Let us commence our worship this
afternoon with hymn 643, tune Hail Martin 713. Again, dear Lord, we would be
fed. We come to seek for living bread
and feast on love divine. Dear Father, let thy presence
be enjoyed by all thy family. and make each face to shine. Hymn 643 Tune Hill Martin 713. Alleluia, we pray, we come to
see who is with us, and Jesus, Lord, with us. Let my presence be in thy heart,
O my heavenly home. May peace reign forevermore. And with the saints in thee With the King and the Queen And
praise and sing And shout the glory They make me strong and exercise,
And they prepare to realize, That all glory offers well. There's a friend that would give
his all for me. That's what a friend is to me. ? And his kingdom come to thee,
O Lord ? ? The rest of his days is gone ? ? And he'll rise to
the present ? Thank you. May we be helped to read the
sacred word of God from the book of the prophet Isaiah and the
first chapter. Prophecy of Isaiah, reading chapter
one. the vision of Isaiah, the son
of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days
of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear,
O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought
up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his
poner, and the ass his master's crib. But Israel doth not know,
my people doth not consider. Our sinful nation, a people laden
with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corruptors.
They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked the Holy One
of Israel unto anger. They are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any
more? Ye will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the
whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot, even
unto the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises
and putrefying sores. They have not been closed, neither
bound up, neither mollified with ointment. your country is desolate,
your cities are burnt with fire, your land, strangers devour it
in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left
as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers,
as a besieged city. Except the Lord of hosts had
left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom,
and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, ye
rulers of Sodom. Give ear unto the law of our
God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude
of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of the burnt
offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight
not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before
me, Who hath required this at your hand, to tread my court? Bring no more vain oblations. Incense is an abomination unto
me. The new moons and Sabbaths, the
calling of assemblies, I cannot away with. It is iniquity, even
the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed
feasts my soul hateth. They are a trouble unto me. I
am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your
hands, I will hide mine eyes from you. Yea, when ye make many prayers,
I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. wash you, make you clean, put
away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Cease
to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed,
judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let
us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient,
ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refuse and rebel,
ye shall be devoured with the sword. for the mouth of the Lord
hath spoken it. How is the fateful city become
unharmed? It was full of judgment, righteousness
lodged in it, but now murderous. Thy silver is become dross, thy
wine mixed with water, thy princes are rebellious, and companions
of thieves. Every one loveth gifts, and followeth
after rewards. They judge not the fatherless,
neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. Therefore
saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah,
I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies.
And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy
dross, and take away all of thy tin. And I will restore thy judges
as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward
thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, the faithful
city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment,
and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors
and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord
shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of
the oaks which ye have desired. And ye shall be confounded for
the gardens that ye have chosen. For ye shall be as an oak, whose
leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. And the strong
shall be as time, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall
both burn together. and none shall quench them. Amen. May the Lord bless to us each
that solemn portion of his holy word and grant us now true prayer. For thou most merciful, and kind
and gracious Lord God. Once more we are felt, bowed
in thy presence in the gathering of thy dear saints unto thee. We desire that thou wilt pour
out afresh upon us thine unction, thy spirit of grace and of supplications. And O grant us, we beseech thee,
that spirit of confession, that we may come into the promise
that if we confess our sins, thou shalt be faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But we acknowledge that we cannot
truly confess our sins, we cannot truly repent, unless thou dost
grant these things by the aid of thy Spirit. O, take the stony
heart out of our flesh, and give us an heart of flesh. O, grant
us to come among thy people, those who are poor and needy,
and those who possess the contrite heart and the humble spirit,
Lord, do grant that we may truly pour out our confession, that
we may truly repent of our many sins before thy throne of grace. And do be merciful unto our unrighteousnesses,
and may it be true that our sins and our iniquities thou shalt
remember no more. and who blot out the multitude
of our transgressions. O bring us once more to Calvary,
for that is the only place of true worship to which a poor
needy sinner may come, and to behold the provision made, and
to see the blood of the sacrificial lamb, and to know that blood
of Christ that precious blood as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot. O Lord, do keep us from the religion
of those of Judah and of Jerusalem, as we have read in thy word.
