Isaiah 33:16-17

He shall dwell on high

The life of surrender and trust

I. A LIFE OF EXALTATION. “Shall dwell on high.” Those who are kept safe, are kept rejoicing, and that constantly; it is not an intermittent experience. “He shall dwell.” The same thought is given in Psalms 91:1, and in John 15:11. It is always constant because it does not depend on circumstances, but on God. The surrendered man has learned to live in God, and in His presence is fulness of joy.

II. A LIFE OF SAFETY. “His place shall be the munition of rocks.” Because of the safety there is perfect peace.

III. A LIFE OF CONTINUAL SATISFACTION. “His bread shall be given him.” There is no leanness in the surrendered life; it is fed with the very Bread of Life. One of the greatest blessings of this life is the deeper communion, the greater reality of spiritual things, as the soul learns to feed on Christ. “His waters shall be sure.”

IV. A LIFE OF BEAUTY AND OF REFRESHMENT. Jeremiah speaks of the same life under the figure of a tree planted by the river, whose leaf is sways green. Continual freshness and perennial beauty. The “beauty of the Lord our God upon us,” and the “fruit of the Spirit” manifest.

V. A LIFE OF VISION. The unmistakable sign of the fulness of the Holy Ghost is the power to look into the glorified face of Jesus Christ (John 17:24).

VI. A LIFE OF UNLIMITED OUTLOOK. “Shall behold the land of far distances.” As we stand and look down the vistas of eternity we learn a little of what this life means. (G. H. C. Macgregor, M. A.)

Dwelling on high

In the ascent of a mountain, the objects which we leave beneath us become insignificant as we ascend, until the things we at first passed become as mere specks in the distance, and we get into prate, clear air, and see the extent of land around us, of which we had never dreamed. So in the spiritual life, as we “dwell on high” with the holy God, the things of earth are of less importance to us, even earthly friendships becoming insignificant as we “behold the King in His beauty,” and all around us is the “far-stretching land” of His full, unlimited salvation. (J. G.Govan.)

Rest in God

A man in some high hill-fortress looks down upon the open where the enemy’s ranks are crawling like insects across the grass, and he scarcely hears the noise of the tumult, and no arrow can reach his lofty hold. So up in God we may dwell at rest, whate’er betide. Strange that we should prefer to live down amongst the unwalled villages, which every spoiler can harry and burn, when we might climb, and by the might and the magic of trust in the Lord, bring round about ourselves a wall of fire which shall consume the poison out of the evil, even whilst it permits the sorrow to do its beneficent work upon us. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Sale in the rock

Two birds went out to build their nests. One found a tree by the river’s edge, and made her nest among its branches. The river murmured below, and the sunshine played among the leaves. But one night there was a storm, and the tree was torn out, and carried away in the floods--nest and nestlings and all. The other bird found a crag in a mountain, and built its home in a cleft of the rock. The storm swept over it, and the floods rushed through the valley, but the nest with its nestlings was safe in the rock. (Westminster Teacher.)

Hidden in the rock

In the Pitti Palace at Florence hangs a picture which represents a stormy sea, with wild waves and black clouds and fierce lightnings flashing across the sky, Wrecks float on the angry waters, and here and there a human face is seen. Out of the midst of the waves a rock rises, against which the waters dash in vain. It towers high above the crest of the waves. In a cleft of the rock are some tufts of grass and green herbage, with sweet flowers blooming, and amid these a dove is seen, sitting on her nest, quiet and undisturbed by the wild fury of the storm, or the mad dashing of the waves below her. The picture fitly represents the peace of the Christian amid the storms and trials of the world. He is hidden in the cleft of the Rock of Ages, and nestles securely in the bosom of God’s unchanging love. (J. R. Miller, D. D.)

The Christian should be joyful

I have been so long away from England that I do not know where our Queen is residing just now; but if I had the wings of a dove, and could mount into the upper air, I would soon find out. I should look for the Royal Standard. I should see it floating over Windsor or Osborne, and by this token I should espy the royal abode. Fling out the banner to the breeze when the King is within. Is the King at home with you, dear brother? Do not forget to display the standard of holy joy.

Hoist it, and keep it firing. The Prince of Peace is enthroned in our hearts! The Lord is exalted, for He dwelleth on high (Isaiah 33:5), and we dwell on high with Him. (C. H. Spurgeon.)