It has turned to God's Word,
the end of the Old Testament in the mind of prophets, and
turning to the book of Habakkuk. A short book of just three chapters,
the book of Habakkuk. And I'll read in chapter 2, the
first four verses. The prophecy of Habakkuk in chapter
2 reading the first four verses I will stand upon my watch and
set me upon the tower and will watch to see what he will say
unto me and what I shall answer when I am reproved and the Lord
answered me and said write the vision and make it plain upon
tables that he may run that readeth him for the vision is yet for
an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie
though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not
tarry behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him
but the just shall live by his faith and in particular drawing
your attention to the words that we have here in verse 4. But
his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just
shall live by his faith. We have a remarkable contrast
set before us in these words. On the one hand we have that
person who is self-righteous, proud, the man who is upright,
only in his own sight. Many ways we might say it's a
description of that Pharisee of whom the Lord speaks in his
parable in Luke chapter 18. And remember that prayer that
he imagined he'd made to God it was really a prayer that went
no further than himself he prayed thus with himself we are told
I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust
adulterers or even as this public and I fast twice in the week
I give tithes of all that I possess how different was the Pharisee
to that other man to whom he made reference in that disdaining
fashion. The other man was the publican. And that publican that Christ
speaks of there in Luke 18 was truly A man conscious of his
sinnership, he was a seeking sinner. And we read of the publican
standing afar off, who would not lift up so much as his eyes
unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful
to me, a sinner. And I say it's the same characters
that are set before us here in Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse
4. And that's a person. It's the
person of the public and in particular that I want us to consider as
we read of him here at the end of this verse. But the just shall
live by his faith. Most significant words clearly
because we find these words referred to and quoted no less than three
times in the New Testament Scriptures so four times in total we have
this statement concerning this particular individual the just
the just shall live by his faith and as we come to consider these
words I want to divide what I'm going to say into two basic points
first of all to consider who is the justified sinner and then
secondly to say something with regards to the life of faith
first of all then the justified sinner this is what we're to
understand is it not by the words that we find at the beginning
of our text here in the middle of verse 4 but the just. This is a reference to the person
who is just before God. He's a justified person. Now
remember the significance of justification as it's set before
us here in scripture and of course it's that great doctrine that
in many ways was rediscovered, we might say, at the time of
the Protestant Reformation. And it was Martin Luther in particular
who became the great champion of the doctrine of justification. justification by faith. And Luther said it is that article
by which the church stands or falls. If that be the case it
is so evident that the Roman Church is no true church. It
denies the truth of justification by grace through faith if it
is that article of which Martin Luther spoke so clearly and contended
for so vehemently, the doctrine of justification. Now, in the
scripture we see quite clearly that it is a judicial term. In other words, we can only understand
justification in terms of the law. in terms of law courts. And we have it, of course, back
in the books of Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy. He speaks
of the judges, and he speaks of the task and the responsibility
of those judges in Deuteronomy, chapter 25, and there in the
opening verse, If there be a controversy between
men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them,
then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked." In other
words, those who are worthy of condemnation, Because they are
guilty of some crime, guilty of some sin, it is the task of
the judges to pronounce their condemnation. But when a person
is acquitted of whatever charge might be laid against him, well,
it is the responsibility of the judges to justify that man, to
declare that he is not guilty, that he is righteous before the
law of God. We can understand then this truth
of justification, or we are to understand this truth of justification
in terms of legal proceedings. But the amazing thing is that
we read of God justifying the ungodly. So contrary to what
we have there in that opening verse of Deuteronomy 25, God
justifieth the ungodly. How can this be? Well if we think
of those words at the beginning of Romans chapter 5, an interesting
statement we have there in the first verse of Romans 5. In our
Authorized Version it reads, therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, I'm sure you're aware that with regards to the Scriptures,
the punctuation as we find it in our Authorized Version is
in no way a part of the inspired Word of God. In the New Testament,
in the Greek, they've had to supply the punctuation. throughout
the work of translation. And some have argued, and I believe
argued rightly, that there in Romans 5.1 the comma is placed
