A CALL TO THE UNRIGHTEOUS
(Fourth Sunday in Advent.)
Isaiah 46:12-13. Hearken unto Me, ye stout-hearted, &c.
Referred at first to local and national circumstances, but addressed to the men of every generation—to ourselves in our own circumstances, rendered more obvious and striking by the near approach of the joyful season of Christmas.
I. God’s dealings with mankind have been all of a character which may be called unexpected. No reason can be given why men should be redeemed, rather than fallen angels, save that it so pleased Him who “worketh all things,” &c. Suppose that God had left the world to itself for many ages; suppose Him breaking the silence of centuries, of what nature would the world expect the summons to be if roused in the midst of its profligacy by the call, “Hearken,” &c.? Would it not be a message of wrath, &c.? It never could have been expected, that after such a summons would follow such words as are found in the text.
II. Having summoned the stout-hearted to hearken, the words that follow are specially adapted to their case—contain the motives which are most likely to bring them to contrition and repentance. The nearness of salvation is made an argument with the ungodly why they should turn from evil courses, just as preached by the Baptist—“Repent ye, for,” &c. The argument may not seem at first to be one of extraordinary force, but there is an energy and a persuasiveness in the approach of a Redeemer which may vainly be looked for in the approach of any other persons, or any other event. Apply this argument.
God goes on to speak with more distinctness of His purposes of mercy: “And I will place,” &c. Refers originally to what Christ would accomplish at His first appearing in Judea, and also what He would effect at His second advent. But if we confine our thoughts to what has been already effected, we have sufficient material from which to prove the accomplishment of the text. “Righteousness” is the salvation which God promises to be at hand. This is the most faithful description of the deliverance provided through the mediation of Christ, for that deliverance to righteousness which God provided for His own honour whilst providing for our rescue (Romans 9:30, &c.) And not only is salvation the righteousness of all, because it provides that God shall be just while the justifier; it is emphatically “God’s righteousness,” inasmuch as it communicates a righteousness to man which by his own strivings he could not have attained. It does this in two ways—by imputing Christ’s righteousness, and by working righteousness in us by the operation of the Holy Spirit.
And this salvation God placed in Zion, for it was only by the going up of the Mediator as a victim to the altar that the curse of the law was exhausted and the honour of the Divine attributes secured. Ages have no power to weaken or remove it. Still is virtue going out from Zion mighty as when the first Atonement was made. But we look for a yet nobler and ampler accomplishment of the prophecy (Isaiah 25:6-8; Isaiah 63:1).
“For Israel my glory.” Wonderful words! That fallen man should be His glory is an inexplicable mystery apart from Redemption. A redeemed creature is emphatically the glory of God.—H. Melvill, B.A.: Sermons, 1853, pp. 562–568.
I. A CALL OF GOD TO THE LISTLESS AND IMPENITENT. “Hearken unto Me ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness.”
1. This call may be said to apply to three classes—
(1.) To the spiritually deaf;
(2.) To the spiritually obdurate;
(3.) To the spiritually destitute—“Far from righteousness.”
2. This call is entitled to our immediate and most earnest attention.
(1.) Because it concerns our eternal destiny;
(2.) Because it is God’s call.
II. CONNECTED WITH THIS CALL IS THE GRACIOUS PROVISION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF SALVATION. “I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry.” Of this salvation, thus provided and so easily available, we reremark that—
1. It is Divine in its origin and nature. “I bring;” “my salvation.”
2. It is prompt in its announcement and delivery. The text signifies anything but delay, anything but cold and indifferent pauses. God makes haste to be gracious. He observes due time. and sent His Son in the fulness of time, He is slow to anger, but plenteous in mercy. As the prodigal’s father ran to meet him, so does God to save man.
3. It is mercifully adapted to the sinner’s condition.
(1.) He deserves threatening, but obtained instead mercy’s rich promise. God might justly have followed the call by threatening; but rather than this, there is a beautiful transition from the severe to the tender, from the prelude of thunder to the sweet and gentle music of love. It is a beautiful gradation from law to grace.
(2.) He deserves the loss of redemptive privileges, but is offered a near salvation.
(3.) He deserves present punishment, but is offered a timely pardon.
III. GOD CONSTITUTES HIS CHURCH THE TREASURY OF THIS ACCESSIBLE SALVATION. “I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.” Here we see—
1. That the church is the world’s house of mercy.
2. That the church is entrusted with the most solemn responsibilities.
3. That the church is God’s glory and object of honour. “For Israel my glory.”—Thomas Colclough in the “Lau Preacher,” vol. iii. p. 123.
I. THE DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF UNCONVERTED SINNERS.
1. “Stout-hearted”—stubborn, obdurate, hard. In Ezekiel 11:19 we have a striking and instructive figure describing the condition of unconverted sinners: “The stony heart”—as hard, as cold, as barren, and as dead as a stone!
2. “Far from righteousness”—rightness in heart, in habit, and in life. Morally wrong. Alienated from God. All are naturally wrong (Romans 3:10). Yet some talk of moral excellence in fallen creatures, &c. The Bible acknowledges no real excellence but what arises from a work of grace upon the soul. Sin has defaced the moral excellences of man (Jeremiah 17:9; Genesis 6:5; Romans 8:7). “That which is born of the flesh is flesh”—fallen, corrupt, subject to the law of the Fall. “Ye must be born again.”
II. THE WONDERFUL MERCY OF GOD. Has provided a method of deliverance from this deplorable condition. “I bring near my righteousness,” &c. This deliverance God brings near (Romans 10:6-9). Your wrongness may be brought to a final end. The gospel is the grand provision for the restoration of righteousness in fallen and sinful men (2 Corinthians 5:21, &c.) Though by nature “far off,” you may be brought “nigh by the blood of Christ.”
III. THE IMPERATIVE DUTY TO WHICH SINNERS ARE SUMMONED. “Hearken unto Me.” When God speaks, it behoves us to listen (Hebrews 2:2-3). Hearken to His voice—immediately, earnestly, practically, constantly. “Hear, and your soul shall live.”—Alfred Tucker.