The people who did draw nigh unto thee with their lips, but
their heart was far from thee, O, may it not be said of us that
our attempts at worship are no more than vain oblations! O, how solemn! If thou shouldst
say of us that our assemblies are iniquity, even the solemn
meetings that do keep us from a religion of mere custom, keep
us from a religion of mere tradition keep us from mere formality,
but do grant us a liveliness, grant us the unction of thy grace
in these things, and true exercise of the heart. And I would, gracious Lord, echo
the language of the opening hymn, and it is again that we are found
within these walls, once more, and indeed, as is often remarked,
once less. But again, dear Lord, we would
be fed. And it is our mercy if Thou hast
granted the hungering soul, if Thou hast granted us to hunger
and thirst after righteousness, and to seek the living bread.
that bread which came down from heaven, even the manna of the
Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great mercy to be granted
a spiritual thirst, for it is not known by the natural man. But do quench the thirst of thy
poor and needy ones, even as they are found in this house
of prayer in this afternoon hour of worship. Do grant that there
might be rich provision at thy gospel table. We would by faith
behold the dainties that are set forth therein, and how often
we read in thy word, in pictures, of what is set before thy people. The rich oil and wine of the
gospel And as is found in another picture, the oil and wine that
are poured into the wounds, and the healing that comes thereby. And as the poet says, deep-wounded
souls to thee repair, and, Saviour, we are such. And O, do grant
us both to partake, and in partaking to live by these things, And
we mean by the word that thou hast given. For man doth not
live by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of
the mouth of the Lord. But who grant us thy will, that
we might live, and grant us the sincere milk of the word, that
we may grow thereby. And we desire that there might
be such a feeding among thy churches and congregations, a feeding
with the finest of the wheat. And I do hope the dear under-shepherd
of this cause, our friend away from us at this season, to grant
him such rest and refreshment that he will be enabled to resume
his labours here according to thy will in the coming days. And do grant that his doubtless
many prayers and petitions for an abundance in this place and
for an increase may not only be heard but answered. And do grant him tokens for good
to the encouragement of his soul. And do help also the dear deacons
of this in their many burdens and labours, and help all of
the members of the Church, and all indeed who gather regularly
or from time to time within these walls, to grant the hearing ear
and to grant opened hearts to receive the things that are spoken. And who be with all of thy dear
servants this day labouring upon the walls of Zion, to help each
one to sound the trumpet, that gospel trumpet of which thy word
speaks in type and picture, the trumpet that gives no uncertain
sound. And we read, it is a blessed
sound, for blessed are the people that know the joyful sound, and
do help each one to sound also the note of alarm, of warning,
of caution at the approach of the enemy. Do grant us each godly
discernment. Grant us wisdom and understanding
in the truth of thy word. And know that there might be
many, even in our dark and benighted times, even in this wicked and
adulterous generation, many of thy people who have understanding
of the times and who know what Israel ought to do, and who grant us thankful hearts
for thy many, many mercies, the things wherein thou hast sustained
us, the things wherein thou hast upheld us in times of trouble,
when we have known thee the eternal God, and underneath the everlasting
arms. We acknowledge, O Lord, that
in the main it has been a rich provision. Thou hast supplied
abundantly far above those basic things of life. We have food
and raiment wherewith we are to be content, but far more than
these. We bless Thee at those times
when perhaps we have learned what it is to endure hardship,
times of leanness, perhaps in outward things and perhaps in
the things of the soul also, then we have had to trust in
Thee and we have had to seek from Thee that deliverance, that
provision that shall be to sustain life itself. And we will think
of those times when, in trouble, we have likewise been caused
to flee unto thee the rock, and to walk out the truth of what
the psalmist did say. Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver thee, and thou
shalt glorify me. But O, do help us to see thy
bountiful hand O may we return thanks, may we return to give
glory unto Thee. We acknowledge Thy goodness to
the land also, that we see around us the beginnings of another
harvest, these favours so undeserved, for we deserve only Thy rod of
judgment. Thou hast been very merciful
We thank thee not only for the sunshine, but for the rain, both
of which are needful in their seasons. We think how it might be, even
among the churches of God, and yea, in our own souls also, if
likewise thou shalt bring those various providences and states
upon them that shall be for their eternal good. And we believe
that it is needful both for the north wind in its vigour and
for the refreshing gentle south wind to be brought upon the soul. But O, do cause the spices to
flow forth, even out of thy garden, from thy churches, from the hearts
of thy dear people. And although at times thy dealings
Do you seem outwardly to be hard? Do you seem at times to be bitter?