wrongly. It reads in our authorized version,
therefore being justified by faith, comma, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. But surely should it not read,
therefore being justified, by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, because, strictly speaking, justification
is before faith. God justifies the ungodly. What we're to understand by that
is that person that God declares to be righteous in his sights,
is in himself a sinner, an ungodly man, an ungodly woman. How can God declare such a person
as that as righteous? Well, we see how that justification
is accomplished by imputation. The sin of that particular individual
is imputed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Imputation simply means
it's reckoned to Christ to count. Is that person's sin, in a sense,
becomes Christ's sin, and Christ himself pays the price. We're told, are we not, in Galatians
chapter 4, when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth
his Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them
that were under the law he is not only the seed of the woman
he is that he is the son of Mary and his human nature of course
is derived only from his human mother because she is with child
of the Holy Ghost He is clearly made of a woman but he is also
there in Galatians 4 spoken of as one who is made under the
law. And why under the law? Because
he comes to stand for his people and he stands in their law place. He will redeem them. made under
the law, it says, to redeem them that were under the law. How
does he redeem them? He pays the price, the ransom
price. He pays that price that the Holy
Lord of God demands, that the sinner is to be condemned. The sinner is to suffer the punishment
of his sins. The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. And as the sinners Sin is imputed
to Christ, so Christ dies in the room instead of the sinner. This is the doctrine, of course,
of imputation. It's the Lord Jesus Christ coming
into this world and standing, as it were, in the place of his
people and answering for them before the holy law of God. And we understand that work that
the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished under the law in that twofold
sense, do we not? We speak of his active and his
passive obedience. His obedience in life and his
obedience also in dying. And in both his life and in his
death he is satisfying the law for his people. when he dies,
as we've already remarked, he is bearing in his own person
that punishment that was there just deserved. They were the
ones who were defended, they were the ones who had broken
the law of God, they were the ones who were guilty and worthy
of dying, but Christ dies in their place. That's his passive
obedience, but he not only comes to be obedient in dying, he's
obedient also in living is under the law throughout the entirety
of his life here upon the earth and he honors and magnifies that
same law by a life of perfect and complete obedience to every
commandment and he fulfills it of course in the fullest sense
not only with regards to the externals of the law but the
law of God is spiritual we understand The Lord Jesus Christ is pure
inwardly and outwardly, never a sinful thought entered into
his mind. That is his active obedience. How Paul speaks of him, you see,
being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. And how in all this the Lord
is so pleased The prophet Isaiah tells us the Lord is well pleased
for his righteousness sake. He will magnify the law and make
it honourable. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ
has done, is he not? He has restored all the honours
that belong unto that holy law of God, both in respect of its
penalties and in respect of its precepts also. and the Lord is
pleased. Again, if we go back to Deuteronomy,
we see just what that righteousness is that God requires of his people. In chapter 6 and the last verse,
verse 25, it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these
commandments before the Lord our God as He hath commanded
us. Oh, this is that righteousness
that is so necessary in justification. We are to observe to do all these
commandments before the Lord our God. And the Lord our God,
He doesn't just look on the outward appearance, He looks upon the
heart, but he looks upon the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ,
does he not, as that one who is the sinner's substitute and
how the Lord Jesus Christ has perfectly honored and magnified
that Holy Lord of God in all its perfection and it's all of
these, you see it's all of this work of the Lord Jesus Christ
that is imputed to the sinner and so Though in and of himself
an ungodly man, yet God justifies the ungodly on the basis of that
great work that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished. Isn't this
what we're told there in the fourth chapter of that epistle
to the Romans? How Romans is full of this great
truth, this great doctrine, of justification and it was there
in Romans of course that Luther so much discovered it there in
Romans chapter 4 verse 6 even as David also described
but the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputes righteousness
without works saying blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven whose sins are covenant, blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." All quoting from the words of David
in Psalm 32, and speaks, you see, of imputation. The blessed
man unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, without any work
that He has done. All on the basis of what the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself has done. Now, Here is the doctrine
