The Lord doth build up Jerusalem.
The greatness and gentleness of God
The text reveals the constructive side of the Divine government.
I. As shown in the building of the Church.
1. “The Lord doth build up Jerusalem,” etc. That He should do so shows--
(1) That the Church is self-demolished.
(2) That it is self-helpless.
(3) That God is the Gatherer, the Redeemer, and the Builder of the Church.
2. It is not God’s purpose to destroy. It is His very nature to preserve, extend, complete, and glorify. He does destroy, but never willingly. His arm does not become terrible until His heart has been grieved, until His patience has been exhausted, and until the vital interests of the universe have been put in peril.
II. As seen in the gentle care of human hearts. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Still, you see how constructive and preservative is God. His work is edification, not destruction. Who cares for broken-hearted men? Who has patience with the weak and faint? The greater the nature, the greater the compassion.
1. The personality of God’s knowledge. He knows every bruised reed. Hears suffer in secret; there is nothing hidden from God!
2. The infinite adaptations of Divine grace. Every heart, whatever its grief, may be healed. There is “a sovereign balm for every wound.”
3. The perfectness of Divine healing. Other healers say, “Peace, peace, when there is no peace.” Others “heal the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly.” We are not healed until God heals us. God offers to heal us; our disease and our sorrow are challenges to prove His grace. What of the responsibility of refusal?
III. As seen in the order, the regularity, and the stability of creation.
1. Creation is a volume open to all eyes. Read it, and see the might and gentleness, the wisdom and patience of God. Jesus Christ taught us to reason from the natural to the spiritual: “Consider the lilies,” etc; “Behold the fowls of the air,” etc.
(1) God takes care of the great universe, may I not trust Him with my life?
(2) Where God’s will is unquestioned, the result is light, beauty, music: why should I oppose myself to its gracious dominion?
2. Let the Church be of good courage. “When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory.” “The gates of hell shall not prevail.” (J. Parker, D. D.)
He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.--
Good cheer for outcasts
Does not this showy us the great gentleness and infinite mercy of God? And as we know most of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, should it not charm us to remember that when He came on earth He did not visit kings and princes, but He came unto the humble and simple folk. I think you may judge of a man’s character by the persons whose affection he seeks. If you find a man seeking only the affection of those who are great, depend upon it he is ambitious and self-seeking; but when you observe that a man seeks the affection of those who can do nothing for him, but for whom he must do everything, you know that he is not seeking himself, but that pure benevolence sways his heart (Matthew 11:29). I also see here an illustration of His love to men, as men. If you seek only after rich men the suspicion arises, and it is more than a suspicion that you rather seek their wealth than them. If you aim only at the benefit of wise men, it is probably true that it is their wisdom which attracts you, and not their manhood: but the Lord Jesus Christ did not love men because of any advantageous circumstances, or any commendable incidents of their condition: His love was to manhood. Another thing is also clear. If Jesus gathers together the outcasts el Israel, it proves His power over the hearts of men.
I. To whom may this text apply?
1. The very poorest and most despised among men. The Lord Jesus Christ looks with love on those whom others look down upon with scorn.
2. Those who have made themselves outcasts by their wickedness, and are deservedly cast out of society.
3. Those who judge themselves to be outcasts, though as to outward actions they certainly do not deserve the character. Now, listen, thou who hast condemned thyself. The Lord absolves thee. Thou who hast shut thyself out as an outcast, thou shalt be gathered; for whereas they call thee an outcast, whom no man seeket, h after, thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord’s delight is in thee. Only believe thou in Jesus Christ, and cast thyself upon Him.
4. Backsliders.
5. Depressed Christians.
6. Those who suffer for righteousness’ sake, till they are regarded as the offscouring of all things. Blessed are those who are outcasts for Christi Rich are those who are so honoured as to be permitted to become poor for Him l Happy they who have had this grace given them to be permitted to lay life itself down for Jesus Christ’s sake!
II. In what sense the Lord Jesus gathers together these outcasts of different classes.
1. He gathers them to hear the Gospel.
2. He gathers them to Himself--to blessedness and peace through reconciliation with the Father.
3. He gathers them into the Divine family--makes them children of God--heirs with Himself.
4. In due time He gathers them into His visible Church, and He gathers them into His work.
5. He gathers them into heaven.
III. Lessons.
1. Encouragement to those who are unworthy, or who think themselves so, to go to Jesus Christ to-night.
2. If Jesus Christ received some of us when we felt ourselves to be outcasts, how we ought to love Him!
3. Let us always feel that if the Lord Jesus Christ took us up when we were not worth having, we will never be ashamed to try and pick up others who are in a like condition. (C. H. Spurgeon.)