THE PREY TAKEN FROM THE MIGHTY
Isaiah 49:24-26. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty? &c.
The history of God’s love to His people is a ground of encouragement and hope to the Church in all aftertime, because God, human nature, and the power and influence of religion are always the same. The text turns upon the difficulty of conveying hope and comfort to disconsolate minds. The prophet had been giving to the disconsolate glorious promises of the future restoration of the Church (Isaiah 49:18-23), but he was met by the difficulty of their inability to believe that those promises could be fulfilled. They asked, thinking that only an unfavourable answer could be given to their question, “Shall the prey,” &c. Mark the confidence of the prophet’s answer, “But thus saith the Lord,” &c. Various lawful, instructive, and encouraging uses may be made of our text.
I. Apply the text literally to Israel’s release from Babylon. The captives saw great and apparently insuperable difficulties in the way of their restoration. The news seemed too good to be true. There was the great strength of the Babylonian empire, and their unbelief argues, “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?” There was the fact that they were a conquered people, and that their enemies, according to the usages of war, had an accredited right to hold them in subjection. “Shall the lawful captive be delivered?” [1520] Then they had no alliances, and no hold upon the political sympathies of foreign nations; and lastly, there was their own incapacity of self-belief, their wives and children being with them in the power of the enemy, as so many hostages for their good conduct.
[1520] “The lawful captive” has been rendered “the captive of the strong” (Herd.), of the stern or severe (Schult., Rosenm.), of the victorious (Mich., Beck), of the terrible, by a conjectural change of reading (Hitz., Lowth, Knob., Ewald), righteous captives, i.e., exiled Jews (Symm., Jareh., Aben Ezra, Hitz., Hahn), the plunder of the righteous, i.e., taken from them (Ges., Maurer, Umbreil). But the received version (Stier) gives the true meaning, “the captive of one who has a rightful claim to keep another in bondage.” There is a climax, seldom noticed, in the reply; and a threefold gradation, of a simply rightful, a powerful, and a terrible conqueror; of one who has a just claim, one who has also power to maintain it, and one whose power is so terrible that resistance seems hopeless. Shall the prey of the mighty be taken away, or even a captive justly claimed, though by one less mighty, be delivered? Not in the common course of things, or by human justice alone. But God’s grace has a higher law, and even more than this shall be done: the prey of the most terrible among Zion’s adversaries shall be delivered.—Birks.
Note how amply the promises of the text meet these sources of discouragement. It is answered by a “Thus saith the Lord,” i.e., hopeless as the case may seem to you, all the difficulties shall give way when I interpose. “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away,” &c.; “though they be a nation strong and powerful, ye shall be rescued from their hands, for I will oppose My strength and wisdom to theirs, and the resources of My providence to all the pride of their power.” God Himself would come down into the field as their champion: “I will contend,” &c. Nay, more: He promises to make the ruin of the foe conspicuous as the deliverance of His friends. “I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh, and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as sweet wine;” i.e., He would cause them to destroy one another with as much eagerness as half-famished men fall upon a well-furnished table; they shall hasten to that banquet of blood with as much fervour as men hasten to a banquet of wine. The historian tells us that on the night in which Babylon was taken many of the Chaldeans fell off from Belshazzar and joined the standard of Cyrus; they were themselves most forward in surprising the city, and showing the way into the king’s palace, where they slew him and all his attendants. Thus the promise of the text was fulfilled by the overthrow of the reigning government, and the introduction of a new dynasty to the throne. So completely was this done, that the captives were as much overpowered by the greatness of their deliverance as they had before been confounded by the depth of the calamity (Psalms 126:1).
Learn, then, how fully God can make good His promises, and disperse the worst fears of His people. “The Lord can clear the darkest skies.” And He does it with as much tenderness as power (Isaiah 49:15). The captives feared more for their beloved families than for themselves, as you do for yours, and the promise respects them: “And I will save thy children.”
II. Apply it spiritually to man’s redemption by Christ. To the convicted sinner, human redemption has often seemed incompatible with the inalienable claims of Divine justice, which seem to demand that the punishment of the transgressors should take its course. God cannot connive at sin; and the law we have broken is holy, just, and good, as necessary to the happiness of the universe as it is essential to the glory of God; a law too good to be repealed, too sacred to be trifled with; the abrogation of it would dethrone the Deity, and pour anarchy through all the worlds He has made (H. E. I. 3157, 3188). How then shall the great dilemma which sin has introduced be met? If mercy triumphs, justice is tarnished; if justice prevail, man is overthrown for ever. Mere power has no force in regard to moral questions; it cannot make right wrong, or wrong right. To solve this question was a task for Omniscience: God dealt with it, and through Scripture has made known to us its solution (Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 3:19-26, &c.; H. E. I. 375–382, 396). Justice triumphs in the death of Christ, and mercy triumphs in the pardon of penitent sinners through Him. The very idea of redemption turns upon this point. It means the buying back again of lost and forfeited good, by a compensative arrangement between the parties. In ancient times the lives of prisoners taken in war were held to be at the disposal of the conqueror, and the acceptance of a stipulated ransom was the established mode of buying back the lives and liberty of the prisoners. The law of God, with all the forces of the universe behind it, must be in the end the conqueror of all who rebel against it, and in the Gospel we are told that the ransom-price was the death of Christ, who gave Himself for us and suffered in our stead (1 Peter 1:18). The ransom was sufficient (H. E. I. 377–381).