Because no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous,
but rather grievous. But O do help us to know the
nevertheless afterward, and to know that thou shalt in time
bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness, to them that
are exercised thereby. But oh, that there might be fruit
in thy vineyards, that thy gardens may not be barren, for that thou
wilt yet grant and harvest. And as we read in the parable,
some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold. Oh, do be
with us each in the days of this week that is now begun. Help
those who face an unknown pathway. Help those who have mountains
before them. Help those who expect soon to
travel, perhaps great distances. And we oftentimes think in such
cases, how needful it is that thou shouldst go before us. But
do we not all need it? Thou shalt lead us forth by the
right way, and we know what the end of it is, that they might
go unto a city of habitation. And do grant us each to come
in the way that Thou knowest we need, to a city of habitation. And do grant us the other thing
that that psalm speaketh of, to be brought unto our desired
haven, Know that it might be known that it is thy hand which
hath done these things, and may we see the lovingkindness of
thee, the Lord, in them. I do grant much help, much wisdom,
grant us grace in our dealings with those who are without, have
mercy upon our families and loved ones, those of our acquaintance. And do grant, if it could please
thee, that thy mercy might be known, to help especially the
young. And we think of this time of
year, when many young people, having perhaps completed examinations,
are now expecting the results in due course, some perhaps with
decisions to be faced. And do grant wisdom to them and
to Peres. May these things be sanctified. May they be, as some of us have
proven in times past, to show that thou art a sovereign Lord. May it be seen and proved that
with mercy and with judgment, my web of time he wove. I do grant thy help, gracious
Lord, and especially as shortly, return again to thy word. And
do grant help also in the singing of the hymns, and prepare each
heart to receive of thy truth. For we would present these petitions
in and through thy great and holy name, dear Lord Jesus, and
for thy sake. Amen. Hymn 320, tune McKee 176. God moves in a mysterious way
his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the
sea and rides upon the storm. Hymn 320, tune McKee 176. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner
yet wave His wonders to behold. He comes, it moves, sets in motion,
and rides upon From breath above, O light, Of
the awakening still. Be treasures of is bright in
his eyes and puts his soul at rest. May fearful saints preach the
knowledge, take the clouds each of us to. I'll be with her, safe and sure,
brave. The evil sense of cursing foolishness
Behind a crowning prohibition Be Thine first light and peace. Its brightness will ripen fast,
Come, Lord, with your help to come, The Lord, Maker of the
earth, The state will be a cloud. Thy done belief is so true, and
and shed his blood in vain. God is risen, his time is done,
and he will reign May it please the Lord to lead
us and guide us into the truth of His own Word, as we fix our
thoughts especially on the words of the 18th verse of that first
chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah that we read earlier. The book of the prophet Isaiah,
chapter 1, Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the Lord. Though your sins be as starland,
they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as war. Words that seem to stand out
in this chapter. A chapter that may appear surprising
when one considers that it was delivered to those mentioned
in the opening verse. A vision given to the prophet
concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In some ways it would have been
less surprising if these words had been spoken to the northern
kingdom of Israel, she who had departed much earlier than the
southern kingdom of Judah. Israel that had been characterized
ever since that sorry breaking away. Which Judah? was come to be distinguished
from Israel. And from then on, after the time
following Solomon's death, Israel never had one good king. But yet the solemn words of this
chapter, and indeed the prophecy of Azarhon, was delivered in
the southern kingdom of Judah. And to confirm that, we have
the names of the kings who were particularly involved. Isaiah,
Jotha, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Surprising also that two of those
kings are known for the good things that took place during
their reign. Surprising also because of the
strictness of the Lord's dealings and of his language, of the very
strong terms that are used. Even to the extent that after,
as we have it in the prophecy, the people of God had said, except
the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant We should
have been as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
And then it is as though the Lord takes up those references
to those ungodly cities of the play who came to such a solemn
