Isaías 31

Horae Homileticae de Charles Simeon

Isaías 31:4-5

4 Assim me diz o Senhor: "Assim como quando o leão, o leão grande, ruge ao lado da presa, e contra ele se junta um bando de pastores, e ele não se intimida com os gritos deles nem se perturba com o seu clamor, assim o Senhor dos Exércitos descerá para combater nas alturas do monte Sião.

5 Como as aves dão proteção aos filhotes com suas asas, o Senhor dos Exércitos protegerá Jerusalém; ele a protegerá e a livrará; ele a poupará e a salvará".

DISCOURSE: 905
GOD THE PROTECTOR OF HIS PEOPLE

Isaías 31:4. Thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.

THE first of the commandments is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” And that is directly violated, when we alienate from God the confidence that is due to him alone, and place it on any creature in preference to him. This was the sin which the prophet reproved, both in this and the whole foregoing chapter. Sennacherib, King of Assyria, had come against Jerusalem with a powerful, and, humanly speaking, irresistible army. Many of the Jews, instead of looking to Jehovah for his gracious and merciful protection, applied to Egypt for help, and carried their wealth to Egypt, in order to obtain it. God, offended with this want of confidence in him, sent them word, that the Egyptians should help in vain, and to no purpose; and that their real strength was, to sit still, and to rely on God alone [Note: Cite Isaías 30:1; and compare it with ver. 1–3.] — — — If they would with real penitence and faith rely on him, He would afford them speedy and effectual deliverance. This assurance God delivered to them under the different images which are contained in my text; which shew, not only what God would be to them, but what he will be to his Church and people in all ages of the world.

Let me, with a special view to these images, point out to you,

I. The protection which God will afford to his people—

We are told, that, “as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever: and that they who trust in him shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever [Note: Salmos 125:1.].” But, as the emergency that existed at the time the prophet uttered my text was extremely urgent, so the images by which he was directed to encourage their affiance in him were precisely such as were suited to the occasion. God promised to protect them—

With the firmness of a lion—
[A lion, growling over his prey, regards not the shouts of a multitude of shepherds: unmoved himself, he infuses terror into them; and would soon make them repent of their temerity, if they dared to approach him. And who shall prevail on Jehovah to relinquish his defence of Jerusalem? in reference to the Assyrian army, which God was determined to destroy, the prophet says, “The Lord of Hosts hath purposed; and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out; and who shall turn it back [Note: Isaías 14:24.]?” The same also we may say in reference to the weakest of all his saints: “If God be for you, who can be against you [Note: Romanos 8:31.]?” “Who is he that shall harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good [Note: 1 Pedro 3:13.]?” God is not only a tower of defence to his people to preserve them, but “a wall of fire round about them,” that shall devour their assailants [Note: Zacarias 2:5.]. He may indeed suffer the enemies of his people to prevail for a season; and they may vaunt, as the Assyrians did, of all their conquests: but they are only as a rod in Jehovah’s hands; and all which they effect is only as the axe or saw that accomplishes the will of him who uses it: but when they have effected his purpose, they themselves, who sought nothing but to gratify their own ambition, shall be made monuments of his righteous indignation: “The light of Israel will be to them for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day [Note: Isaías 10:5; Isaías 10:12.].” Yes, verily, “God’s counsel shall stand, and he will do all his will [Note: Isaías 46:10.]:” and “when He works, who shall let it [Note: Isaías 43:13.]?” “The Lion of the tribe of Judah [Note: Apocalipse 5:5.]” shall assuredly prevail, though all the powers of earth and hell were combined against him.]

2. With the tenderness of a parent bird—

[A bird, though utterly unable to cope with a bird of prey which it sees hovering over its nest, will fly to protect its young; and, insensible to its own danger, will intercept its potent adversary, and rather perish itself than give up its offspring to the devourer. And, “for our miseries is Jehovah grieved [Note: Juízes 10:16.];” yea, in all our afflictions, too, our God himself is afflicted [Note: Isaías 63:9.]:” and whosoever “toucheth us, toucheth the apple of his eye [Note: Zacarias 2:8.].” When Pharaoh had overtaken the Hebrews at the Red Sea, “the pillar of fire, which had hitherto led the fugitives, went and stood between the Egyptian camp and them; so that they came not near to his people all the night,” during which period an opening was made for their escape [Note: Êxodo 14:19.]. And in ten thousand instances has God interposed for his people in every age; nor is there any one, who, if he could review all the dealings of God towards him, might not find, in his own experience, some interpositions fully answerable to the image that is before us.]