then. It is God who declares the sinner
to be righteous on the basis of the work of the Lord Jesus
Christ. His obedience in life is obedience in death. But how
is that righteousness brought into the experience of this sinner? And it's here where we come to
the great truth of justification by faith. therefore being justified
by faith. We have peace with God. Those
whom God has justified in his great purpose they must come
to the experience of it also by faith. And we see this in
the ministry of the Apostles do we not? Paul in his preaching
there at Antioch in Pisidia in the 13th chapter of the Acts
of the Apostles He declares Christ by Him all that believe are justified
from all things that they could not be justified from by the
deeds of the law. Not their own deeds, but justified
when they come to put their trust in Christ who has come and honoured
and magnified the law in the sinner's place. Again in Romans
chapter 10 we're told Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth. All the importance of believing
and so here in the words of the text you see the just shall live
by his faith. The just shall live by his faith. And I said at the beginning that's
repeated some three times in the New Testament. And it is
helpful to see the context in which we find these words being
taken up in the New Testament Scriptures. Because as we've
said many times, we must always read, of course, from the New
Testament back into the Old Testament. If we're going to understand
the Old Testament Scriptures, we can only really appreciate
the teaching that is contained therein when we come to the New
Testament. That familiar saying of Augustine
of Hippo, that the old The new, rather, is in the old
concealed, and the old, he says, is in the new revealed. And so those three occasions.
Now in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 11 is one of the occasions where
we see Paul referring to the words of Habakkuk. Galatians chapter 3 and verse
11. But let's just see the context
here in this chapter Galatians chapter 3 we'll read
verses 10 to 12 he says in verse 10 as
many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it
is written cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things
which are written in the book of the law to do them but that
no man is justified by the law in the sight of God It is evident,
for the just shall live by faith, and the Lord is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Now the context
there is the context of the law. This man you see who is spoken
of, first of all in Habakkuk chapter 2, this man who is a
living man, in this new life, this spiritual life that is in
him, he has something to do with the law of God. Now wasn't that
the experience of Paul who speaks of himself of course in 1st Timothy
chapter 1 as a pattern to them who should hereafter believe.
And what was Paul's experience? Well once he was a Pharisee and
he lived the life of a Pharisee and he said touching the righteousness
which is in the Lord, he considered himself to be blameless. But
then he is brought to see when the Lord begins to deal with
him in the way of grace, when new life, when spiritual life
comes into the soul of Saul of Tarsus, then he begins to understand
the real significance of the Lord of God. And he tells us
in Romans 7, I was alive without the Lord once, but the commandment
came and sin revived and I died. The man who is living this life
then, as he is spoken of by Paul here in Galatians chapter 3,
the just shall live by his faith. This man has something to do
with the Lord of God. He has something to do with the
Lord of God when he comes to faith. John Rosk says somewhere
there is but one faith. the difference wholly lies in
the object. How this man, you see, and we
can think in particular of a person like Saul of Tarsus who becomes
Paul the Apostle, how in his experience he has to come to
terms with the law, he has to understand the true spirituality
of the law, how the law is that that condemns the sinner. And he writes again in Romans,
does he not, we know that what things however the law said,
it said to them who are under the law that every mouth may
be stopped and all the world become guilty before God therefore
by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his
sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin and that's what Saul has to come
to, a knowledge of his sin that he is not righteous before the
Lord of God as he imagined he was when he was the Pharisee. And as we said at the outset,
that's the other character surely who is set before us here in
our text. Behold his soul which is lifted
up is not upright in him. O Saul, as a Pharisee, might
have considered himself to be an upright man, touching the
righteousness of the Lord as a blameless man, but he was not.
He had to learn that lesson. You have to learn that lesson.
We read those words there in Galatians chapter 3 and verse
12 just now. The law is not our faith. It's interesting how Gil in his
comment on that particular statement says that the reference is to
Christ. The law does not consist of faith
in Christ. Gil understands that the law
is not of faith in terms of faith in Christ, that has to do with
the gospel. But the law is that it only shows
a man or woman what they are as sinners before a holy God. That's the context there in Galatians
chapter 3 where we find the apostle referring to the words of our
text this morning concerning this man that just shall live
by his faith. Then of course we saw how this
verse is also quoted in Romans chapter 1 and how different is the context.
