Isaiah 51:22

Thus saith thy Lord

God our Advocate

How can God be both judge and advocate?

Maybe Isaiah would have said, “I see it not clearly myself yet.” But the riddle is all explained when you bear in mind the distinction of the persons in the Godhead. He pleads His people’s cause for them by the Son, and in them by the Holy Ghost. This wonderful title, “God that pleadeth the cause of His people,” has been already vindicated in the history of Israel. But what is it God pleads? We may go very much astray unless we emphasize that word “cause.” It is not, He pleadeth the whims of His people. Everything that I may want or like God is not going to provide. That word “cause” means the strife, the battle, the controversy. The Church of God is just the expression of a great conflict that has been going on for ages. I want to show you how Jesus has pleaded the cause of His people, and He has done it in different courts.

I. He pleaded the cause of His people first in the COURT OF JUDGMENT that was situated at Golgotha. As to proving men innocent, that is impossible; they are guilty and condemned and yet Christ steps forward and says, “I will plead their cause.” And He stood in my place and yours, and pleaded our cause: but pleading our cause took Him to the Cross and into the tomb.

II. Having pleaded my cause in the court of judgment, He now pleads my cause IN THE COURT OF LAW AND JUSTICE. It is not enough for a soul to be free from sin; that is the negative side. How can any man enter heaven apart from righteousness? I will suppose for a moment that this difficulty is raised in court. Yes, the past sin is atoned for; but where is the man’s righteousness? I say, “Oh, my Lord, Thou who didst plead for me just now, plead again!” and I hear Him say, “I lived the life of perfect righteousness, I obeyed the law in every jot and tittle, I had Thy word hidden in My heart.” And the answer comes, “The plea is perfect: sinner, thou art not only forgiven, thou art justified; thy God hath pleaded thy cause.”

III. Jesus now pleads my cause IN HEAVEN ITSELF. If I am a saint, I am sure to pray, but being an earthly saint I am sure to pray very badly; being a believer, I am sure to sing, but having an earthly nature I am sure there are many low grovelling notes. How are my prayers to enter heaven? how are my prayers to be accepted? He who pleaded my cause on Golgotha, and He who pleaded my cause in the court of law, He now as High Priest pleads my cause before the golden altar.

IV. And Jesus has not yet concluded His pleading work. Personally I am looking for a day that is yet to dawn when JESUS WILL PERFECTLY PLEAD ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE ALL THE RIGHTS OF REDEMPTION.

V. I have only dealt thus far with the Father and the Son, but it is the whole Trinity that pleads the cause of His people, and therefore our final point is this, that whilst Jesus has pleaded for me at Golgotha and does plead for me yonder in the court of Heaven, THE HOLY GHOST IS PLEADING MY CAUSE WITHIN. (A. G. Brown.)

The Advocate on high

How majestic are these appellations; and if we mark the variation of the appearance of the word “Lord,” it opens to our view at once a fund of information and comfort which would be lost if that were overlooked. The first time the word is used, thy “Lord,” the translators have given it to us in small letters, simply signifying a sovereign ruler and governor. The second time they have given it in capital letters, which method they adopted to distinguish the word “Jehovah” from the word “Adonai,” or Lord. When the word “Jehovah” presents itself to our view, we are at once filled with a consciousness of the presence of a self-existent Being, giving being to all, deriving being from none, with all worlds at His command, and all creatures under His sway. And then to have the sovereign governor, the self-existent Deity, presented to our view in His covenant character as “thy God,” is peculiarly sweet. There is a sevenfold preciousness in this introduction which Jehovah gives of Himself to the notice of His people, and that, too, under circumstances particularly affecting; because what the Lord was about to say to them was just called for by the exigencies in which they were placed.

I. THE APPELLATIONS that are employed. “Thy Lord;” “THE LORD;” “thy God.”

II. OUR CLAIM TO AN INTEREST IN THEM, as warranted by Scripture. I will refer to the infinite perfections of the Deity to be claimed by the poor worm of the earth. What, I allowed to claim Omniscience, Omnipotence to watch over me, Omnipresence to be my company, Immutability to be my security, eternity the open prospect for me! What, I view all the perfections and attributes of the Deity, such as His justice, His holiness, His truth, His mercy, His faithfulness, everlastingly pledged for my salvation? This is something solid. What is requisite to prove the claim? You will find substantial proof nowhere but in spiritual life imparted to the soul.

III. THE TRANSACTION REFERRED TO. “That pleadeth the cause of His people.”

1. Let us first glance at the Divine, the sacred office assumed, as stated the text, “If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” That glorious Advocate is wise, faithful, condescending, affectionate.

2. The extraordinary nature of the cause of God’s people.

(1) There are three points in the pleading of the cause that must be kept in view. God pleads thy cause. Precious Advocate!

(2) Moreover, He hath to plead for His people among the heathen; and this is implied in the text. When the people of Israel old transgressed by idolatries and superstitions, by departures from God, and mingling with the heathen, Jehovah sent them into captivity, allowed their enemies to break in upon them, and to desolate their city and temple. And the heathen mocked them. “Where now is your God? Where is the God you serve? Do you think the King of glory can regard such beings as you?” But Jehovah pleads His own cause, and vindicates His own honour among the heathen.

(3) But there is a worse feature relative to the cause, and that is rebellion in the heart of His own people.

3. The legal process. The only great mark of the legal process is for God’s holiness to be vindicated. Then the process must be by exacting or by surety; and it must be by His life of obedience and His death of ignominy. If the legal process be pleading with the guilty, ruined sinner, there are two or three things I shall name.

(1) He is apprehended.

(2) He is accused.

(3) He is acquitted. Acquitted, but He is condemned first. (J. Irons.)

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