3. With the success of the attendant angel—

[At the destruction of the Egyptian first-born, Jehovah, the Angel of the Covenant, accompanied the destroying angel; and, wherever he saw the blood of the paschal lamb sprinkled on the door-posts, immediately interposed, and constrained the destroyer to pass over that house: in remembrance of which marvellous deliverance, a feast was instituted, and was called “The Feast of the Lord’s Passover [Note: Êxodo 12:23; Êxodo 12:27.].” To that the prophet, in my text, refers; saying, that “Jehovah, passing over Jerusalem, will preserve it.” Now, so effectual was the Lord’s intervention in that instance, that, whilst in every other house, throughout all the land of Egypt, the first-born both of man and beast was slain, in the houses of the Hebrews died not so much as one [Note: Êxodo 12:29.]. And, when was so much as one true believer ever left to perish? We are expressly told, that “it is not the will of our Father that one of his little ones should perish [Note: Mateus 18:14.].” No: however sifted his people be, “not the smallest grain shall ever full upon the earth [Note: Amós 9:9.].” Behold the Apostle Paul: no less than forty persons had bound themselves, by an oath, to murder him: and so well were their plans laid, that there did not appear the slightest chance for his escape. But God so ordered it, that Paul’s own nephew overheard the plot, and, by a timely mention of it to the governor, defeated it: and thus was that valuable life preserved [Note: Atos 23:12.]. Peter too, according to all human appearance, was consigned to death, there being only a few hours to elapse before he was to be brought forth from prison for execution. But with irresistible power did God cause the irons, with which his servant was bound, to fall off; and the prison doors to open, as it were of their own accord: and thus was the stroke averted in the very instant that it was about to fall [Note: Atos 12:6.]. What dangers have awaited us, we shall never know till we stand before our God in judgment: but then it will be found, that God has been our shield from numberless assaults; and that, through the agency of his holy angels, we have “been kept, on ten thousands of occasions, from dashing our foot against a stone [Note: Salmos 91:11.].”]

Such being the security promised to us, let us consider,

II.

Our duty resulting from it—

This merciful care, which God vouchsafes to us, doubtless calls for corresponding feelings on our part. If he affords us such marvellous protection, we ought to surrender up ourselves to him in a way of,

1. Affiance—

[The fault of the Hebrews was, that they leaned on an arm of flesh, instead of relying solely upon God. And we must be on our guard against this sad propensity. We are “not to say, ‘A confederacy, A confederacy,’ with them that say, ‘A confederacy;’ but to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, and to make Him our fear and Him our dread [Note: Isaías 8:12.].” The language of David should, under any emergency whatever, be the language of our hearts: “Shall I lift up mine eyes unto the hills (to any earthly powers)? From whence then cometh our help? Our help cometh from the Lord, who (is not only above them all, but made them all, yea,) made heaven and earth [Note: Salmos 121:1. Bishop Horne’s translation.].” It is not possible for our confidence in God to be too strong, provided we leave to God the time and manner of fulfilling his promises. He may, as he did in the case of Jerusalem, suffer matters to proceed to the greatest extremity: but “the vision will come at its appointed time [Note: Habacuque 2:3.]:” and, in a full assurance that it shall not tarry beyond that time, we should say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him [Note: Jó 13:15.].” The well-known boast of the Apostle should be ours [Note: Romanos 8:35.] — — — And in dependence upon God, we should hurl defiance on all our enemies, even as Hezekiah was taught to do in the very depth of his extremity [Note: Isaías 37:22.]