See in the opening chapter of the epistle Verse 17, but again look at the
context, where in the previous verse is the opening part of
this epistle, Paul has much to say concerning the Gospel. This is the subject matter of
his ministry. He's called to be an apostle.
He says, separated unto the Gospel of God, which he had promised
to for by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. We have that
parenthesis there in the second verse and then having spoken
of the gospel he goes on to say what the gospel concerns, it
concerns God's Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the
seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the
Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by
the resurrection from the dead and Paul is not ashamed of this
gospel as he says at verse 16, it's the power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believeth and then verse 17 for therein is
the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is
written the just shall live by faith where is it written the
just shall live by faith? it's in Habakkuk Chapter 2 and
verse 4. It's this verse. This is a gospel
verse. Saving faith, you see, has to
do only with the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, this is how God justifies
the ungodly. That ungodly sinner, he is looking
on to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith, is
he not? He looks to the Lord Jesus Christ
for everything. He doesn't look to the law. The
law ministers to him, yes, but what does it minister? Condemnation.
His only hope then is in Christ, is in what he's brought to. Again, in that third chapter
of Galatians, see how Paul speaks of the believer being shot in
as it were to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
verse 23 it says before faith came we were kept under the law
shut up unto the faith which should after would be revealed
how God shuts a man up to the law alone that's the only thing
that the gospel alone that's the only thing that can save
him there's no hope anywhere else So he must come to that
place where he despairs altogether of himself and he casts himself
upon the Lord Jesus Christ as all his salvation. In Galatians
chapter 3 we have the text in that context of law but very
much in the context of gospel. when we come to the quotation
there in the opening chapter of the epistle to the Romans.
But then there's one other place where we find this text taken
up by the apostles. It's at the end of Hebrews chapter
10. Right at the end of Hebrews chapter
10. Verse 38, Now the just shall
live by faith. But if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who
draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving
of the soul." Here the quotation is clearly then in the context
of the fact that that man who is living by faith doesn't draw
back, he perseveres, he endures. He that shall endure to the end
the sign shall be signed and of course after those verses
at the end of chapter 10 of Hebrews we come into the 11th chapter
which is that chapter that contains a great deal concerning the faith
of those men and women of the Old Testament Scriptures how
they had to live the life of faith. We have a tremendous catalogue
of the names of so many of them there in that 11th chapter, the
examples of that faith that was there in those of the Old Testament
dispensation and yet their faith was a gospel faith, it was a
faith that centered only in the Lord Jesus Christ, it was only
ever one way of salvation for sinners. Even there in the Old
Testament they were looking and longing for the appearance of
the promised Messiah, the Savior of sinners. And amongst those
who are spoken of there in Hebrews 11, of course, we find the name
of a man like Noah. We haven't time, of course, to
consider all the various names that are mentioned in that chapter,
but look at what we're told concerning Noah. In verse 7 of Hebrews 11,
by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house,
by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith. Observe the words there at the
end then of that verse, he became heir of the righteousness which
is by faith. And you know we have the history
of this man there in Hebrews chapter 6. And what are we told? Verse 8,
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations
of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect
in his generations and Noah walked with God. Here is the just man,
you see. Noah was a just man and perfect,
or as the margin says, upright in his generation. Noah is a
justified man. In fact, Noah preached justification
by faith. Are we not told that quite plainly
in 2 Peter 2 and verse 5? He was a preacher of righteousness.
He was a preacher of righteousness. Oh, not only Paul is the man
that we can say is referred to here in our text, that just shall
live by his faith, that was also true of Noah. How did he live
his life? By faith. By faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. It was Christ that Noah preached
even in those days before the flood. It was in Christ that
Noah placed his trust. Now it's true that we don't find
Job mentioned in that catalogue. The time fails the apostle, of
course, to go through all the names of those of the Old Testament.
