God at times, teaching
 them what to say, and causing them to say it; but Christ had the
 Spirit always, without measure, to qualify him, as man, for the
 work to which he was appointed. The poor are commonly best
 disposed to receive the gospel, #Jas 2:5|; and it is only likely
 to profit us when received with meekness. To such as are poor in
 spirit, Christ preached good tidings when he said, Blessed are
 the meek. Christ's satisfaction is accepted. By the dominion of
 sin in us, we are bound under the power of Satan; but the Son is
 ready, by his Spirit, to make us free; and then we shall be free
 indeed. Sin and Satan were to be destroyed; and Christ triumphed
 over them on his cross. But the children of men, who stand out
 against these offers, shall be dealt with as enemies. Christ was
 to be a Comforter, and so he is; he is sent to comfort all who
 mourn, and who seek to him, and not to the world, for comfort.
 He will do all this for his people, that they may abound in the
 fruits of righteousness, as the branches of God's planting.
 Neither the mercy of God, the atonement of Christ, nor the
 gospel of grace, profit the self-sufficient and proud. They must
 be humbled, and led to know their own character and wants, by
 the Holy Spirit, that they may see and feel their need of the
 sinner's Friend and Saviour. His doctrine contains glad tidings
 indeed to those who are humbled before God.
26805
 #4-9 Promises are here made to the Jews returned out of
 captivity, which extend to all those who, through grace, are
 delivered out of spiritual thraldom. An unholy soul is like a
 city that is broken down, and has no walls, like a house in
 ruins; but by the power of Christ's gospel and grace, it is
 fitted to be a habitation of God, through the Spirit. When, by
 the grace of God, we attain to holy indifference as to the
 affairs of this world; when, though our hands are employed about
 them, our hearts are not entangled with them, but preserved
 entire for God and his service, then the sons of the alien are
 our ploughmen and vine-dressers. Those whom He sets at liberty,
 he sets to work. His service is perfect freedom; it is the
 greatest honour. All believers are made, to our God, kings and
 priests; and always ought to conduct themselves as such. Those
 who have the Lord for their portion, have reason to say, that
 they have worthy portion, and to rejoice in it. In the fulness
 of heaven's joys we shall receive more than double for all our
 services and sufferings. God desires truth, and therefore hates
 all injustice. Nor will it justify any man's robbery to say, it
 was for burnt-offerings; and that robbery is most hateful which
 is under this pretence. Let the children of godly parents be
 such, that all may see the fruits of a good education; an answer
 to the prayers for them, in the fruit of God's blessing.
26811
 #10,11 Those only shall be clothed with the garments of
 salvation hereafter, that are covered with the robe of Christ's
 righteousness now, and by the sanctification of the Spirit have
 God's image renewed upon them. These blessings shall spring
 forth for ages to come, as the fruits of the earth. So duly, so
 constantly, and with such advantage to mankind, will the Lord
 God cause righteousness and praise to spring forth. They shall
 spread far; the great salvation shall be published and
 proclaimed, to the ends of the earth. Let us be earnest in
 prayer, that the Lord God may cause that righteousness to spring
 forth among us, which constitutes the excellence and glory of
 the Christian profession.
26813
 * God's care of his church and people. (1-5) The office of
 ministers in preaching the gospel.  (6-9) Every hinderance shall
 be removed from the way of salvation. (10-12)

 #1-5 The Son of God here assures his church of his unfailing
 love, and his pleading for her under all trails and
 difficulties. She shall be called by a new name, a pleasant
 name, such as she was never called by before. The state of true
 religion in the world, before the preaching of the gospel, no
 man seemed to have any real concern for. God, by his grace, has
 wrought that in his church, which makes her his delight. Let us
 thence learn motives to holiness. If the Lord rejoices over us,
 we should rejoice in his service.
26818
 #6-9 God's professing people must be a praying people. He is not
 displeased with us for being earnest, as men commonly are; he
 bids us to cry after him, and give him no rest, #Lu 11:5,6|. It
 is a sign that God is coming to a people in mercy, when he pours
 out a spirit of prayer upon them. See how uncertain our
 creature-comforts are. See also God's mercy in giving plenty,
 and peace to enjoy it. Let us delight in attending the courts of
 the Lord, that we may enjoy the consolations of his Spirit.

26822
 #10-12 Way shall be made for Christ's salvation; all
 difficulties shall be removed. He brings a reward of comfort and
 peace with him; but a work of humiliation and reformation before
 him; and they shall be called, The holy people, and, The
 redeemed of the Lord. Holiness puts honour and beauty upon any
 place or person, makes them admired, beloved, and sought after.
 Many events may have been part fulfilments of this, as earnests
 of more glorious times yet to come. The close connection between
 the blessedness of the Jews and of the Gentiles, runs through
 the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus will complete his work, and he
 never will forsake one whom he has redeemed and sanctified.
26825
 * Christ's victory over his enemies. (1-6) His mercy toward his
 church. (7-14) The prayer of the church. (15-19)