2. Gratitude—

[“If the Lord had not been on our side, now may Israel f the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul [Note: Salmos 124:1.].” Never, till all the wonders of God’s love shall be revealed, shall we have any idea of the deliverances that have been vouchsafed unto us, and of our obligation to God on account of them. “Satan, that subtle adversary, who beguiled our first parents in Paradise, has, on thousands of occasions, sought to draw our minds from the simplicity that is in Christ [Note: 2 Coríntios 11:3.]:” yea, “as a roaring lion, also, he has been seeking to devour us [Note: 1 Pedro 5:8.].” And is it owing to our own wisdom or strength that we have not fallen a prey unto his teeth? No: the Lord has interposed to screen us from his fiery darts; and has again and again rescued us from the snares which he had laid for our feet. See how David was kept from shedding blood [Note: 1 Samuel 25:32.], and Peter from utter apostasy [Note: Lucas 22:31.]! and who can tell what evils you might have perpetrated, and what your state might have at this moment been, if God had not “kept you as the apple of his eye,” and “borne you, as on eagle’s wings,” throughout this dreary wilderness [Note: Deuteronômio 32:10.]? I tell you, Brethren, that his visible interpositions for his people of old have been only shadows of what he has invisibly done, and is at this moment doing, for you, if only you place your trust in him: and that David’s acknowledgment is that which it becomes every one of you to make: “The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him [Note: Salmos 37:39.].”]

3. Fidelity—

[Believing in God, we have nothing to fear, and nothing even to think of, but how we may best serve and honour him. St. Paul, when in daily expectation of a cruel death, said, “None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto me, so that I may but finish my course with joy, and fulfil the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus [Note: Atos 20:24.].” And I would ask, of all who believe the declarations in my text, Should not such “love constrain you to live unto your God [Note: 2 Coríntios 5:14.]?” Realize the determination which he formed from all eternity, and from which not all the wickedness of our ruined world has ever been able to divert him, to save our souls from death by the sacrifice of his only dear Son in our stead. Realize the merciful interposition of the Lord Jesus Christ between us and the wrath of our offended God, and his actually becoming a curse for us. Realize his dying in our place and stead, and by his own obedience unto death effecting a reconciliation for us, and purchasing for us all the glory of heaven. Realize, I say, the deliverances shadowed forth by those vouchsafed to Jerusalem, and spiritually fulfilled in you; and what, think you, will be your feelings on the occasion, or your expression of them? Will there be any bounds to your love, any limits to your obedience, any intermission to your songs of praise? No: you will be “ready either to be bound or to die for His sake,” who has “so loved you, and given himself for you;” and “you will be satisfied with no attainment, till you shall awake up after the likeness of his perfect righteousness [Note: Salmos 17:15.].”]

Introdução

CONTENTS TO VOL. VII.

