The Depression, Prosperity and Delight of the Church

Isaiah 51:3
For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden…

Taking these words as the prophet's statement with regard to the spiritual Church of God, under the appellation of Zion, we propose from these words to call attention —

I. TO THE DEPRESSION OF THE CHURCH.

1. This depression arises from the small number of those who belong to the Church.

2. The depression consists also in the want of spiritual vigour on the part of those who belong to the Church.

II. TO THE PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. Observe —

1. The source to which the prosperity of the Church is assigned. "For the Lord shall comfort Zion," etc. Christianity is, emphatically, the ministration of the Spirit.

2. The nature of the prosperity by which the Church will be distinguished. What: is the precise import of this comforting of Zion, this comforting of her waste places, making her wilderness like the garden of Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord? Here you will observe, that a vast augmentation of the numbers of the Church must plainly be regarded as included. A great purification and refinement in the characters of those who do pertain to the Church will signalize those future days.

3. The means to be adopted by the true friends of the Church in order that the period of this predicted prosperity may arrive.

III. TO THE DELIGHT OF THE CHURCH. "Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody." This emotion may properly arise from contemplating —

1. The wonderful change which shall have been accomplished in the condition of the Church itself.

2. The connection between the prosperity of the Church and the glorification of God.

3. The connection between the prosperity of the Church and the happiness of mankind.Conclusion:

1. Our first anxiety, of course, must be, that you may individually belong to the Church of God yourselves.

2. What we next desire of you is, that you will labour in all the appointed means and instrumentalities by which the prosperity of the Church of God is to be secured.

(J. Parsons.)

Parallel Verses

KJV: For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

WEB: For Yahweh has comforted Zion; he has comforted all her waste places, and has made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Yahweh; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.