destruction in the days of Lot and Abraham. And he says, hear
the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear unto the law
of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. So much as to say that the professed
people of God in those days were no better than the inhabitants
of those cities of the plain of old. We have to admit that our interest
perhaps a couple of weeks ago, was drawn to this chapter, perhaps
more in the whole of it, rather than in one particular verse. But the words which we trusted,
come especially with some conviction, were those of verses five and
six. And particularly from the middle
of verse five, the whole head is six, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot, even
onto the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises
and putrefying sores. A preacher might consider words
such as those and ask himself, how can I preach a sermon on
a text like that text? I'm sure it is not only possible,
but has been done. Of course, the minister must
consider both sides of the case. Certainly there is to be a bringing
forth of the very sorry condition of the Lord's people as they
are found naturally. But then there has to be a mention
and a bringing in of the sweetness of the remedy, which is why perhaps
those particular words in verses five and six on their own might
perhaps not be a very satisfying text for a sermon, but they are
most useful if we bear them in mind as one part of the whole. And so it seemed that verse 18
gave a more complete picture of what the Lord is saying, because
it does mention the very grievous and solemn nature of sin and
iniquity, your sins as scarlet, your sins red like crimson. But, blessed be God, there is
also the remedy, the gospel of And so it does seem that though
one and another of the Lord's people may at times feel very
solemnly the weight of their condition and know, alas, much
of the wounds and the bruises and the putrefying sores, yet,
as we read elsewhere, there is an answer to that question. Is
there no balm in Gilead, but in the Gospel there is, and in
the Gospel there is a closing of those words, they're binding
up, and there is the mollifying of them with the ointment of
the Gospel promise. Well then, to come to our text
in verse 18, what a gracious word it is spoken
by the Lord in the context of the strictures that he announces
against his people, having set forth before them
the outward wickedness that he has observed, and also that which
we must most of all fear, the inward hypocrisy, the things
that he speaks of, from verse eleven. Outwardly I am sure there
was much that appeared commendable, the multitude of their sacrifices,
the burnt offerings, the fat of fed beasts, the appearing
in the Lord's courts. But he says, the oblations are
vain, their incense is an abomination unto him, He says of their new
moons and sabbaths, their feast days, I cannot away with them. Your new moons and your appointed
feasts, my soul hateth. Would it not be very solemn if
the Lord were to say such things to ourselves? And it could be
perhaps to his church or it could be to one or another individually. I am sure some of us are no strangers
to the marrow of this, that is, the tenor of what God is saying
to his people in this prophecy, that whereas our attempts at
worship may have appeared good and commendable, as is stated elsewhere in scripture,
whereas man may look on the outward appearance and see things to
be good, and see one or another to be upright in their conduct. Yet the Lord looketh upon the
heart, and he can see that all is in fact hypocrisy, that it
is a mere going through the motions of worship. that even our private
devotions have been conducted with little fervour or heart
exercise. How solemn if the Lord is to
rebuke us individually for these things, and how cast down we
might be if we find out, either at some point in the Lord's dealings
with us, or solemnly at the very end of life's journey, that the
sum total of our religion was but hypocrisy and vanity. Note the mercy of the Lord in
so upbraiding his people. This is, after all, the first
chapter of this long prophecy. The Lord has many, many more
things to say. many precious gospel truths yet
to bring in. But he says, come now, and let
us reason together. Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. On the face of it, The thing
that is proposed, the thing that is put forward in this verse
is an impossibility. If we just consider the natural
pictures that are used, there is a great gulf between these
things that are scarlet and red like crimson, and the purity
of what is described as being as whitest snow. and as war. And generally, in natural things,
if a material or an object is pure and white, then it can only
be defiled by that which is of a strong colour, especially crimson,
which seems to speak also of blood. and sins described as
being as scarlet. Well, how is something that is
scarlet to be, as it were, washed away by something that is white? Usually, things that are red
and crimson will stain those things that are white. And, perhaps
less obviously, There is an impossibility in the surrounding verses also.
