Isaiah 49:18-23

DISCOURSE: 953
PROMISED INCREASE OF THE CHURCH

Isaiah 49:18. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, Thou shall surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and bind them on thee as a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants; and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shaft have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to we that I may dwell. Then shalt thou my in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders: and kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

TO consider past events, and especially those recorded in the Holy Scriptures, is obviously the duty of every man; since from them we learn the true character of God, and know what we are to expect at his hands. Nor are present things to occupy a small portion of our regard: for, though we cannot judge of them with certainty, or declare what their ultimate issue will be, we behold them stamped with a visible impression of Divine wisdom and goodness: the very chastisements of heaven, if viewed aright, convey to us the idea of parental love. But we have a further duty, which is, to look into futurity, and to read in the page of prophecy the events that are yet future. We are not indeed to expect that we ourselves shall be enabled to prophesy, or to obtain such an insight into futurity as to discover the times and the seasons which God has reserved in his own hands: but there are certain great events which shall assuredly come to pass, and which it is our privilege to look forward to, as the pious Jews waited for the coming of their Lord, and looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Indeed it is for this end that the prophecies are given us; namely, that having expected the completion of them, we should acknowledge God in the events whereby they are completed.
In the passage before us, there is a prophecy relating to the future state of the Church: in discoursing upon which we shall notice,

I. The promised increase of the Church—

In the verse preceding our text, the substance of the promise is contained [Note: In Bishop Lowth’s Translation it stands thus: “They that destroyed thee shall become thy builders; and they that have laid thee waste, shall become thine offspring.”]: and in our text itself, its accomplishment is represented as actually begun.

In two respects is the Church to be increased;

1. In number—

[To enter fully into the spirit of this prophecy, we should call to mind the state of Israel in Palestine. The land of Canaan was but a small tract of country, when compared with the numbers that were to inhabit it; so that some of the tribes, particularly Dan, and Ephraim, and Manasseh, complained of the smallness of their lot [Note: Joshua 17:14; Joshua 19:47.]. But, after the desolations occasioned by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, the population was so reduced, that they were quite insufficient to inhabit the cities, or to cultivate the ground [Note: 2 Kings 24:14.]. Imagine now the people all on a sudden restored to their country, and multiplied far beyond all former precedent; what surprise would be excited, and what universal clamour for want of room! Such is the change which is here predicted in relation to the Church: the numbers that shall be added to it will surpass all human expectation, so that “space shall not even be found for them [Note: Zechariah 10:10.].” In every country, in every city, in every village, yea in every congregation also, shall converts spring up as the piles of grass in the earth [Note: Psalms 72:16.], and “shall say in the ears of the Church, The place is too strait for me: give place for me that I may dwell.” The Church herself shall be filled with utter amazement at the multitudes that flock to her; and shall say in her heart, “Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone: these, where had they been?”

Incredible as this may appear, the prophet not only foretells it, but speaks of it as at that moment taking place before his eyes; and of God himself, as swearing that the whole multitude shall become brighter ornaments to the Church, than the richest jewels to a bride [Note: ver. 18.]

2. In honour—

[It is not the poor only that shall devote themselves to God in that day, but the rich also. Hitherto “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble have been called [Note: 1 Corinthians 1:26.]:” but then it shall not be so: for all the great and mighty of the earth “shall bring their sons in their arms, and their daughters (in litters) upon their shoulders; and kings shall be the nursing-fathers of the Church, and queens her nursing-mothers.” As for the enemies of the Church, they shall all be prostrate before her, and “lick up the very dust of her feet:” and God shall be as manifestly revealed among them as ever he was in the days of old [Note: ver. 23.].

Is it asked, How shall this great change be effected? We answer, “God will lift up his hand to the Gentiles, and set up his standard to the people:” he will cause the standard of the cross to be erected in every place, and by the influence of his Spirit will reveal his Son in the hearts of men; “making them willing in the day of his power,” and rendering “his Gospel the power of God to the salvation of their souls.”

Perhaps in this passage there is a more immediate and explicit declaration of the way in which God’s ancient people the Jews shall be converted to the faith. We have reason from St. Paul to think, that an extraordinary conversion of the Gentiles shall precede the restoration of the Jews [Note: Romans 11:25.]: and here, it should seem, that God will make the efforts of those Gentiles instrumental to the conversion of his once-favoured people: “I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters on their shoulders.” Surely this thought should animate us to diffuse as far as possible the knowledge of salvation through the heathen world, that, the Gentiles being made partakers of this grace, the Jews may be provoked to jealousy to seek it for themselves [Note: Romans 11:11.]

Let us now contemplate,

II.

