GOD’S INVITATION TO SHELTER
(For a Time of National Distress.)
Isaiah 26:20. Come, my people, &c.
The history of humanity as a whole, and of nations and communities as a part, is like that of individual man, diversified and varying, made up of hope and fear, of joy and sorrow. There is a “but” in every condition, a crook in every lot. The people of God, however, have alleviations which the world knows not of. They have promises of present comfort and help, hopes of future recompense, and they are invited to make God their Refuge now. This was very much the case with the captive Jews in Babylon. Wars and commotions would rage as a tempest around Babylon, and bring its overthrow. But while the storm raged, the people of God were to be calm and tranquil; were to enter into their places of retirement, and avoid the commotions of war. This passage is a word in season to God’s people now.
I. THE PERSONS INVITED. “My people.” This was addressed to the Jews, who stood in a peculiar relation to God. It has now a wider range. It may include—
1. Those who are His by profession. This includes a large portion of the people of this land. Many of these, however, are out of Christ, and they are specially invited to repair to Him as their complete and only refuge from the storms of conscience and the righteous displeasure of a Holy God.
2. Those who are His by personal consecration. Not only received into the visible Church by an outward profession, but have become living members of that mystical body of which Christ is the Head. In times of danger and distress, when the judgments of God are in the earth, they are invited to repair to Christ. He is a complete refuge from every storm.
II. THE DUTY ENJOINED.
1. The form of the injunction. No terrible threatening, but mild and compassionate invitation. Though our Redeemer and Master has a right to command, yet He more frequently employs the language of invitation.
2. The place of retreat. We may think of many sacred localities to which we may repair in the time of national or individual sorrow. There is the open sanctuary. This to many is a place of refuge and comfort. There is the home. Families may meet and together commune with God. There is the private closet. There we may humble ourselves, mourn our own faults and those of others, and seek God’s favour. But after we have thought of all these places we must go much further, into a more mysterious and safer sanctuary. These are only the way to the City of Refuge; only the plank by which we may ascend to the Ark; only the door-way into the Temple. Ours must be the language of the Apostle (John 6:68).
3. The purpose of retirement. For defence. Israel must remain within the blood-sprinkled doors while the destroying angel wields his sword outside. Rahab and her family abide within their dwelling while Jericho is destroyed. Amid the tokens of danger and the coming storm, we are to hide ourselves in the perfections of God, in the merits of Christ. We must enter into the ark, and like Noah expect the Lord to shut us in. When the Hebrews had sprinkled the blood of the Paschal lamb, the command was, “None of you shall go out of his house till the morning.” The manslayer could not go within the City of Refuge. Here in Christ, God manifest in the flesh, is safety from every danger, a complete Refuge in every time of need.
CONCLUSION.—The whole of this year has been marked more or less by personal, relative, or national calamity. It opened in storm, and a fine ship, the London, perished. Pestilence among the cattle followed. War broke out and mercantile prosperity waned. Now a painful visitation is among us. God is now calling you to Himself.—George Smith, D.D., August 9, 1866.
CHAMBERS OF SAFETY
Isaiah 26:20. Enter into thy chambers, &c.
The religion of Christ, as a religion of consolation, is eminently suited to the condition of men in a sinful, suffering, and dying world. The same Saviour who died to save, lives to bless, saying, “Lo, I am with you always,” &c. The same Holy Spirit sanctifies and comforts. This Scripture suggests, that in the worst of storms God’s people have a secure hiding-place.
I. A CONSOLATORY TRUTH IMPLIED. God’s people have chambers of security and defence in time of danger. Every perfection of the divine character, every office of Christ, every divine promise is a chamber of defence (Proverbs 18:10).
II. A WELCOME DUTY ENJOINED. “Enter,” &c.
1. Who gives this invitation? The Lord Jehovah, with whom is Everlasting Strength.
2. To whom this invitation is given, “My people.” Not Babylon, not Egypt, but “my people.”
3. What it is to which He calls them. To enter their closets, hold communion with Him, trust themselves to His keeping.
III. THE REASONS FOR THIS RETREAT.
1. Because the calamity anticipated is very great. God comes out of His place to judge the nations, &c.
2. The season of danger is short. “For a little moment.” Self-sacrifice and self-restraint for Christ’s sake will not last long.
3. Because the blessings promised are very valuable. Present purity and peace, future glory, &c.—Samuel Thodey.
RELIGIOUS RETIREMENT
Isaiah 26:20. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee.
An exhortation to religious retirement. Man was intended for society, but also for contemplation. When devoted to pious purposes, retirement is highly useful to man and most acceptable to God (H. E. I., 3466–3525). It is commended to us both by precept and example (Genesis 24:63; Matthew 14:23, &c.) But the retreat which the Scriptures commend is temporary, not total; not that of a monk to his cell, in which he passes his days in barren and unprofitable speculation, but that of men living in the world, who go out of it for a time in order that they may return to it better fitted for the duties which God has assigned them there. That you may be stimulated to this duty, consider its advantages.
I. Religious retirement takes off the impression which the neighbourhood of evil example has a tendency to make upon the mind. We need often to escape from it in order that we may see its true character, and renew our strength to resist it.
II. Religious retirement is favourable for fixing pious purposes in the mind, and strengthening our habits of virtue. Dazzled no longer by the false glitter of the world, we open our eyes to the beauties of the better country; stunned no more with the noise of folly, we can listen in silence to the still small voice. At leisure we can reflect by what temptations we were formerly foiled, that we may guard against them in time to come; for seeing the evil day, we can prepare ourselves for its conflicts.
III. In religious retirement we attain to self-knowledge. Here wisdom begins. We can never ascend to the knowledge of Him whom to know is life eternal, without knowing ourselves; and we can never know ourselves without retiring from the world, without stripping off whatever is artificial about us, without throwing off the veil which we wear before men, and devoting our sacred hours to serious consideration.
IV. Retirement and meditation will open up a source of new and better entertainment than you meet with in the world (Psalms 104:34).—John Logan: Sermons, vol. ii. pp. 156–164.