_Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak._ MOSES’ ADJURATION Isaiah makes a similar sublime commencement to his prophecies, apostrophising heaven and earth in nearly identical language. Moses had already used the same sentiment in simple didactic form when he said, “I call heaven and earth to witn... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ascribe ye greatness unto our God._ THE GREATNESS OF GOD I. Our primary concern should be to attempt to realise the greatness of God, however inadequate all our conceptions may be. 1. His underived, independent, and eternal existence. In this His nature stands out in distinction from all created... [ Continue Reading ]
_He is the Rock._ THE ROCK AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS Seven times does this strong figure the Rock occur in the song. The metaphor is self-explanatory, the stability of rock being a fit emblem of the Divine immutability of purpose, and of God being faithful to His covenant and promises. This is the rulin... [ Continue Reading ]
_They have corrupted themselves._ MAN CORRUPTING HIS WAY If we consider what this people seemed once to be, and thought themselves to be, we may easily know how they corrupted themselves. If ye look on them at one time (Exodus 19:8; Deuteronomy 5:27) ye would call them children. There was never a f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Do ye thus requite the Lord._ MAGNITUDE OF THE DIVINE FAVOURS I. What God has done for us. Everything. We are indebted to Him for our being, and our well-being; for all our present comforts, and future hopes. The goodness of God is a boundless sea, without either bottom or shore. His favours for... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remember the days of old._ PARTICULAR INSTANCES OF GOD’S KINDNESS 1. Some were ancient; and for proof of them he appeals to the records. The authentic histories of ancient times are of singular use, especially the history of the Church in its infancy. 2. Others were more modern; and for proof of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord’s portion is His people._ A CHOICE PORTION 1. The text teaches us that the Church of God is the Lord’s own peculiar and special property. “The earth is the Lord s, and the fulness thereof: the world, and they that dwell therein.” By creation, as well as by providence, Jehovah is the Sover... [ Continue Reading ]
_He found him in a desert land._ GOD AND HIS PEOPLE I. Now, although one of the chief objects of this discourse will be to adapt this portion of Scripture to our own times, it will be well to offer some few remarks in regard to their primary application; and they may be considered as containing a... [ Continue Reading ]
_As an eagle stirreth up her nest._ THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF HUMANITY I. The great end of the spiritual discipline of humanity is to secure the right action of our powers. What is right action? 1. A constitutionally befitting action. We are made to love, study, and serve God. 2. A self-relian... [ Continue Reading ]
_He made him ride on the high places of the earth._ GOD’S DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE Everything about the Jewish people was significant and emphatically prophetic. Canaan itself was a type of the condition both here and hereafter of the disciples of Christ. Whatsoever, therefore, the terms in which t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked._ WORLDLY PROSPERITY I. A community realising worldly prosperity. Worldly prosperity sometimes comes to a man-- 1. Irrespective of his efforts. 2. By his honest efforts. 3. By his dishonest efforts. II. A community abusing worldly prosperity. 1. In sympathy the... [ Continue Reading ]
_They sacrificed unto devils._ DEVIL WORSHIP I. The devil of sensuality. This includes intemperance, debauchery, and the gratification of all the lower animal appetites. Do not men everywhere sacrifice intellect, genius, time, money, health, and even life itself at its infernal shrine? II. The de... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful._ FORGETFUL OF THE ROCK How is it that men soon forget the solid, the real, the substantial? What is it that delights men in spluttering rockets, in coloured fountains, in lamps swinging upon trees that are offended by their presence? See the great se... [ Continue Reading ]
_A very froward generation._ THE FROWARDNESS OF UNBELIEF 1. Unbelief is a very froward thing, because, in the first place, it gives God the lie. Can anything be worse than this? God saith, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt, be saved,” and the unbeliever replies, “I cannot believe th... [ Continue Reading ]
_For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being Judges._ THE TESTIMONY OF INFIDELS TO THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY We profess to believe that the system of doctrine and ethics set forth in Scripture is true. It is our business to prove it. 1. We may use _a priori _method; that... [ Continue Reading ]
_Their foot shall slide in due time._ THE AWAKENING OF SINNERS This is the culmination of the most dreadful denunciation of sinners to be found in the Bible. I. The insecurity of the sinner. A sense of sin and impending punishment is ever present in man’s heart. Heathen nations of the old and of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Lord shall judge His people._ POWER FOR THE POWERLESS I. The people whom Jehovah owns and claims as “His people” and “His servants.” God has a people peculiarly His own. You must be blind; indeed, when looking into your Bible, not to see that this fact is one of the most prominent things s... [ Continue Reading ]
_See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God with Me._ THE ROYAL PREROGATIVE I. None but the Lord can would or heal. 1. The Lord alone can spiritually wound. It is the Holy Spirit’s work to convince of sin, and until He puts forth His power the preacher may preach himself dumb with wearine... [ Continue Reading ]
_Command your children to observe to do all the words of this law._ THE ADVANTAGE OF A RIGHT EDUCATION I. The advantages, and indeed necessity, of right education. Other creatures arrive, without their own care, at the small perfection of which they are capable, and there stop; but the whole of man... [ Continue Reading ]
_For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life._ RELIGION A NECESSITY Religion is not a luxury, but a necessity of our being. It is not a vain service, because it is our life. Immersed as men are in the world, and conversant with material interests, it is difficult for them to feel th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Get thee up into this mountain. .. and die in the mount._ MOSES COMMANDED TO ASCEND THE MOUNT AND DIE I. The apparently hard providence which befell Moses on this occasion. 1. It was death in the presence of unaccomplished work--a work to which Moses had consecrated his life, for which he had sa... [ Continue Reading ]