In verse 16 he says, wash you, make you clean, put away the
evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Cease to do evil,
learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed,
judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. In one sense, these things can
be performed outwardly for the good of society as a whole, for
the good, in this case, of the people of God. And again, from
verse 19, if he be willing and obedient, he shall eat the good
of the land. Now that sounds, does it not,
very much like the law as given by Moses? Blessings promised
for obedience, and curses threatened for disobedience. Verse 20, if
ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. But we are speaking here concerning
gospel truth. And in any case, we know that
when the Lord looks upon the doings of his creatures, he does
so as one who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, one who
cannot look upon iniquity. And so when he makes these statements,
when he commands them, to wash themselves and to make themselves
clean, to put away the evil of their doings from before his
eyes. It is something that cannot be
achieved by nature, by man in and of himself, because although
he may effect what we may call an outward reformation, still
in his heart will be the seed of every evil act and thought
and word, even as the Lord Jesus himself taught that all these
things proceed from the heart of a man and thus defile him. And so in all these verses, from
verse 16 to verse 20, God is enjoining upon his people something
that is on the face of it, and in reality, outside of their
ability. But there are already clues in
the chapter as to what is meant. Again in that ninth verse in
which Sodom and Gomorrah are first mentioned, the Lord's people
say, except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small
remnant We should have been as Sodom, and we should have been
like unto Gomorrah. And as is clear throughout the
whole of this prophecy, and others also, it is the remnant of the
Lord's people who come into the experience of the blessings that
are promised. I think it would be fair to say
that just as the Lord Jesus Christ was the only man who was able
to fulfil the law of God, he was the only man who ever walked
upon this earth for whom that law was a fit rule of life, because
he, as the divine Son of God, had the ability to keep it in
every jot and tittle And we might add, to keep it on the behalf
of his dear people, so that they might, through his obedience
and through his sacrifice for their transgressions of the law,
that they might be made righteous in here through his obedience
alone. Well, since the Lord Jesus Christ
could perform the law of God, then we surmise he is the one
in whom these verses find their fulfilment also. Because he alone,
of all who have trodden the paths of this earth, was able to walk
the path of obedience, indeed to be completely willing and
obedient to the commandments of his Father, and one who perfectly
did justice and judgment, and one who, as God, was and is the
judge of the fatherless and of the widow. And again, how was any to come
and to reason with the Lord Well, we might think, in our own case,
if we take these words as being directed personally to ourselves,
come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord. On what grounds
could a man possibly come to reason before his Maker? We only
need think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after their
fall. We read, So they heard the voice
of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
What did they do? They hid themselves. They did
not feel they could come and even commune with their God and
Maker after they had sinned, still less to reason with Him. But when the Lord does begin
to work in his dear child, and perhaps some of you have known
it from time to time, there is at the very least a desire that
God should not leave us alone, that he should not leave us to
perish in our sinfulness. It is something like the desire
of Joe in all his trials Remember what he said towards the end
of chapter nine of the book that bears his name. He says, if I
be wicked, why then labour I in vain? If I wash myself with snow
water and make my hands never so clean. Again, it is similar
language to what we have in our text. The purity of snow water
Yet he says in verse 31, Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch,
and mine own clothes shall abhor me. Then he adds this concerning
God, For he is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and
we should come together in judgment. So Job knew and felt that which
many dear saints of God have known. The impossibility, naturally,
of these things. And then Job goes on to speak
in a very beautiful way of the Christ who was to come. For he
says, neither is there any daismon betwixt us that might lay his
hand upon us both. which is to say that although
Job did believe in the coming Christ as he speaks elsewhere,
yet here his faith seems to have been weakened and he could not
see the blessed reality of one who would, John, and one who,
even for the Old Testament saints such as Job, would indeed act
as a daysman between him and his God. the day's man in question
being verily God himself as well as verily man. And again, Job speaks about his
desire to, in one way or another, come before God in the matter
of judgement. In that well-known 23rd chapter,
He says, I would know the words which he would answer me and
understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against
me with his great power? And of course that is naturally
our fear. If we were to come before God,
God who is almighty and of great power, great power we may suppose,
in our trembling, to cast us immediately into hell. But Job
goes on, will he plead against me with his great power? No,
but he would put strength in me. There the righteous might
dispute with him. So should I be delivered forever
from my charge. Well, if Job knew it, Job who
lived, we believe, in the time of the patriarchs, and if Isaiah
was given to speak of it, then surely these same things are
yet known, and we have the much greater light of the Gospel and
a fuller understanding of the work of the dear Lord Jesus.