But it's interesting that we're also told the same concerning
Job as we read concerning Noah. The very opening verse in that
book of Job tells us something of the character of the man.
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job and that
man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed
evil. Again in verse 8, when the Lord
speaks to Satan, As thou considerest my servant Job, there is none
like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God and escheweth evil. Again in chapter 2 and verse
3, As thou considerest my servant Job, there is none like him in
the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and
escheweth evil. Three times! We're told at the
beginning that he was a perfect and upright man. He was a justified
man. He was a justified man. Doesn't
Job put that question in chapter 9 and verse 2? How should a man
be just with God? He asks. How should a man be
just with God? Another question. He asks who
can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. Oh, he knew. He knew that in his very nature
he was unclean. He was a sinner. He was a son
of Adam. Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean? Had not Adam and Eve sinned?
Hadn't sin come down the generations? How could he be clean? How can
a man be justified with God? Well, you know how Job goes on
to speak of his Redeemer. I know that my Redeemer liveth,
he says. Job, like Noah, was justified
by faith. And that faith centering in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham is the great pattern
of that faith, is he not? Abraham is spoken of there in
that fourth chapter of the epistle to the Romans, we've already
referred to it. And now there we see the Apostle
very much speaking of the fate of Abraham. What shall we say then? That
Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found, for
if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory,
but not before God, for what saith the scripture Abraham believed
God and it was counted on to him for righteousness what was
counted on to him for righteousness when he believed it was the object
of his faith the object of his faith verse 20 he staggered not at
the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving
glory to God and being fully persuaded that what he had promised
he was able also to perform. And what had God promised? A
son. Isaac. But Isaac, a remarkable type
of Christ. Therefore it was imputed to him
for righteousness. Oh, he rejoiced to see Christ
aided Abraham, and he saw it and was glad. His faith was in Christ. Abraham
is the man. that's spoken of in the text.
The just shall live by his faith. Here we have the justified synod.
That man who has had some dealings with God under the law has been
brought to see that there's no hope there shut out of any confidence
in his own works and brought to trust in Christ alone and
to be justified simply by that righteousness of Christ which
is reckoned now to his account. And so he is to live this life
of faith. Now let us just quickly then
say something with regards to this life of faith. That just
shall live it says. That just shall live by his faith. Well what is this saving faith?
What is this justifying faith? Well it is personal. to the individual,
is it not, that just shall live by his faith. It's his own faith. It's not
the faith of Abraham, or the faith of Noah, or the faith of
Job, or the faith of Paul. No, it's his faith. It's personal. And the man who
writes these words, Habakkuk, the Prophet of God, ministering
by the Spirit of God, penning these words. He also knew what
it was to live that life, that life of faith. And how do we
see it? Well, he's a praying man. He's
a praying man. How, in the opening words of
the prophecy, we see that. The burden which Habakkuk, the
Prophet, did see. Oh Lord, How long shall I cry,
and they will not hear? Even cry out unto thee of violence,
and they will not save? Why dost thou show me iniquity,
and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are
before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Therefore is the law slacks, Judgment doth not go forth, for
the wicked doth compass about the righteous, therefore on judgment
proceedeth." His book, his prophecy, opens with his prayer to God. And he cries out because he is
aware of sin himself, but he's aware of the sin all about him,
the sinful state of the land. Oh, this is the burden, you see,
as he looks about and he sees sin. and it's so grievous to
him. Will God ever appear in this
situation? He's like those spoken of in
Ezekiel chapter 9 and verse 4 who sigh and cry because of the abomination
done in the land. And as he prays, so God answers
his prayer. Here in verse 5 of chapter 1,
God says, Behold ye among the heathen, and regard of one marvelously
For I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe,
though it be told you. For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans,
that bitter and hasty nation, which are marched through the
breadth of the land, and possess the dwelling places that are
not theirs." The Chaldeans or the Babylonians. The reference then is to that
awful calamity that was going to befall the nation. when God's
judgments fell, and the armies of the stranger came, destroyed
Jerusalem, and razed the temple to the ground. And what do we
see the Prophet doing? He's cried to God, he's prayed
to God, God has answered him. When we come into chapter 2,
do we not see this man as one who is watching for these things?