Discourse

Text

Subject

Isaiah

856. Isaías 1:2.

God’s Complaint against his People

857. Isaías 1:4.

The Sinfulness of the Nation

858. Isaías 1:10.

Service which alone is pleasing to God

859. Isaías 1:18.

Crimson Sins made White

860. Isaías 1:25.

God purifying his People

861. Isaías 2:5.

Exhortation to a Holy Walk

862. Isaías 3:10.

Final State of Man

863. Isaías 4:5.

God the Protector of his Church

864. Isaías 5:3.

God’s Appeal to Man’s Decision

865. Isaías 5:20.

Sinfulness of confounding Good and Evil

866. Isaías 6:5.

Isaiah’s Vision of Christ

867. Isaías 6:8.

A Missionary Spirit described

868. Isaías 8:12.

God the only proper Object of Fear

869. Isaías 8:18.

Believers are for Signs and Wonders

870. Isaías 8:19.

Seeking after God

871. Isaías 9:2.

Blessings imparted by the Gospel

872. Isaías 9:6.

Christ’s Incarnation and Character

873. Isaías 9:13.

Impenitence under Divine Chastisements

874. Isaías 10:12.

Abasement of the Assyrian Monarch

875. Isaías 11:2.

Christ’s Qualifications for his Office

876. Isaías 11:6.

Change to be wrought in the latter Day

877. Isaías 11:9.

The Millennium

878. Isaías 11:10.

Christ a Standard for the Gentiles

879. Isaías 12:1.

The Believer’s Song

880. Isaías 12:3.

The Wells of Salvation

881. Isaías 12:3.

The Believer’s Song

882. Isaías 14:2.

The Christian Warfare

883. Isaías 14:27.

Immutability of God’s Counsels

884. Isaías 14:32.

God’s Church and People secure

885. Isaías 19:20.

Christ a great Saviour

886. Isaías 19:24.

The Conversion of Jews and Gentiles

887. Isaías 21:11.

Profane Scoffers instructed

888. Isaías 22:12.

Unconcern amidst Calls to Repentance

889. Isaías 22:24.

Eliakim a Type of Christ

890. Isaías 24:23.

The Reign of Christ glorious

891. Isaías 25:4.

Christ a suitable and all-sufficient Help

892. Isaías 25:6.

The Gospel a Source of richest Blessings

893. Isaías 25:9.

Christ’s Advent a Ground of Joy

894. Isaías 26:3.

Trust in God recommended

895. Isaías 26:13.

Humiliation with Zeal

896. Isaías 26:20.

The only Refuge of Sinners


CONTENTS TO VOL. VIII

Discourse

Text

Subject

Isaiah

897. Isaías 27:3.

God’s Care for his Church

898. Isaías 27:6.

The future Prosperity of Israel

899. Isaías 27:12.

Conversion of the Jews gradual

900. Isaías 28:5.

The Felicity of God’s People

901. Isaías 29:17.

The Millennial Period fast approaching

902. Isaías 29:18.

The Gospel a Source of Blessings to Mankind

903. Isaías 30:7.

Confidence in God recommended

904. Isaías 30:26.

Benefits arising from God’s Return to the Soul

905. Isaías 31:4.

God the Protector of his People

906. Isaías 32:2.

Security and Comfort in Christ

907. Isaías 32:16.

The Work of Righteousness is Peace

908. Isaías 33:6.

The Use and Excellency of True Wisdom

909. Isaías 33:16.

Protection promised to the Godly

910. Isaías 33:20.

The Church’s Security

911. Isaías 33:23.

Encouragement to the Weak

912. Isaías 35:1.

Glorious Prospects of the Gospel Church

913. Isaías 35:3.

Encouragement to the Weak

914. Isaías 35:5.

Streams in the Desert

915. Isaías 35:8.

The Way to Zion

916. Isaías 38:14.

Help for us in God

917. Isaías 38:17.

Forgiveness known and enjoyed

918. Isaías 38:19.

Praising God for his Mercies

919. Isaías 38:20.

Hezekiah’s Thanksgiving for his Recovery

920. Isaías 40:1.

The Scope and Tendency of the Gospel

921. Isaías 40:6.

The Immutability of the Gospel

922. Isaías 40:9.

The Messiah’s Advent

923. Isaías 40:11.

Christ’s Care for his Sheep

924. Isaías 40:27.

The Desponding encouraged

925. Isaías 41:10.

The weak Believer comforted

926. Isaías 41:14.

The Worm Jacob threshing the Mountains

927. Isaías 41:17.

Consolation for the Desponding

928. Isaías 42:5.

Christ’s Commission

929. Isaías 42:16.

God’s Dealings with his People opened

930. Isaías 43:1.

God’s Care for his People

931. Isaías 43:4.

The Blessedness of the True Christian

932. Isaías 43:12.

The Saints are Witnesses for God

933. Isaías 43:20.

God’s Kindness to his People

934. Isaías 43:22.

The Greatness of God’s Mercy

935. Isaías 44:1.

The Out-Pouring of the Spirit promised

936. Isaías 44:20.

The Folly of spiritual Idolatry

937. Isaías 44:22.

The Work of Redemption a Motive to Conversion

938. Isaías 44:23.

Redemption a Ground of Joy

939. Isaías 45:8.

The Efficacy of the Gospel

940. Isaías 45:9.

Striving with our Maker

941. Isaías 45:17.

The Extent and Certainty of Israel’s Salvation