III. Apply the text experimentally to the Christian’s deliverance from sin.
1. Jesus not only made atonement for our sins; He at the same time contended with and overcame our worst enemies. Man was the willing servant of the powers of darkness; not a forced captive, but a ready subject of Satan. But, by dying, Jesus overcame him who had dominion over our race (Hebrews 4:14-15; Ephesians 4:8). He literally made good the promise, “I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.”
2. In converting grace, the triumph is the same; and in the experience of the penitent sinner it is continually renewed (Luke 4:18; Luke 11:20-22). Christ’s people are pardoned and delivered from the power of sin in all its forms; in every conflict He gives them victory, and He will do so to the end (Romans 6:14; Romans 8:37; H. E. I. 1099, 1106, 1112–1119).
IV. Apply it prospectively to the blessed resurrection from the dead promised to the people of God.—Samuel Thodey.
Both in providence and grace, “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” Of this, the Jews needed to be reminded. They had been taken into captivity, and were detained there for the punishment of their sins. They had been assured that God would deliver them in due time, but the difficulties in the way of the fulfilment of that promise seemed so insuperable, that they despairingly asked, “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?” To this question Isaiah was authorised confidently to give a reassuring reply (Isaiah 49:25).
I. To this question there was an answer in the deliverance of the Jewish people from the tyranny of Egypt. The history of what God did for their fathers should have prevented the Jews in Babylon from asking this question. But in every new extremity men are prone to forget the history of the past.
II. There was an answer to this question in the deliverance of the people of God from their captivity in Babylon. It seemed impossible, but it was accomplished, and in precisely the manner that God had predicted. These things were written for our learning!
III. There was an answer to this question in the great work of human redemption effected by Christ on the Cross. That seemed the hour of Satan’s victory; it was the hour of his defeat (Colossians 2:14-15).
IV. There are answers to this question in the conversion of sinners by the preaching of the Gospel. The glorious work of emancipation still goes on (Luke 4:18; 2 Corinthians 10:4).
V. There will be an answer to this question when our Redeemer returns with power and great glory. Then death and the grave shall be compelled to give up their prey; and death and hell shall be “cast into the lake of fire.”—W. Dransfield: Forty-six Short Sermons, pp. 239–264.
I. The enemy to be encountered. Satan, an enemy that is mighty and terrible.
1. In the nature of his influence. On the intellectual and moral man—the immortal soul.
2. In the number of his agents. A legion against one.
3. In the extent of his territory.
II. The captives he retains.
1. Those who are born where he reigns unrivalled. Idolatrous countries.
2. Those who yield to his sway, though deliverance is at hand. Pharisees. Hardened sinners.
III. The prospect of deliverance.
1. The price of their redemption is provided.
2. The agent that can make it effective.
3. The means are in operation to make the deliverance known.
4. Specimens of triumph already obtained.
IV. The means to be employed.
1. Fervent and importunate prayer.
2. Free and extensive diffusion of the charter of liberty—“The Word of God.”—Studies for the Pulpit, part ii. p. 308.
RESOURCES OF THE ADVERSARY, AND MEANS OF THEIR DESTRUCTION
(Missionary Sermon.)
Isaiah 49:24-25. Thus saith the Lord, &c.
The Scriptures teach that sin commenced its reign on earth under the auspices of a mighty fallen spirit; and that he, having seduced mankind from their allegiance to God, has constantly maintained his bad eminence overthem. They also teach, that the Son of God has interposed to destroy the works of this spirit; and that He will accomplish the object; that the power of Satan shall be broken, and the whole world be restored to loyalty and the favour of heaven. Other passages allude to the success with which the enemy of God has fortified his cause; to its final overthrow; and to the exultation and joy with which the event will fill earth and heaven (chap. Isaiah 53:12; Luke 11:21-22; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 19:5-6). An alienated world requires more moral power for its restoration than that of simple law, which proved insufficient to maintain its allegiance. It requires a new moral influence, so introduced and applied as to corroborate law, and strengthen the loyalty of all the good, while rebels are reconciled and pardoned. Consider—
I. THE WEAPONS AND RESOURCES OF THE ENEMY.
1. At the head of opposition to the Gospel, in numerical power, must be placed idolatry. To banish from the earth all knowledge of God and His government, and substitute a worship composed of lust and blood, seems most desirable to the great adversary, where circumstances allow it to be done; and this he has achieved in respect to about six hundred millions of the human family.