And thus the Lord God has put strength in his people. Thus we know there is a mediator,
a dayspan. And thus we know the Lord has
appointed a way by which his people may come and reason together
with him. And of course it cannot be on
the grounds of judgment, so it can only be on the grounds of
mercy. Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. It is true that when God ordained
the tabernacle and its furnishing, He provided a rich picture of
what is set forth here. The law of God, contained in
the Ark of the Covenant. And upon the Ark, the Mercy Seat. And that Mercy Seat, a plate
of pure gold, sprinkled with blood. And he says it is there,
from above the Mercy Seat, that I will commune with you, that
I will meet with you. Well, it is a picture of the
work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have said that he was able
to fulfil the law of God, to magnify the law and to make it
honourable, but he also made atonement for the sins of his
people. And it is by the blood as it
were sprinkled on the mercy seat, that God accepts that Christ
Jesus has made atonement for all his people's transgressions,
all their breaches of the law. And so there is the twofold aspect,
the obedience and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, that
which is made over to his people's the robe of righteousness that
they are granted to wear. But there is also the washing,
there is also the making clean. And this is why he says, though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as warm. Again, this considered against
the backdrop of what we have read in verses 5 and 6. The whole
head is sick and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot
even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds and
bruises and putrefying sores. It is a little bit like the leprosy
that we tried to consider this morning. alacracy perhaps standing
more for the state of sinnership, what David speaks of as how he
was conceived in that state, that he was conceived in his
iniquity and in sin. But when we read of the wounds
and bruises and putrefying Perhaps it is more the effect of that,
the actual sins and transgressions against a holy God. We are born,
each of us, in that natural state of sinnership, shapen in iniquity,
and as David says, in sin did my mother conceive me. So in
that sense we are defiled, we are unholy in God's sight. But
then there is the actual iniquity and transgression and sin that
we commit throughout our lives. And this is what the Lord will
teach his dear child, perhaps little by little, and perhaps
for some of us it has taken many years before we feel we have
even begun to learn in this school That's as we have it in our text,
sins as scarlet, sins red like crimson. And so the must needs be the
way of cleansing, the must needs be the remedy. But how interesting
of course that the remedy for this sinfulness, these actual
transgressions, is something which itself, as we have said,
is crimson, that sacred crimson flow from Calvary's tree. And the very blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ, in which was contained his life, for the life is in
the blood, that blood was and is the very thing and the only
thing that can atone for sin. As John writes in his first epistle
in the first chapter, if we walk in the light as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Normally, in the natural way
of things, if blood is spilt on a garment of any type or description,
then the blood stains the garment, and perhaps the garment may have
to be thrown out. But what a rich picture this
is! Blood that does not stain in
that way, but rather removes stains, and blood which makes
wine. As we read in the Revelation
concerning the saints of God, we find that there is a reference
to this very thing in the 7th chapter of Revelation, in verse
14. in answer to the question, what
are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they? And we read John's reply, sir,
thou knowest. And he said to me, these are
they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Well, it does seem to be a strange
picture at first reading. Whoever heard of making garments
or robes white by washing them in blood? But this is no ordinary blood. This is blood to cleanse. And this is precious blood. This
is the blood of the Lamb of God. And as Peter speaks of it, that
blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. And just as
in the Old Testament sacrifices the blood sprinkled was for the
cleansing and purifying of the object upon which it was sprinkled
or applied, so in the Gospel there is a cleansing whenever
that blood is applied. As someone may well ask, it is
all very well to speak of this doctrine, and it is all very
well for God to say, wash you, make you clean, and to say, come
now and let us reason together, and to speak of sins, those scarlet
being made white as snow, and though red like crimson, being
as wool. But how are we to come from the
mere understanding of the blood of Jesus Christ shed on Calvary's
cross, that blood that was given, his life poured out for the life
of his people. How are we to come from that
understanding to a personal knowledge of the effect of it its cleansing
virtue, its power. Well, the key to it, again, lies
in the picture that was given, the application of the blood. And in the Old Testament, in
the Law of Moses, there were various ways by which it was
applied, sprinkled perhaps with the finger, actually applied
to some of the furnishings in the tabernacle. We have already quoted in part
from Psalm 51 that there also David speaks of this same thing. Wash me, he says, thoroughly
for mine iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. And then
in verse 7, purge me with hissle, and I shall be clean. wash me
and I shall be whiter than snow. And I wonder whether those in
Isaiah's time, those few, that remnant who heard his prophecy
and who were affected by it and to whom it was made saving reality,
I wonder if they reflected on those words of David that would
have been so familiar to And whether the blood was applied
with a finger or indeed with thistle, we believe a sponge-like
plant used in just a few of the ceremonies. Yet it is the application
of it. Surely we cannot miss what that
means for us, that it must be made precious, it must be brought
nigh and made real to the soul. Well, one again might say, how
is it that this understanding of the sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus and his precious blood is thus made a saving reality
to the child of God? And as I believe we have already
mentioned today, the answer lies in the words applied by the Holy
Spirit It is not surprising if we consider that, as we are taught
in the Word of God, every word of Holy Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and also that the Holy Spirit is given
to each dear believer to take of the things of Jesus and to
show them unto him. And if we believe, as the Scriptures
clearly teach, and the Lord Jesus indeed clearly taught his disciples,
that the Holy Spirit would begive her to personally indwell each
dear pilgrim, each child of God, just as the Holy Spirit was the
teacher and instructor of those who dwelt in Old Testament times
and who thus walked with God, Well, is it any surprise that
the Holy Ghost takes of these precious things of the Gospel
and applies them, savingly, convictingly, effectually, to the hearts of
one or another? And thus the Word is fulfilled. And if something is applied in
that way, then it is so in our experience It is no longer only
a doctrine that is understood with the mind, although it is
that as well. We must understand something
of these things as the Holy Spirit applies them. But now our eternal
security is invested in this truth. As the word says, it is
through an understanding through an apprehension of the sacrifice
of the dear Lord Jesus on Calvary, that these things are made real.