The encouragement it affords us for Missionary exertions—

Is such a glorious prospect held forth to us, and shall we be indifferent about it, or entertain a doubt of its being realized in due season? No: we will expect it rather, and by anticipation rejoice in it: for,

1. God is able to effect this great thing—

[Were this promised event to be produced by human efforts only, we might well doubt whether it should ever be accomplished. But God has taken the matter into his own hand; and has said “I will do it; I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles.” And, if GOD will work, who shall let it? It is worthy of remark, that St. Paul himself grounds his assured expectation of these events on this very consideration of God’s almighty power. Speaking of the Jews being again grafted into their own olive-tree, he says, “They, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again [Note: Romans 11:23.].” In the very chapter before us also, God mentions his all-powerful interposition as an effectual antidote to all the unbelieving fears of his people. The Church, doubting almost the possibility of the promised events, asks, “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?” Can it be hoped, that they who are in bondage to such powerful adversaries, and have even sold themselves, as it were, by their iniquities, should ever be redeemed? Yes; “thus saith the Lord; Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away; and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children [Note: ver. 24, 25.].” Let us expect it then at the hands of God, knowing that “what he has promised, he is able also to perform.” Let difficulties, how great soever they may appear in themselves, be as nothing in our eyes, because that Omnipotence is engaged to surmount them all; and “nothing can be too hard for the Lord.”]

2. God has moreover actually engaged to effect it—

[Survey the promise in our text, confirmed by a most solemn oath, and therefore “confirmed by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have the stronger consolation.” Compare with it many other passages of Holy Writ, which speak decidedly to the same effect [Note: Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 61:4; Isaiah 66:18.] — — — Shall all these fail of their accomplishment? Surely “God is not a man that he should lie, or a son of man that he should repent.” As to “the times and the seasons, he has reserved them in his own power: but the ultimate accomplishment of them, if we may so speak, he has put out of his own power; because “He cannot deny himself;” and he has himself assured us, in reference to this very thing, that “his gifts and calling are without repentance [Note: Romans 11:29.].”]

3. The beginnings of it are already visible before our eyes—

[What the prophet says by anticipation, we may almost speak literally: “Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee.” Since the apostolic ago, there has been no period like the present [Note: June 5, 1814, three days after the tidings of peace with France had arrived.]; all nations making peace in the spirit of peace; and societies of every kind combining, not in this land only, but in foreign lands also, to translate the Scriptures into all languages, and to impart them to every nation under heaven. Is not this the finger of God? and is not God’s display of his own almighty operation a motive and a call to us to work together with him? Doubtless, if ever there was a time that we were particularly encouraged to engage in missionary exertions, it is now: “The sound is already gone forth in the “tops of the mulberry-trees;” and therefore this is the time for us to “bestir ourselves: God is already gone out before us [Note: 2 Samuel 5:24.];” and he will be with us in all that we put our hands unto.]

We conclude with pointing out our duty in reference to this great event;
1.

Let our expectations of it be enlarged—

[St. Paul represents the whole creation as waiting and longing for this blessed period [Note: Romans 8:19.]: and shall not we, “we, who already have the first-fruits of the Spirit [Note: Romans 8:23.];” shall not we be expecting this glorious harvest? Shall we not look forward with holy joy to that time when “all the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ [Note: Revelation 11:15.]?” O glorious day! The Lord hasten it in his time! — — —]

2. Let our prayers for it be poured forth—

[We cannot contemplate the universal reign of peace, and love, and holiness, without feeling an ardent desire that it might immediately commence, or without crying unto God, “How long, O Lord, wilt thou not have mercy on the world, against which thou hast had indignation almost six thousand years [Note: Zechariah 1:12 and Revelation 6:10.]?” Indeed God has particularly commanded that we should pray to him on this subject, and not give him rest, till he arise and answer our petitions [Note: Isaiah 62:1.] — — — We are not to imagine, that because the period is fixed in the Divine counsels, it is therefore in vain for us to pray: for God has invariably connected the accomplishment of his promises with the prayers of his people; and however absolute his promises may be, “he will yet be inquired of, to do the things which he has promised [Note: Ezekiel 36:36.].”]

3. Let our exertions be used—

[God works by means: and it is by a blessing upon our efforts that he will accomplish his own gracious purposes. In this view, the answer which he gives to the petitions of his Church on this subject is very remarkable. The Church, in terms the most appropriate that can be imagined, entreats him to arise and execute this great work: “Awake, awake, O arm of the Lord! awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old! &c. &c. [Note: Isaiah 51:9.] ” And what is his reply! Does he content himself with renewing his promises to fulfil their desire in due season? No: he says, “Awake, awake! stand up, O Jerusalem [Note: Isaiah 51:17.]!” and again, “Awake, awake! put on thy strength, O Zion! shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem! loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion [Note: Isaiah 52:1.]!” And so far is our entire dependence upon him from being a reason for listless inactivity, that it is the strongest reason for putting forth our utmost exertions: we must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure [Note: Philippians 2:12.].” Let all of us then awake for the occasion, and inquire, What we can do for the advancement of the Gospel, either at home or abroad! How can we aid the different Societies that are established for these ends? Let us consider our time and our talents, our wealth and our influence, yea, our bodies and our souls, as consecrated to the Lord, and as to be disposed of by him in such a way as shall be most subservient to his glory. Then, if we live not to see the Temple of our God erected, we shall at least have the comfort of having provided materials for it: and at all events we shall secure to ourselves a rich reward; for God himself in our text assures us, that “they shall not be ashamed that wait for him.”]