 #1-6 The prophet, in vision, beholds the Messiah returning in
 triumph from the conquest of his enemies, of whom Edom was a
 type. Travelling, not as wearied by the combat, but, in the
 greatness of his strength, prepared to overcome every opposing
 power. Messiah declares that he had been treading the wine-press
 of the wrath of God, #Re 14:19; 19:13|, and by his own power,
 without any human help, he had crushed his obstinate opposers,
 for the day of vengeance was determined on, being the appointed
 season for rescuing his church. Once, he appeared on earth in
 apparent weakness, to pour out his precious blood as an
 atonement for our sins; but he will in due time appear in the
 greatness of his strength. The vintage ripens apace; the day of
 vengeance, fixed and determined on, approaches apace; let
 sinners seek to be reconciled to their righteous Judge, ere he
 brings down their strength to the earth. Does Christ say, "I
 come quickly?" let our hearts reply, "Even so, come; let the
 year of the redeemed come."

26831
 #7-14 The latter part of this chapter, and the whole of the
 next, seem to express the prayers of the Jews on their
 conversation. They acknowledge God's great mercies and favours
 to their nation. They confess their wickedness and hardness of
 heart; they entreat his forgiveness, and deplore the miserable
 condition under which they have so long suffered. The
 only-begotten Son of the Father became the Angel or Messenger of
 his love; thus he redeemed and bare them with tenderness. Yet
 they murmured, and resisted his Holy Spirit, despising and
 persecuting his prophets, rejecting and crucifying the promised
 Messiah. All our comforts and hopes spring from the
 loving-kindness of the Lord, and all our miseries and fears from
 our sins. But he is the Saviour, and when sinners seek after
 him, who in other ages glorified himself by saving and feeding
 his purchased flock, and leading them safely through dangers,
 and has given his Holy Spirit to prosper the labours of his
 ministers, there is good ground to hope they are discovering the
 way of peace.

26839
 #15-19 They beseech him to look down on the abject condition of
 their once-favoured nation. Would it not be glorious to his name
 to remove the veil from their hearts, to return to the tribes of
 his inheritance? The Babylonish captivity, and the
 after-deliverance of the Jews, were shadows of the events here
 foretold. The Lord looks down upon us in tenderness and mercy.
 Spiritual judgments are more to be dreaded than any other
 calamities; and we should most carefully avoid those sins which
 justly provoke the Lord to leave men to themselves and to their
 deceiver. "Our Redeemer from everlasting" is thy name; thy
 people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they
 might appeal. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who belong
 to him, and deliver them from those not called by his name.
26844
 * The church prays that God's power may be manifested. (1-5) A
 confession of sin, and afflictions bewailed. (6-12)

 #1-5 They desire that God would manifest himself to them and for
 them, so that all may see it. This is applicable to the second
 coming of Christ, when the Lord himself shall descend from
 heaven. They plead what God had used to do, and had declared his
 gracious purpose to do, for his people. They need not fear being
 disappointed of it, for it is sure; or disappointed in it, for
 it is sufficient. The happiness of his people is bound up in
 what God has designed for them, and is preparing for them, and
 preparing them for; what he has done or will do. Can we believe
 this, and then think any thing too great to expect from his
 truth, power, and love? It is spiritual and cannot be
 comprehended by human understanding. It is ever ready. See what
 communion there is between a gracious God and a gracious soul.
 We must make conscience of doing our duty in every thing the
 Lord our God requires. Thou meetest him; this speaks his
 freeness and forwardness in doing them good. Though God has been
 angry with us for our sins, and justly, yet his anger has soon
 ended; but in his favour is life, which goes on and continues,
 and on that we depend for our salvation.

26849
 #6-12 The people of God, in affliction, confess and bewail their
 sins, owning themselves unworthy of his mercy. Sin is that
 abominable thing which the Lord hates. Our deeds, whatever they
 may seem to be, if we think to merit by them at God's hand, are
 as rags, and will not cover us; filthy rags, and will but defile
 us. Even our few good works in which there is real excellence,
 as fruits of the Spirit, are so defective and defiled as done by
 us, that they need to be washed in the fountain open for sin and
 uncleanness. It bodes ill when prayer is kept back. To pray, is
 by faith to take hold of the promises the Lord has made of his
 good-will to us, and to plead them; to take hold of him,
 earnestly begging him not to leave us; or soliciting his return.
 They brought their troubles upon themselves by their own folly.
 Sinners are blasted, and then carried away, by the wind of their
 own iniquity; it withers and then ruins them. When they made
 themselves as an unclean thing, no wonder that God loathed them.
 Foolish and careless as we are, poor and despised, yet still
 Thou art our Father. It is the wrath of a Father we are under,
 who will be reconciled; and the relief our case requires is
 expected only from him. They refer themselves to God. They do
 not say, "Lord, rebuke us not," for that may be necessary; but,
 "Not in thy displeasure." They state their lamentable condition.
 See what ruin sin brings upon a people; and an outward
 profession of holiness will be no defence against it. God's
 people presume not to tell him what he shall say, but their
 prayer is, Speak for the comfort and relief of thy people. How
 few call upon the Lord with their whole hearts, or stir
 themselves to lay hold upon him! God may delay for a time to
 answer our prayers, but he will, in the end, answer those who
 call on his name and hope in his mercy.