DISCOURSE: 929
GOD’S DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE OPENED
Isaiah 42:16. I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
GOD has fore-ordained every thing which he himself will do [Note: Acts 15:18.]; and he has been gradually unfolding his designs from the beginning. The restoration of the Jews from Babylon, and the calling of the Gentiles into the Church, were very wonderful events, but in them the prediction before us was fulfilled: it receives a further accomplishment yet daily. We may take occasion from it to observe,
I. God’s dealings are mysterious—
The dispensations of his providence have been at all times dark—
[How ill-judged (according to human estimate) was the direction given to the Israelites at their departure from Egypt [Note: Exodus 14:2-3.]! Yet it eventually led to their more complete deliverance [Note: Exodus 14:17; Exodus 14:23; Exodus 14:28.]. How strange do their long wanderings in the wilderness appear! Yet God conducted them by the right way [Note: Psalms 107:7; Deuteronomy 8:2.]. The present dispersion of the Jews shall enhance the mercy and the glory of their restoration. Their degradation shall issue in their fulness [Note: Romans 11:12; Romans 11:31.]
The dispensations of his grace are equally inscrutable—
This is seen in the first quickening of men from their spiritual death—
[God sets their sins in array before them. He charges home their guilt upon their consciences. He threatens them with his eternal wrath and indignation. Who would conceive that these were tokens of his love? How little did the three thousand, when pricked to the heart, imagine that joy was so nigh at hand [Note: Acts 2:37.]! How little could the jailor, when about to commit suicide, have supposed that his terror was the first dawn of mercy to his soul [Note: Acts 16:27-29.]! Thus are many still brought to Christ “in a way which they knew not” — —]
It further appears in their subsequent spiritual life—
[Men usually expect to be led on in a way of peace and joy. But God often leaves them to feel the depravity of their own hearts. He sometimes permits them to be “in heaviness through manifold temptations.” He suffers also many heavy calamities to befall them. They seem, at times, as though they should be overwhelmed. They not unfrequently are brought to the borders of despair. Yet these are ways which God takes to humble and to prove them. Who could have thought that Peter’s fall should be overruled for good? Yet perhaps nothing else would ever have purged out his self-confidence. The buffetings of Satan were earnestly deprecated by Paul [Note: 2 Corinthians 12:8.]; yet were they necessary to prevent the workings of pride [Note: 2 Corinthians 12:7.]. How true is that observation of the Psalmist [Note: Psalms 77:19.]—. The more we contemplate his dealings with his people, the more shall we exclaim with the Apostle [Note: Romans 11:33.]—!]
In every dispensation, especially as it respects his people, we may say,
II.
His intentions are merciful—
The perplexities of his people are often very great: but God has gracious designs in all [Note: Jeremiah 29:10-11.]. We may see this remark exemplified in the case of Job—
[How heavy and accumulated were the trials that came on him! He himself, in his haste, accused God of cruelty [Note: Job 10:3; Job 10:16.]. But the end shewed that God sent those trials in love [Note: Job 42:12-13. with James 5:11.]
The case of Joseph also deserves attention in this view—
[God intended to make him lord over his brethren [Note: Genesis 37:6-10.]. But, instead of being advanced, he was sold as a slave [Note: Genesis 37:28.]. Afterwards he was imprisoned as guilty of a capital offence [Note: Genesis 39:17-20.]. He was above twenty years without ever hearing of his brethren. Yet we see at last the designs of God accomplished by the very means which appeared most calculated to defeat them.]
The same mercy is discoverable in God’s dealings with all his afflicted people—
[He suffers their path to be for a time dark and intricate. But he invisibly directs and manages their concerns. He gradually removes their difficulties, and clears up their doubts. If he shut them up under the law, it is that they may embrace the offers of his Gospel [Note: Galatians 3:23-24.] — — — If he prune them as a vine, it is to augment their fruitfulness [Note: John 15:2.]. If he refine them as with fire, it is to advance the purification of their souls [Note: Malachi 3:3.]. Thus he constrains them to acknowledge with the Psalmist [Note: Psalms 97:2.]—.]
They indeed are often ready to doubt his love. But,
III.
His regards are permanent—
God did not forget his people when they were in Babylon, neither will he now “forsake” those who trust in him—
[He may appear for a season to have forsaken them [Note: Isaiah 54:7-8.]. They may be left to complain as though he had quite forgotten them [Note: Isaiah 49:14-16.]. But his having made them his people is a reason why he will not recede from his gracious purposes [Note: 1 Samuel 12:22.]. The Apostle was confident that God would complete his works of grace [Note: Philippians 1:6.]
He will continue firm and unchangeable in his regards to them—
[The prophets declare this in the strongest terms [Note: Isaiah 54:9-10; Jeremiah 31:37; Jeremiah 32:40.]. St. Paul abundantly confirms their testimony [Note: Romans 11:29.]. He commends this truth to us as a ground of cheerful confidence in the most trying seasons [Note: Hebrews 13:5-6.]
Infer—
1.
How careful should we be not to pass a hasty judgment on the Lord’s dealings!
[We are too ready under trials to exclaim with Jacob [Note: Genesis 42:36.]—. Yet the trials we complain of may be, as in his case, the necessary means of our preservation. It is the part of a believer to wait with patience for the issue [Note: Isaiah 28:16.].”]
2. How safely may we commit ourselves to God’s disposal!
[God alone knows what is best for us. He knows, too, how to accomplish his designs in the best manner. Let us therefore commit all our concerns to him [Note: Psalms 37:5.]. Lot us lie as clay in the potter’s hands [Note: Jeremiah 18:6.]. In whatever distress we be, let us follow the prophet’s direction [Note: Isaiah 50:10.]—.]