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will
watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer
when I am reproved." All he watches. He has prayed, God has spoken,
and now he's looking. He's alert. But he not only watches,
he is a man who continues to pray. He's heard of God's terrible
judgments. What is he going to do in the
midst of these judgments? Well, when we come to the very
last part of his book, we see that his trust, in spite of every
calamity, is placed only in God. Although the fig tree shall not
blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of
the olive shall fail, the field shall yield no meat, the flock
shall be cut off from the fold, there shall be no herd in the
stalls. Yes, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God
of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength,
and He will make my feet like hinds feet, and He will make
me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my string
instrument is a silent praise. In the midst of all the calamities
that he witnesses about him at the time of the overthrow of
Jerusalem, the overthrow of the kingdom of Judah by the Chaldeans,
in the midst of all that, we see him praying to God. All our trials, you see, and
troubles, and captivity, these are the things that move the
man. You see, it's that life. the life of faith. The just shall
live by his faith. The just shall live by his faith. Does he not remind us of another
man spoken of in Jeremiah? In Jeremiah chapter
45 we read of this man Baruch, the son of Nariah. And what He said concerning this
man? Verse 5, that short chapter of
Jeremiah, "...Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them
not? For behold, I will bring evil
upon all flesh, saith the Lord, but thy life will I give unto
thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest." It is that
life you see, given for a prey, preyed upon. Ah, but the life
is given, thy life will I give unto thee, it's God's gift, it
cannot be destroyed, though it be preyed upon. And it's the
same with this man Habakkuk. In the midst of all the calamities
round about him, he prays, he calls upon God. Why so? Because
this is the mark of the grace of God in the man, is it not?
Shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night
unto him, though he bear long with them, says the Lord Jesus." All the fact that they cry day
and night is the evidence that they are the elect. That's the
mark. Ananias was told concerning Saul,
remember, when he was to go to that house in the street called
Strait in Damascus where Saul, the arch-persecutor, now was
blinded and how is this man, this disciple of the Lord Jesus
assured that he will not suffer in going to such a man? Behold, says God, he prayeth.
Here is the mark, you see. The mark of that justifying faith
in the soul of a man. The just shall live by his faith. How does he live? He lives by
prayer. He lives by prayer. And we see this so much with
regard to this man Habakkuk. I will stand upon my watch, he
says, and will set me upon the tower and will watch to see what
he will say unto me. Again it reminds us of those
characters spoken of in the 62nd chapter of Isaiah. God says there, verse 6 of Isaiah
62, I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which
shall never hold their peace day nor night. Ye that make mention
of the Lord keep not silence, and give him no rest till he
establish, until he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Now observe what it says there
at the end of verse 6 in the margin. Ye that make mention
of the Lord, or ye that are the Lord's remembrances. Ye that
are the Lord's remembrances. What are these doing? They're
reminding God. They're surrounding God with
His own Word, with His own promise. Oh God, make us to be such watchers
and such remembrances that we might not only pray but watch
and look and expect the answer to our prayers. The Lord Jesus
exhorted His disciples, watch and pray, He said, that ye enter
not into temptation. How are we to be preserved only
as we are those who are obedient to the Lord's Word? The Apostle
says watch and be sober. Here is the life of faith you
see. That life that is a life of complete dependence upon God. Praying to Him and then looking
to Him. Expecting answers to our prayers. I will stand upon my watch and
set me upon the tower and will watch to see what He will say
unto me and what I shall answer when I am reproved. All the just shall live by his
faith. O God grant, friends, that we
might be those who know what it is then to see all our salvation
only in the Lord Jesus Christ. In him only is the forgiveness
of sins. In him only is justifying righteousness. And what is to be the life of
the child of God? We walk, says the Apostle, by
faith. and not by sight. We walk with
Moses as those who see him who is the invisible God. Oh God grant then that we might
know in our own souls experience the truth of the words that we
have here in the text. Behold his soul which is lifted
up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith. Amen.