942. Isaías 45:21.

Jehovah a just God and a Saviour

943. Isaías 45:22.

Looking to Christ

944. Isaías 45:23.

Exaltation of Christ

945. Isaías 46:3.

God’s Care for his People

946. Isaías 46:12.

Christ the Salvation of Israel

947. Isaías 48:16.

Offices of the Holy Trinity in the Work of Redemption

948. Isaías 48:17.

God’s tender Concern for his People

949. Isaías 49:6.

Christ the Light and Salvation of the Gentiles

950. Isaías 49:7.

Christ’s future Reign

951. Isaías 49:8.

The Greatness of Christ’s Salvation

952. Isaías 49:14.

God will not forget his People

953. Isaías 49:18.

Promised Increase of the Church

954. Isaías 49:24.

Desponding Fears removed

955. Isaías 50:5.

Messiah’s Sufferings and Support

956. Isaías 50:10.

A Word Season

957. Isaías 51:1.

Consolation for the Afflicted

958. Isaías 51:7.

A Dissuasive from the Fear of Man

959. Isaías 52:9.

The Church pleading with God

960. Isaías 52:1.

Despondency reproved

961. Isaías 52:7.

The Nature of the Gospel

962. Isaías 52:8.

The Saint’s Vision of Christ

963. Isaías 52:13.

Christ rewarded for his Services

964. Isaías 52:14.

The Depth of our Saviour’s Humiliation

965. Isaías 52:15.

The Means and Evidence of Conversion

966. Isaías 53:1.

Men’s Neglect of the Gospel

967. Isaías 53:2.

The Characters and Treatment of the Messiah

968. Isaías 53:4.

The True Cause of our Lord’s Suferings

969. Isaías 53:6.

Means of Man’s Restoration to God

970. Isaías 53:7.

Christ’s Behaviour under his Sufferings

971. Isaías 53:8.

Our Lord’s Trial and Execution

972. Isaías 53:9.

The Father’s Conduct towards the innocent Jesus explained and vindicated

973. Isaías 53:10.

Christ’s Death a Condition of our Salvation

974. Isaías 53:11.

Christ’s Satisfaction in his People

975. Isaías 53:11.

Means of our Justification before God

976. Isaías 53:12.

Fruits of Christ’s Death and Intercession

977. Isaías 54:5.

Our Maker our Husband

978. Isaías 54:6.

God’s Faithfulness to his Covenant

979. Isaías 54:13.

Peace the Fruit of Divine Teaching

980. Isaías 54:17.

The Saints’ Heritage

981. Isaías 55:1.

The Blessings of the Gospel

982. Isaías 55:4.

Christ a Witness and Commander

983. Isaías 55:6.

Of seeking the Lord in time

984. Isaías 55:7.

Encouragement to turn to God

985. Isaías 55:8.

God’s Ways above ours

Isaías 55:10.

Resemblance of the Gospel to Rain and Snow

987. Isaías 55:12.

The Change wrought by the Gospel

988. Isaías 56:4.

Acceptance for all sincere Worshippers

989. Isaías 57:15.

The Majesty and Holiness of Gad

990. Isaías 57:17.

God’s Mercy to obstinate Sinners

991. Isaías 57:20.

No Peace to the Wicked

992. Isaías 58:1.

The Ministerial Office

993. Isaías 58:5.

The Services which God requires

994. Isaías 58:13.

Observance of the Sabbath enjoined

995. Isaías 59:8.

No Peace in the Way of Sin

996. Isaías 59:15.

The Righteous a Prey to the Wicked

997. Isaías 59:19.

The Means of spiritual Victory

998. Isaías 59:20.

The Perpetuity of Christ’s Kingdom

999. Isaías 60:1.

Our Duty arising from the Advent of Christ

1000. Isaías 60:8.

Millennial Piety described

1001. Isaías 60:13.

Excellency of the Church of Christ

1002. Isaías 60:15; Isaías 60:10.

Future Prosperity of the Jewish Church

1003. Isaías 60:19.

The Church’s Prosperity

1004. Isaías 61:1.

Christ’s Commission

1005. Isaías 61:9.

Blessedness of the Lord’s People

1006. Isaías 61:10.

The Believer clad with the Garments of Salvation

1007. Isaías 61:11.

The Conversion of the World promised

1008. Isaías 62:3.

The Church a Royal Diadem

1009. Isaías 62:5.

God’s Delight in his People

1010. Isaías 62:6.

Duty of interceding for the Church

1011. Isaías 62:10.

Restoration of the Jews

1012. Isaías 63:1.

Messiah’s Triumphs

1013. Isaías 63:7.

The Loving-kindness of the Lord

1014. Isaías 63:8; Isaías 63:10.

Vexing the Holy Spirit

1015. Isaías 63:9.

The Love of God towards his People

1016. Isaías 63:11.

God contemplated

1017. Isaías 63:15.

Pleading with God

1018. Isaías 64:6.

Imperfection of our best Services

1019. Isaías 64:7.

The Consequences of neglecting Prayer

1020. Isaías 65:12.

Danger of disregarding God

1021. Isaías 65:17.

The new Heavens and the new Earth

1022. Isaías 65:24.

The Efficacy of Prayer

1023. Isaías 66:2.

The Poor and Contrite the Objecte of God’s Favour

1024. Isaías 66:10.

God delights to comfort his People

1025. Isaías 66:18.

The Jews to convert the Gentiles