2. Imposture. This was introduced by Mahomed. It was a system accommodated to the condition of a mingled population, composed of Pagans, Jews, and nominal Christians, all in a state of great ignorance and deep moral debasement.
3. Papal superstition. This has been, and is still, the master-piece of that wisdom which is from beneath; concentrating the bad influence of all past systems. Popery is a system where science and ignorance, refinement and barbarism, wisdom and stupidity, taste and animalism, mistaken zeal and malignant enmity, may sanctimoniously pour out their virulence against the Gospel, and cry “Hosanna!” while they go forth to shed the blood and to wear out the patience of the saints.
4. The despotic governments of the earth.
5. Crime in its varied forms. A vast amount of capital is embarked in enterprises which, directly or indirectly, war against morality. All this, when the spirit of Christianity shall prevail, will be contraband, and be withdrawn.
6. A more liberal sort of religion which shall keep the opposition in countenance, and enable them to wield the name and institutions of Christianity against Christianity—including so much truth as may serve to beguile, but so little as cannot avail to save—sustained by such as live in pleasure, and will not bow the knee to Christ.
7. The corruption of the purity of revivals of religion. Terrible, by the power of revivals, as an army with banners, the victory of the Church is secure, unless fanaticism can be substituted for pure-religion, and her compact masses be broken and scattered by the commotion of unhallowed passions within. In this manner was the glory of the Reformation eclipsed, and vital religion, in the time of Cromwell, made a scoff and a by-word. The same attempt was made in New England early in the days of our fathers. It was repeated in the time of White-field and the immortal Edwards, with lamentable, though with but partial success.
8. All these great divisions of systematic opposition to the Gospel have, where circumstances allowed, been supplemented by the sword. Christianity, in her first attempt to disenthrall the world, met the storms of ten persecutions, protracted through a period of three hundred years.
And now, can such varied and mighty resistance to the truth be overcome? Can the earth be enlightened? Can the nations be disenthralled? Can the whole creation, which has groaned and travailed together in pain until now, be brought out of bondage into glorious liberty? Yes; all this can be done, and will be done. Our next inquiry then is,
II. HOW SHALL EVENTS SO DESIRABLE BE ACCOMPLISHED?
1. By the judgments of heaven, in which the Son of man will come upon the strong man armed and take away his armour.
2. By the universal propagation of the Gospel; before the light of which, idolatry, imposture, and superstition, will retreat abashed.
3. By frequent, and at last, general revivals of religion; giving resistless power to the Gospel, as it is preached to every creature.
4. By the special influence of the Holy Spirit. The simple presence of Christianity would no more convert the heathen, than it converts those where it already exists. Were every family on earth now blessed with a Bible and a pastor, these, without the effusion of the Spirit, would not maintain upon the earth an uncorrupt, nominal Christianity for one hundred years.
5. By a new and unparalleled vigour of Christian enterprise. Until then, the Church will have been the assailed party, and stood upon the defensive; but thenceforth the word of command will not be “Stand,” but “March.” The gates of the holy city will be thrown open; the tide of war will be rolled upon the enemy; and one shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight. The means and efforts for evangelising the world must correspond, however, with the magnitude of the result. The idea that God will convert the heathen in His own good time, and that Christians have nothing to do but to pray and devoutly wait, is found in no canonical book. From the beginning the cause of God on earth has been maintained and carried forward only by the most heroic exertion. Christianity, even in the age of miracles, was not propagated but by stupendous efforts. And it is only by a revival of primitive zeal and enterprise that the glorious things spoken of the city of our God can be accomplished.
But what can be done? There must be in the church of God—
1. More faith.
2. More intense love for Christ.
3. More decided action.
4. More courage.
5. New and more vigorous efforts to increase the number and power of evangelical churches in our lands.
6. Special effort is required to secure to the rising generation an education free from the influence of bad example, and more decidedly evangelical.
7. The vigour of charitable effort must be greatly increased.
8. The jealousies of Christians who are united substantially in their views of evangelical doctrine and religion, and who are divided only by localities, and rites, and forms, must yield, and give place to the glorious exigencies of the present day.
9. We must guard against the dangers peculiar to a state of religious prosperity.
CONCLUSION.—Will any of you, in this glorious day, take side against the cause of Christ? It will be a fearful experiment. And woe unto him who contendeth with his Maker!—Lyman Beecher, D.D.: Missionary Enterprise, pp. 121–142. (Boston Edition.)
THE SAFETY OF THE CHURCH
Isaiah 49:25. And all flesh shall know, &c.
