(R. Macculloch.)

I. HOW HAS GOD BEEN TEACHING THIS LESSON TO MANKIND?

1. He has taught it to false gods and to the idolaters who have bowed before them. How hath God poured con. tempt on the ancient gods of the heathen! Where are they now?

2. Mark how God has taught truth to empires.

3. To monarchs. Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, &c.

4. To the wise men of this world.

5. "Surely," says one, "the Church of God does not need to be taught this" Yes, she does! How did the church in Canaan forget it when they bowed before other gods: If God gives us a special mission, we generally begin to take some honour to ourselves.

II. SALVATION IS GOD'S GREATEST WORK, and in this He specially teaches us this lesson. Our text tells us how He teaches it.

1. By the person to whom He directs us. "Me."

2. By the means He tells us to use. "Look."

3. By the persons whom He calls to look. "All the ends of the earth."

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

I. FOR SALVATION OUT OF ANY TROUBLE, WE SHOULD LOOK TO GOD ALONE. There are some troubles in which men do look to God alone. I have known even the most profane men turn to God, after a fashion, in the hour of supreme peril. Now, if men will act thus by the compulsion of great calamity, is there not sound reason why you should, cheerfully and willingly, do the same, and resort to God in every trial, and difficulty, and dilemma? Is any trial too slight for you to bring in prayer before Him?

II. FOR ETERNAL SALVATION, WE MUST LOOK TO GOD ALONE.

1. Salvation is not to be found in any mere agent.

2. The great thing that thou needest to know, and look at, and rely upon, is the mercy of God.

3. Since God says, "Look unto Me," let me ask you whether you are looking unto Him as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word?

4. Especially is it intended that we should look unto God as He reveals Himself in the person and work of His dear Son.

5. Settle this matter in your mind as an absolute certainty that, whoever and whatever you are, you may look to God in Christ, and be saved.

6. Let no feeling of thine beat thee off from looking to Christ.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

II. It is a FREE salvation, uncumbered and unconditional in its offers. There is no costly, protracted, elaborate preparation or probation needed. No painful penances; no rites, no lastings, no lustrations, no priestly absolutions In ver. 13, God says of Cyrus (and He says the same in a nobler sense of a Greater than the earthly liberator), "He shall let go My captives, not for price nor reward." This is not, indeed, after the manner of men, nor in accordance with that natural legality of spirit which loves to fetter itself with conditions and terms. If the prophet had bid the Syrian leper of old "do some great thing," Naaman would have cordially assented; but he could not brook the trifling expedient of dipping himself in the river Jordan. HI. It is a RIGHTEOUS salvation (vers. 19, 21). See Romans 3:26. It is a salvation which has been secured in accordance with the principles of everlasting truth and rectitude. Let us not, however, misinterpret the relation of justice to mercy, as if between these two Divine attributes there existed any antagonism, — as if they represented two conflicting principles (similar to the Magian), one of which had to be propitiated before the other could exercise its benignant will, or go forth on its benignant behests. Nay, they are in perfect harmony. Love can hold out her blissful sceptre only when standing by the throne of justice. In that glorious salvation, every attribute of the Divine nature has been magnified and made honourable.

IV. It is a SURE salvation. The rites of the heathen leave their votaries in uncertainty, groping in the dark. Their feelings and experiences are well described in ver. 16. In impressive and sublime contrast with this, Jehovah avows in ver. 23, "I have sworn by Myself: the word" or "truth" (Lowth) "is gone out of My mouth in righteousness"; and in ver. 19, "I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain"; or ver. 17, "Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded." Truly the covenant of grace is a covenant "well ordered in all things, and sure."

V. It is here further unfolded to us as the ONLY salvation (ver. 24). Bishop Lowth renders it, "Only to Jehovah belongeth salvation and power." "Neither is there salvation in any other."

VI. It is an ETERNAL salvation (ver. 17).

(J. R. Macduff, D. D.)

I. EXPLAIN THE DUTY HERE EXPRESSED BY THE METAPHOR OF LOOKING. Observe in general, that a man's looks often discover his condition and the frame of his mind. Hence we can understand a look of surprise and consternation, of sorrow and compassion, a look of joy, the look of a perishing supplicant, or of a needy, expecting dependant. If an agonising patient casts an eager look upon his physician, we understand it to be a silent petition for relief. Hence "looking to Christ implies those suitable dispositions and exercises of heart towards Him, which are expressed by the earnest and significant looks of persons in a distressed condition towards their deliverer."

1. Looking to Christ implies a particular notice and distinct knowledge of Him.

2. An importunate eagerness for relief from Him (Psalm 25:15).

3. A wishful expectation of deliverance from Him (Psalm 69:3). It may be illustrated by the history of the lame beggar (Acts 3:4, 5).

4. A humble dependence upon Him for salvation (2 Chronicles 20:12).

5. A universal cheerful submission to His authority (Psalm 123:1, 2).

6. A hearty approbation of Him as a Saviour, and supreme affection to Him. Love is often expressed by looks.

7. Joy and gratitude for His delivering goodness.

II. URGE YOU TO LOOK TO HIM BY SEVERAL WEIGHTY CONSIDERATIONS. This is the great duty of saints and sinners, and consequently of every one in all ages and places, even to "the ends of the earth."

