Isaiah 63:8

DISCOURSE: 1014
VEXING THE HOLY SPIRIT

Isaiah 63:8; Isaiah 63:10. He said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour…But they rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

WE all notice with wonder the perverseness of the Jewish people, and justify in our minds the judgments inflicted on them. But it would be well, it, when looking at them, we beheld our own selves, as in a glass: for verily the whole of their conduct is but a just representation of our own. The expectations which God formed respecting them were such as were perfectly just and reasonable: and when he was so grievously disappointed, we wonder not that he resented it in the way he did.
We shall find it not unprofitable to consider this passage,

I. As fulfilled in the Jewish people—

God’s expectations from them were reasonable—
[The mercies which he vouchsafed to them, when “he took them for his own peculiar people,” are well known. They are again and again specified in the Holy Scriptures [Note: See Nehemiah 9:7.] — — — In particular, he revealed to them his laws from heaven [Note: Nehemiah 9:13.], yea, and “gave his Holy Spirit also to instruct them [Note: Nehemiah 9:20.].” In doing these things, he said, “Surely they are my people, that will not lie.” They will be to me a peculiar people: they will love, and serve, and honour me: and nothing will ever induce them to depart from me.

This, I say, was nothing more than what his mercies towards them most plainly called for. Never had any nation under heaven been dealt with as they had been [Note: Deuteronomy 4:7; Deuteronomy 4:32.]: and therefore he might reasonably expect that they would requite him according to the mercies vouchsafed unto them.]

But they most grievously disappointed him—
[“They soon forgat his works, and were disobedient to him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.” Their whole conduct was one continued series of murmurings and rebellions; as Moses himself testified, “Ye have been rebellious from the day that I knew you [Note: Deuteronomy 9:7; Deuteronomy 9:22.].”

Nor was it in the wilderness only that they thus grieved and vexed him. When they were brought into Canaan, they still continued a stiff-necked and rebellious people; insomuch that God himself was “broken with their whorish heart [Note: Ezekiel 6:9.];” and “was pressed under them, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves [Note: Amos 2:13.].” Thus they proceeded, till at last they filled up the measure of their iniquities, in the murder of their Messiah.]

His resentment against them, therefore, was most just—
[In the wilderness they so provoked him to anger, that of the whole number who were above twenty years of age at the time of their coming out of Egypt, two only were suffered to enter into the Promised Land. In Canaan, too, he was constrained in like manner to punish their descendants also with the severest judgments, insomuch that on some occasions “his own soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” But all his chastisements proved ineffectual for their permanent reformation; so that he delivered them up, first into the hands of the Chaldeans, and in process of time into the hands of the Romans; and has now, for these eighteen hundred years, made them a spectacle to the whole world, an awful monument of his righteous indignation.]
But wherefore are these things related concerning them? Surely for our sakes. It will therefore be proper for us to consider them,

II.

As recorded for our instruction—

The whole history is declared by St. Paul to have been written as an admonition to us [Note: 1 Corinthians 10:1.] — — — Let me then ask,

Has not God been disappointed in us?
[The mercies vouchsafed to the Jews were nothing more than shadows of the blessings which we enjoy. What was their redemption, in comparison of ours? — — — What their support in the wilderness, and their possession of the land of Canaan, in comparison of the spiritual food administered to us, and the glory kept in reserve for us? — — — Were the Jews a favoured nation in comparison of the Gentiles? What then are we in comparison of the Heathen world? yes, and in comparison of a great part of the Christian world too? How fully and faithfully is the Gospel ministered to you! I may truly say, as Paul did to the Galatians, that “Jesus Christ is evidently set forth crucified before your eyes.”

What, then, must have been God’s expectations respecting you? Surely of you he has said, ‘They will walk before me as dear children: they will never lie: I can depend on them: whoever may neglect me, they will not: whoever may disobey me, they will not: I have given myself to them, to be their Saviour; and they will feel their obligations, and surrender up their whole souls to me, to be saved in the way of mine appointments.’

But how have you fulfilled these expectations? Has he seen you devoting yourselves to him in sincerity and truth? Has he not seen you, on the contrary, weary of his service, and going for happiness to an ensnaring world? Has he not seen you indulging many hidden abominations, and yielding to unhallowed tempers; and either neglecting altogether, or performing in a mere heartless and formal way, your duties of prayer and praise? — — —]
May we not then well expect that his anger should be kindled against us?
[Yes, truly: such conduct cannot but “grieve” and “vex his Holy Spirit:” and he might well swear concerning the greater part of us, as he did respecting the Jews, that “we shall never enter into his rest.” And what if he should do so? What if, instead of being to us a “Saviour,” he should become our “enemy;” and all “his love and pity should be turned to wrath and fiery indignation? Can we bear the thought? Reflect, I pray you, my Brethren, what “an evil and bitter thing it will be to fall into the hands of the Living God.” Yet can we expect no other, than that he should be thus incensed, when we are multiplying our rebellions against him, and “trampling under foot his dear Son, and doing despite to his Spirit of grace.” He has told us, that “we shall reap according as we sow: if we will sow to the flesh, we must of the flesh reap corruption: but if we will sow to the Spirit, we shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”]