I. God is the protector of the Church, and no weapons formed against her shall prosper. The efforts which have been made to destroy the Church of God have been vain. Israel in Egypt, in the wilderness, in Babylon, and under Antiochus Epiphanes. The early persecutions of the Christians in Judea, in the Roman Empire. The persecution of the Waldenses in Switzerland; of the Huguenots in France; and of the Reformers in England. “The gates of hell shall not prevail against her” (H. E. I. 1246–1251).
II. The Church’s enemies shall be distracted in their counsels, and left to anarchy and overthrow. God will fill the ranks of His foes with confusion, and suffer them to be torn and distracted with internal strifes.
III. The Church shall rise resplendent from all her persecutions, and shall prosper ultimately, just in proportion to their efforts to destroy it. The effect of all shall be the diffusion of the Gospel among all nations, and to bring all men to acknowledge that He who thus protects His Church is the true and only God—the Saviour, the Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.—Adapted from Barnes’ Commentary.
SALVATION FOR THE LITTLE ONES
Isaiah 49:25. I will save thy children.
This promise of salvation for the children has made the heart of many a pious parent thrill with delight. “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice.” In fact, worldly and even wicked parents are often glad to see their children religious. They admire and approve in them that religion which they know, to their sorrow, they are neglecting themselves. If an appeal were made to the adult members of an ordinary congregation as to whether a minister ought to urge religion upon the attention of children, all as with one voice would respond, “By all means try to save the little ones.” This blessed promise, “I will save thy children,” will be regarded by such as one of the most precious in the Bible.
I. TO WHOM THIS PRECIOUS PROMISE IS MADE. The verses which cluster around it possess more than common interest. They depict scenes radiant with the glory of Zion’s successes and triumphs. In the midst of all these glorious triumphs, this heart-cheering promise comes in, “and I will save thy children.”
Viewing those words in the light thrown upon them by these surroundings, may we not safely say, This is a part of the heritage of God’s Church? And are we not to expect that the Lord will fulfil His promise in a special manner at a time when His church is reviving and multiplying? Is not the salvation of the children here placed before us as the crowning glory of Christ’s Church, when she is in the full tide of her prosperity? Is it not made to you, and on behalf of your children?
Let each pious parent at once put in his claim, “Lord, Thou hast specially promised to save my children; now fulfil Thy gracious word. Let me see them holy, useful, and happy here; let me hereafter meet them in heaven. According to Thy word, I look for this. While I pray, watch, and work for the salvation of my children, I am expecting Thee to verify the truth of Thy promise and to save them.” Those parents who connect with this spirit of prayerful expectation a godly and winsome example, will soon see their children happy in God.
II. LET US TRY TO REALISE, IF WE CAN, ITS FULL IMPORT. The word “save,” when linked to the souls of our children, is indeed “a gem of purest ray serene.” Its price is above rubies. Who can fathom its import? And who can rightly realise the terrible antithesis, one’s child unsaved? capable of conversion, old enough to understand and experience real religion, and yet UNSAVED! Illustrate the spiritual condition of such. [1523]
[1523] Let us picture to our minds a child very poor, dreadfully diseased, and miserably enslaved. Every right-hearted parent is distressed to see his child poor, clad in rags, bedded on straw, pale and pinched with hunger. Add to poverty, disease: the rosy bloom has disappeared from the cheek. The little frame is wasting to a skeleton. Life is a burden, and the grave is opening to entomb your fondest hopes. Add to poverty and disease, slavery: your child the property of another, who claims him as his own and subjects him to all the degradation and misery of a galling servitude! What would be your feelings as a parent had you a child in such circumstances as these? Methinks it would be enough to make your life a burden. Have you a child unsaved? Then is he not poor? miserably poor? Has not sin robbed him of peace and purity? Does it not threaten to rob him of heaven and hope? Is not your unsaved child diseased? full of the leprosy of sin? sick unto death? Does not Satan bind his captive soul “fast in his slavish chains?” Is he not held in the most cruel bondage by the worst of tyrants? You know that all this is true, that it is no over-coloured picture. In fact, it is only part of the truth. Your unsaved child is under sentence of death. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” That sentence might be executed by Divine justice at any moment. What then is to become of your poor, diseased, enslaved, and doomed child?—Page.
Save! Nothing less than the unsearchable riches of Christ. Health for the soul, complete liberty from the bondage of sin, “the glorious liberty of the children of God.” These four letters SAVE include “the gift of God,” which is “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This promise specially belongs to God’s own people. Does not this furnish one of the strongest reasons why unconverted parents should seek religion? How sacred and solemn is the parental relationship! Every child is a fallen, though a redeemed, sinner; and each will be saved or lost for ever. Yet how few unsaved parents think of the eternal ruin that thus threatens their own children.—G. A. Page.