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as war, which is
to say that they have been erased, that they have been cast behind
God's back, They have been put out of his remembrance, because
something that was as scarlet, and now has been made as white
as snow, can no longer be discerned. And something that once was red
like crimson, but now has become as wool, is no more to be seen,
no more to be accounted for. and the crimson, though they
had been of very deep dye, are now completely removed. Well, these things are a very
solemn truth to the child of God. And I think, more than anything,
it is when we have been convicted of our own sinfulness, of our
own particular that the mercy of God in making this provision,
and of saying, come now and let us reason together, becomes so
deeply apparent. It is to be called, to plead
on gospel terms, on the grounds of mercy. A few days ago, the
words of a verse from hymn number 10 came to mind. O Love, how
high thy glories swell, how great, immutable and free! Ten thousand
sins, as black as hell, are swallowed up, O Love, in thee. Some of us may feel little of
the weight of those ten thousand sins, as black as hell, But then,
if you have felt something of that and known the burden of
it, there is the love in which those sins are swallowed up. And if such grounds are given
to come and to plead at the throne of mercy, to come and reason
together even with the Lord Jehovah, then that is a great and a solemn
thing. to the child of God. But again, this is a very deep
work, and it may not be the work just of a few days, or a few
weeks, or a few months. It may be the work of many years
to bring the dear Saint of God to this place. And we are fairly
sure that to bring him or her to any great appreciation of
it is the work of a lifetime of teaching and instruction. Sometimes, to quote the words
of another hymn, we find that which is put forth by dear Mr.
Toplady in number 330 to be a hell. because there is a waiting, a
waiting upon the Lord, and there is at times a delay as he sees
fit to deal with us. But the poet says, the time of
love will come when we shall clearly see not only that he
shed his blood, that is an understanding of the doctrine, but each shall
say for me, And that is the experience of him. Tarry his leisure then. Wait the appointed hour. Wait
till the bridegroom of your souls reveal his love with power. Well, Sola, though the Lord's
words are in this chapter, and although there are great strictures
put forth against the professing people of God. Yet blessed be
God that there is a remnant, albeit a very small one. Blessed
be God that in the provision made through his Son, Christ
Jesus, there is a washing, there is a making clean, there is a
willingness granted and a gospel obedience and O for grace to heed the entreating. Come now and let us reason together,
saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as warm. And O that we might grow in our
understanding and knowledge and experience of that precious fountain
once opened for sin and for uncleanness. Even the blood of Jesus Christ,
God's Son, which saith the Apostle, cleanseth us from all sin. Amen. We close with hymn 123, tune
Staincliff 418. Blood has a voice to pierce the
skies, revenge the blood of able cries. But the dear stream, when
Christ was slain, speaks peace as loud from every vein. Hymn 123, Toon Stein, player
418. Poised to pierce the skies Prevent
the flood of pain O'er the hills scream when Christ
was slain, His peace has now from death repaid. ? And raised the young man from
the hive ? ? He lays his vengeance by ? ? And revels that day ? they shall
piss o'er, become the favourites of the Lord. To thee of greatest rights. Take this life a sacrifice. Now we at the earth recall O gracious Lord, to grant us each
a sight of thee, and to behold the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world. Now may it be our sin also. For treasure us, thou as we part,
and be with us throughout the coming days. And may the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Heavenly
Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all
evermore. Amen.