ABOUNDING SIN AND ABOUNDING GRACE
Isaiah 57:17-19. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, &c.
The design of the Bible is twofold: first, to reveal man to himself, and, next, to reveal God to him. The Bible contains a revelation of the gracious heart of God, and of the sinful heart of man. Both were necessary, for man is essentially ignorant of himself, and the degree of his distance and separation from God (Proverbs 30:13; Revelation 3:17-19). The text is a case in point. It was necessary that the Jews should be rebuked for their rebellion, and that God’s mercy should be revealed to them. God condescends to argue the case with them, and to justify His procedure in permitting their captivity and desolation, whilst He gives the promise of their future restoration and recovery to His image and favour.
I. THE ABOUNDINGS OF SIN ON THE PART OF ISRAEL.
By the “iniquity of covetousness” we may perhaps understand their reluctance to uphold the service of God, contrasted by their prodigality and profusion in the service of idols (Isaiah 57:5-6; Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 43:22-24; Hosea 2:8-9). But as human nature is always the same, we may trace here the marks of a declining professor.
1. Their obduracy under Divine chastisement (Jeremiah 5:3; Zephaniah 3:2; Zephaniah 3:5; Zephaniah 3:7). It argues a strange boldness not to put away sin, when men are suffering under Divine rebukes. It is to refuse the antidote, and let the poison of sin work on. The bond of iniquity must be exceedingly strong, if when the hand of God is upon us, the heart do not relent (Proverbs 23:15; 2 Chronicles 28:22). We may well pray: “From all hardness of heart,” &c. Guard not only against sinful acts, but against a sinful and unsubdued temper of mind (Revelation 3:19; Psalms 32:9).
2. Their apathy under the Divine with-drawments. A good man is anxious to possess the tokens of the Divine favour, &c. The withholding of these is a source of humiliation and sorrow (Psalms 51:12; Psalms 77:1-9). But Israel was full of apathy. Samson was unconscious of the loss he sustained: “He wist not that the Lord had departed.”
3. Their neglect of the kindest appeals and promises of God’s mercy. God had said (Isaiah 57:15-16); yet this awakened no response. There are some whom neither judgments awe, nor mercy subdues.
II. THE ABOUNDINGS OF GRACE ON THE PART OF GOD.
1. For obduracy here is mercy. The criminal is arraigned, convicted, condemned, and punishment actually begun; and yet an arrest is placed upon the execution of judgment. When you would expect nothing but actual destruction, you have immediately after the triumph of grace. “Who is a God like Thee?” &c. God hates the sinner’s ways, but He loves the sinner’s soul. His grace is able to subdue the evils that nothing else can. He not only pardons but sanctifies.
2. For desertion here is the promise of guidance. Christ is the Shepherd of the souls He came to redeem.
3. For sorrow here is comfort. When the soul wants peace, it can have none till God speak it.
4. For despondency here is triumph. So great was the despondency that the restoration of peace is a miracle! It must be created! (Isaiah 65:17-18).
CONCLUSION.—The text is a most instructive and encouraging comment on Romans 5:20. It has been the characteristic of humanity, in all conditions and dispensations, that sin abounded. But the mercy of God has super-abounded. The pardoning mercy of the Gospel greatly triumphs over sin, though so greatly aggravated by the light of Divine revelation. It can erase the deepest stains of guilt, and ennoble the nature which sin has degraded and defiled. This abounding grace is offered for your acceptance.—Samuel Thodey.
Isaiah 57:18. GOD’S TENDER MERCY TOWARD PENITENT SINNERS.
Through the cloud of His people’s sins God’s mercy shines most brightly. Here is unspeakable tenderness, to melt, to strengthen, and to console. Verily, “the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him,” &c. (Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 48:9, and others).
God’s tender mercy toward penitent sinners is here presented in several ways—
I. He sees them. This ancient doctrine is at variance with modern popular philosophy, which maintains that God holds Himself too high apart to take cognisance of men on this low earth; that if there is a God at all, He is very distant, and does not condescend to “look upon men” (Job 33:27-28). If this is the God of popular philosophy, it is not the God of the Bible (Psalms 113:6; Proverbs 15:3; Proverbs 5:21; Hebrews 4:13). Present everywhere, He sees all that transpires throughout His vast domains, &c. In this chapter, we read of some of the things that God saw in those of whom He here speaks; scoffing at religion; infatuated by sin; given over to the grossest iniquity; hardened in sin (Isaiah 57:4-9; Isaiah 57:17). God’s compassionate eye is fixed upon you; He sees your wanderings, sins, repentance, &c., from His Omniscient out look, as though you alone of all His children were penitent. As a compassionate parent looks upon his erring penitent child, so God looks upon broken-hearted penitents. His pitying eye sees the contrite spirit and the aching heart, &c. (Psalms 103:13; Luke 15:20; Luke 22:61). Ever look upon God as ever looking upon you. Look well to your “ways,” cherish the spirit of prayerful watchfulness and self-denial. “Thou God seest me.”
