DISCOURSE: 878
CHRIST A STANDARD FOR THE GENTILES
Isaiah 11:10. In that day there shall be a not of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
IN the Scriptures, you frequently see a particular period referred to under the designation of “that day.” This term very generally marks the season of the Messiah’s advent; of which season the prophet speaks in the words before us. In the preceding chapter he has predicted the total destruction of the Assyrian empire, which, having already brought into captivity the ten tribes, now menaced, with every prospect of success, the other two tribes, which had been reduced to the lowest ebb of weakness and misery: “The Lord, the Lord of hosts shall lop the bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled: and he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron; and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.” Then, in the beginning of this chapter, he declares, that, whilst Assyria should be destroyed to rise no more, the Messiah should rise from the family of David, when it should have sunk to a state of utter insignificance: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” He mentions the stem of Jesse, rather than of David; because David was a powerful monarch; whereas Jesse, his father, was but a private individual of low rank. Then, in my text, he repeats that same prophecy, saying, “In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious,” Now that this refers to Christ there can be no doubt; since an inspired Apostle, speaking of Christ as having come in order “that the Gentiles should glorify God for his mercy,” quotes this very passage; “Again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust [Note: Romans 15:12.],”
With this inspired explanation of my text for our guidance, we may proceed to consider,
I. The advent of Christ as here announced—
We are told, that “He shall stand for an ensign of the people.” Now what is “an ensign?” It is a standard raised by the authority of a monarch, inviting his subjects to flock unto it, and to fight under his guidance against his enemies,
Now such an occasion existed before Christ came into the world, and still exists in every quarter of the globe—
[Behold, the whole universe has risen up in rebellion against “the Lord and his Christ.” I confidently ask, Who amongst you has not been a rebel against God? Who has not trampled on his laws, and set at defiance his authority? — — — Who has not said, respecting the Lord Jesus Christ in particular, “We will not have this man to reign over us?” Who has not ranged himself under the banners of Beelzebub, and executed his will in direct opposition to Christ’s? It is not for nought that Satan is called “The god of this world;” for “he works in all the children of disobedience,” and “leads them captive at his will” — — —]
To meet that occasion, Christ is come into the world—
[He “comes to effect deliverance for the captives.” He erects his standard in the world. He bids us to throw down the weapons of our rebellion, and to join his ranks against the common enemy. He gives us armour from head to foot; and offers to discipline us for the warfare; and assures us of final victory. Nor is it to those only who are in full vigour of life, and amongst the lower ranks of society, that He sends his invitation; but to those of every rank, and every age. There is with him no preference of age or sex: all are equally called to fight his battles; and are assured of ultimate success. Nor is it in this, as in common warfare, that they who fight endanger their lives: and they who stay at home consult their safety: on the contrary, they who fight shall both conquer and live for ever; but they who decline the combat shall assuredly and eternally perish.]
Though Christ’s advent, in this view of it, appears formidable, we shall rejoice in it, if we consider,
II.
The blessedness arising from it—
To all who view it aright, shall this blessedness be sooner or later vouchsafed. For,
1. The whole Gentile world shall in due time be subdued before him—
[“To him shall the Gentiles seek.” Thousands and millions were converted to him in the apostolic age. The whole Roman empire was, within the space of a few years, filled with those who had flocked to his standard. And still is his kingdom advancing in the world. In the very place where we are, I trust, there are not a few whom “God has brought from the kingdom of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son.” But the time is near at hand when “all kings shall fall down before our Lord, and all nations shall serve him:” yes, “all the kingdoms of the world will be subdued to him,” and become a part of his universal empire. Now there are kings many and lords many: but “in that day there shall be but one Lord to all the earth, and his name One.”
Only then contemplate the change which has taken place in any one regenerate soul, and then say, whether this reign of Christ over the whole race of man be not an event greatly to be desired — — —]
2. “His rest” after all these conflicts shall be “glorious”—
[Here is no change of metaphor, as a superficial observer would imagine. When this Mighty Warrior went to deliver his people from their captivity in Egypt, he “brought them forth with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm.” And, when he subdued their enemies in Canaan, he abode by the ark (the symbol of his presence) even for five hundred years, “between curtains” in the tabernacle, moving about from place to place, But David then prepared for him a settled habitation on Mount Zion, and said, in reference to it, “Arise, O Lord, into thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength. For the Lord, having chosen Zion, and desired it for his habitation, hath said, that is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have derived it [Note: Psalms 132:8; Psalms 132:13-14.].” Such was David’s testimony: and similar expressions did Solomon also use, when he had deposited the ark in the sanctuary of his temple [Note: 2 Chronicles 6:41.]. But since Christ has come, he has a far nobler rest, even in the bosoms of his obedient people; a rest, in comparison of which the temple of Solomon in all its glory was perfectly contemptible [Note: Isaiah 57:17; Isaiah 66:1-2.]. Truly this rest is glorious indeed: for here he vouchsafes far brighter manifestations of his glory, and incomparably richer communications of his grace. The glory that filled the temple, so that the priests could no longer stand to minister there, infinitely excelled all that the temple itself contained: but, in comparison of the discoveries which God vouchsafes to his believing people, it was darkness itself. See the Lord Jesus as “the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person;” see the glory of God beaming in his face, and all the divine perfections shining with harmonious and united splendour in the work he has accomplished, and you will readily perceive, how far brighter are the discoveries of Christ now made to the believing soul, than all that ever were vouchsafed to men before his advent. The grace, the mercy, the peace, the joy, the strength, which animated some highly favoured souls before this time, were indeed very abundant: but as a general communication to his Church of old, these gifts were but as a drop before the shower: for “the Spirit was not then given, because that Jesus was not then glorified.” So truly does he now “glorify the house of his glory, and make the place of his feet glorious [Note: Isaiah 60:7; Isaiah 60:13.].”]
We may see from hence,
1.
What improvement we should make of the preached Gospel—
[The preaching of the Gospel is, in fact, the raising of this standard before the eyes of men: it is the setting forth of Christ crucified, and the calling of man to enlist under his banners. What then have we to do, but to flock around him; to give up our names to him, that they may be inscribed on his list; and to gird ourselves for the combat at his command? Let us then vie with each other in zeal for his service: and let us willingly “endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ,” that, being more than conquerors, we may receive a crown of righteousness at the hands of our righteous Judge [Note: 2 Timothy 4:8.]
2. The blessedness of those who improve it aright—
[Whoever complies with the invitations of the Gospel, and unites himself to the army of saints, the Church of God, he instantly becomes a distinguished favourite of heaven; his heart is the temple of the Deity; he is God’s residence, he is God’s rest: and more glorious is he, than if all earthly dignities were centered in him: more happy, than a combination of all earthly comforts could make him. Let us then aspire after “the good of God’s chosen, that we may rejoice in the gladness of his nation, and glory with his inheritance [Note: Psalms 106:5.].”]