Isaiah 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense… Let us consider the text — I. AS A DISSUASIVE AGAINST OUR SECRET FEARS. "Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Fear not." The language is not uncommon as addressed to God's children. "Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward." "Thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, fear not." "Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God." The language seems to intimate that those who are truly seeking Christ are yet liable to be oppressed by many fears. But the Lord says, you are not to be thus afraid. 1. Fear not on account of the greatness of your sins. Fathomless as are the depths of your iniquity," there is one depth,, which is deeper still. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." 2. Fear not on account of remaining infirmities and indwelling tendencies to evil. How many are deterred from taking any decisive step in religion because they have not attained to a certain point of spiritual advancement; forgetting that the act of taking the step is to be one of the means for attaining to this point. 3. Be not of a fearful heart through anything adverse or disquieting in your spiritual experience. Many form rash conclusions on this subject from unsound and unworthy premises, and from only partial views of Scripture. II. AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO LAY HOLD UPON THE STRENGTH OF GOD. "Be strong." The advice is of frequent occurrence in Scripture. But what are we to be strong in?. Why., strong in the Lord, strong in His strength, safe through His holding up. Again, by the exhortation, Be strong, we must understand an injunction to seek and pray for the strengthening aids of God the Holy Spirit. 1. There is the strength of preventing grace in the hour of temptation, when not permitted to come upon us; when some power we know not of keeps us out of harm's way; when the dominion of our besetting sin appears for the time to be got under, and without a struggle or a blow we conquer in the might of God. 2. Then, there is the strength of supporting grace when the struggle does come, when we have to do battle with hard thoughts in adversity, or rebellious thoughts in disappointment, with sinful thoughts in solitude, with proud and envious thoughts in the world, with unbelief and impatience, and a little willingness for prayer, and we cannot shake off these things. 3. And then there is the strength of enlightening and sanctifying grace. We grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at the same time; and all this is through the imparted strength of the Comforter. 4. But I must not omit to notice the chief thing we are to be strong in, that which gave the prayer of Jacob power to prevail with God, namely, that we be as Jacob was, strong in faith, giving glory to God. Guard against all confused and imperfect notions of the offering of the Gospel plan, or of the power and willingness of Christ to save. Remember there is virtue enough in His blood, power enough in His arm, and grace enough at His disposal to sanctify and save a whole world of sinners. Apply to Him by faith and prayer. Place no limits where God has placed none. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," and if from all, why not yours? (D. Moore, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. |
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