II. He heals them. Pardons and restores them. Sin is often represented as a painful, loathsome disease, and pardon and salvation as a healing of the disease (Isaiah 6:10; Isaiah 30:26; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 3:22; Jeremiah 8:22; Jeremiah 17:4; Jeremiah 33:6; Psalms 41:3-4; Psalms 103:3; Psalms 147:3).
1. The inimitable character of the Physician.
(1.) His skill is infinite. A physician must understand anatomy, disease, symptoms, causes, &c., and he must be skilful to prescribe suitable directions and remedies, &c. The Divine Physician possesses unbounded knowledge of the cause, the progress, and the precise state of the soul’s disorders and infirmities, of which bodily diseases are analogous. (See pp. 496.)
(2.) His power is almighty. No spiritual disease so inveterate and stubborn but He can conquer and cure it with infinite ease. He never turns any away, saying, “I can do no more for you,” &c.
(3.) His tenderness and compassion is unspeakable (Isaiah 42:3; Psalms 103:13-14).
(4.) His patience and diligence is unwearied. He bears with their ingratitude, &c., pursues His work till He has effected a cure.
2. The remedy by which He heals.
(1.) His pardoning and restoring mercy through the redemption of Christ (Isaiah 53:5; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 3:23-26; Revelation 5:9, Revelation 5:12; Rev. 8:14). Announced in the ministry of the Word. Applied by His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Hebrews 10:16). Received by faith.
(2.) The means of grace (Ephesians 4:11-13). Designed to promote spiritual health. The Church—the hospital of grace, where the Divine art of healing is carried on, &c.
III. He leads them. Not only amends what is amiss in them, that they may cease to do evil; but directs them into the way of duty, that they may learn to do well (Psalms 23:2-3; Psalms 73:24; and others. See pp. 296). He leads them to the mercy-seat; to His Word; into paths of righteousness, &c.
IV. He comforts them. He restores the comforts which they had forfeited and lost, for the return of which the grace of God had prepared them, and for which the pious among them had fervently prayed. They had experienced true and satisfying joy, but they sinned it away—they had lost their peace of mind, their souls were sad and cheerless. Sin always produces this effect. In the path of sin neither hope nor comfort can be found. And when lost, it can be recovered only by penitent faith (Psalms 51:1-12, and others). God graciously restores the comfort of forfeited mercy, lost joy, vanished hope, &c. (Psalms 23:3). He removes all false comforts, and then restores true comforts—the comfort of perfect pardon, daily communion, &c.
CONCLUSION.—Some of you are still impenitent—indifferent about spiritual healing, &c. Remember! God sees you always, in all your sinful “ways,” and therefore sees that which in righteousness He must abhor, and in pity mourn. As a faithful father mourns because of the continued rebellion of a prodigal, so your heavenly Father mourns over you. Take that into your consideration, and surely you will be reluctant to weary out His patience, &c. “Repent and believe the Gospel,” then God shall not see you as sinners He must condemn, but as penitents He must save, and heal, and lead, and comfort (1 John 1:8-9).—A. Tucker.
ASPECTS OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER.
The proper study of man is God. Nothing so tends to expand the mind, and humble the soul, &c. This description of God is worthy our careful consideration. From it we learn—
I. God is the all-seeing One. The doctrine of the Divine Omniscience one of the most important. Yet practically ignored. It should—
1. Exert a restraining influence. If we realised that God’s eye was upon us we should refrain from sin in all its forms and manifestations; like Joseph we should exclaim, “How can I,” &c.
2. Encourage the penitent.
3. Stimulate the Christian worker.
II. God is the great Physician. Men need healing. Not a hopeless case. Bodily health valuable, spiritual far more precious.
III. God is the Leader of His people. They need leading. God graciously offers to be our Guide—all-wise, powerful, faithful, &c. He is leading us to the heavenly habitation, &c. (see p. 296).
IV. God is the Comforter of His people. In the world they have tribulation, &c. Therefore need super-human comfort.
CONCLUSION.—“Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace, thereby good shall come to thee.”—A. Tucker.