Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke… This is evidently one of those predictions having special reference to the introduction of the Gospel dispensation, with which this book is so thickly studded. We may regard vers. 4 and 5 as forming a kind of preface to ver. 6; and in that preface the clue is given m four ruling words, viz. law, judgment, righteousness, and salvation. 1. The Gospel is a law — not written upon tables of stone, but upon the fleshly tables of the heart by the Spirit of the living God; it is a law of faith, and love, and obedience; it is the law by which God Will henceforth govern men. As the prophet in another place says "The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us." His law is in order to His rule; and His rule is in order to the salvation of men. 2. The word "judgment" is here used in the sense of a body or code of laws, such as form the basis of the constitution of a kingdom. It must point to the body of Gospel truth which God is about to reveal to the world. The doctrines, precepts, promises, which centre upon the person and work, which together are bound up in the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, these form the basis, the foundation which God will "make settled" for a light to the people. 3. "My righteousness is near." It is about, to be signally manifested, and in an unheard-of way, by the death of My only begotten Son. Therein am I about to be seen, just, and yet the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. 4. "My salvation is gone forth," etc. The good news that men are to be saved by the free grace of God, is already published, and it shall awaken loving trust in Me wherever it is known. Then comes the climax upon this preface; the eternal endurance which is the destiny of this saving rule of the Almighty — "Lift up your eyes to the heavens," etc. Three things here present themselves for our consideration — I. THE DESTINY OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 1. Let us think of their nature. They are an emanation from the mind of God. 2. The design of the creation. (1) This is its immediate design — to subserve the well-being of man. (2) But what is the ultimate design of the heavens and the earth? Like all else, to declare the glory of God. But upon this two remarks must be made — This declaration is by itself alone imperfect, as all material signs of truth must be. The printed page may tell us many truths, but there are truths which the printed page of itself can never tell. Creation cannot declare to us all that we ought to know of God. There are apparent contradictions in nature: there is the genial sun, the gentle dew, the balmy wind; but there is also the fiery volcano, the awful earthquake, the furious hurricane. Creation cannot reconcile its own phenomena; its testimony is imperfect without some higher and concurrent light. The testimony of creation is too often rendered void or perverted through human sinfulness. Either men do not see God at all in nature, or they view Him with vision all awry. (3) Carry your thoughts forward to the revealed destiny of the heavens and earth. They are to pass away utterly. "Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, etc. II. THE DESTINY OF THE MORTAL RACE OF MAN. They that dwell therein shall die in like manner." Man and the world date from the same origin, and are formed of the same material. 1. Let us consider the nature of the mortal race of man. It is simply a part of the visible material creation. 2. Think again of the design of our mortal race. It is pre-eminently to declare the glory of God. "I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him." But this glory that excelleth God is to derive not so much from our bodily nature, for this is but the kind of glory that all His other works render to Him, an unconscious glory; as from our spiritual nature, from renovated wills, from purified affections, from a redeemed and sanctified nature. 3. We shall gain further light upon the purpose of God with regard to our earthly race, if we glance at the analogy between the individual life and that of the whole race. Each man among us is the miniature, the epitome of the history of the world. He is the microcosm; you trace in yourself imperfections of bodily and mental powers; you are conscious of the seeds of death within you; all connected with your present condition speaks plainly the lesson that you are in dissolving, uncertain, precarious, transitory condition. It is fitly described in the emblems of Scripture, a tent, not a fixed habitation, a lodging, not a final rest. Now, I say you may trace a close analogy to all this in the history of the whole race. The world grows old; there are wrinkles on its brow. 4. Then remember that this is the predicted destiny of our mortal race. All living men and all their sensuous surroundings shall be utterly swept away. III. THE DESTINY OF GOD'S SAVING RULE. — "My salvation," etc. By the saving rule of God we mean that rule which God has revealed in the Gospel, in conforming to which man enjoy salvation; the rule which demands repentance, implicit faith in the Mediator and obedience to the Holy Ghost. It is God s plan, or rule, or way of salvation, and it is founded upon the immutable attribute of His righteousness. 1. Look at its nature. The Gospel is the hill and perfect exhibition of the mind of God. 2. Look at its design. It is in order to the complete blessedness of our immortal spirits in earth and heaven — here and hereafter, and for ever and ever. 3. God s saving rule shall endure for ever and ever. Conclusion: The rule of God must either save and bless, and. eternally exalt you, or it must crush and destroy you. (E. Johnson, B.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. |
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