1. It is salvation we are called upon to pursue.

2. It may be obtained upon the easiest terms, without any personal merit, viz., by a "look."

3. It is Immanuel, the incarnate God, who commands and invites us to look.

4. He is the glorious and affecting Object to which we are to look.

5. Our looking shall not be in vain, for He is God, who engages to save those who look to Him.

6. It is vain to look elsewhere for salvation, and needless to fear His grace should be controlled by another; for He is God, so there is none else.

7. We, in particular, are invited, being especially meant by "the ends of the earth."

(S. Davies, M. A.)

II. THAT THE UNIVERSAL DESIRE OF MANKIND IS FOR HAPPINESS.

III. THAT THE ONLY SOURCE OF REAL HAPPINESS IS TO BE FOUND IN GOD. "Look unto Me." "I am God, and beside me," &c.

IV. THAT THE SALVATION WHICH GOD HAS PROVIDED IS BOUNDLESS IN ITS PROVISIONS, AND UNLIMITED IN ITS EXTENT. "All the ends of the earth."

V. THAT THE RECEPTION OF THIS BLESSING IS NEVERTHELESS CONDITIONAL. "Look unto Me," &c. What does this imply?

1. An apprehension of the object presented.

2. Of the good it proposes to impart.

3. An earnest desire to obtain it.

4. A vigorous use of appointed means.

VI. THE GROUND OF ENCOURAGEMENT. "I am God"; and therefore, know that you need it — have prepared it for you — invite you to partake of it — promise to impart it — warn you of the consequences of refusing it. None other can save you. "Now is the accepted time," &c.

(R. Shepherd.)

I. AS SIN FIRST ENTERED, SO IT STILL ENTERS. It enters through the eye. He who first saw the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment lusted for them, went after them, took and hid them. Therefore it is wise to say "Look not upon the wine when it is red," for temptations come through the eye. The Scriptures tell of those whose "eyes are full of sin" and cannot cease. This truth is realised in our own mournful experience. We look on injuries and brood over them. We contemplate objects of desire and lust after them. When it has conceived lust bringeth forth sin.

II. SALVATION COMES BY THE SAME EASY METHOD. "Look unto Me and be ye saved."

1. This is a spiritual vision. Some regard that which we call spiritual as unreal and dreamy, whereas carnality is unreal, and spiritual things are, of all, the most actual.

2. It is an immediate vision. Of our physical functions sight is the most immediate. So faith is the most positive and assuring. You end a dispute by saying, but I saw it with my own eyes and so I know it. The believer is able to speak thus of Him whom he knows, for he has seen Him.

III. HOW ARE WE TO SEE CHRIST? In what respects?

1. As a Saviour.

2. As an Intercessor.

3. As King and Master.

IV. THERE ARE SPECIAL TIMES WHEN WE SHOULD LOOK EXCLUSIVELY TO CHRIST.

1. In all our acts of public worship.

2. In temptations. Are you injured? Nothing so cleanses the heart of stinging pain as this. Do unholy desires annoy? Here is the remedy.

3. In approaching weakness.Though the outward man perishes, the inward man is renewed day by day. By looking the light will increase more and more to the perfect day. God has promised to show us the path of life. Evangelist asked the Pilgrim, "Seest thou yonder light?" "I think I do." Evangelist by a long looking had acquired keen vision, and Pilgrim found his eyes opened as he looked. The way grew clearer, and you know the glorious end to which he came. His, weakness was perfected in his Leader's strength. The subject before us has a twofold application.

1. For self-examination. In our worship have we been looking only to God whom we have professed to address? In hymn and prayer and preaching have our acts been merely formal and professional?

2. By way of invitation. The invitation is to all, even to "the ends of the earth."

(A. Whyte, D. D.)

1. He bids you look to Him for mercy, to save you gratuitously, without bringing to Him anything.

2. We should look to the Son of God, as well as to the Father — for His meritorious intercession — that we may be saved.

3. Look to God the Spirit, as well as to the Father and the Son. He who wrought mightily in the persecutor Saul, to make him an eminent trophy of grace and a large benefactor to his fellow-creatures, has no less power, condescension and goodness, to extend to you, and to give to you all the same principle, the same courage, and the same perseverance.

4. The same blessed duty rests on all of you who by the grace of God have looked to Him and lived. You are called to prosecute your journey heavenwards, from one degree of faith and grace and comfort and joy to another, till you reach your eternal home, every day looking to God that you may be saved.

5. But He never meant His servants to be selfish, as He is beneficent and good; and therefore let me bid you notice the extent of this invitation: "All the ends of the earth." Then it is God's will that Japan, and China, and India must look to Him and be saved, as well as we. At the time these words were uttered by the prophet, we were the ends of the world to them, as China, Japan, and Borneo are to us; yea, we were beyond the limits of the known world at that time. And we have heard the good news and believed.

(B. W. Noel, M. A.)

II. THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION. "All the ends of the earth." Men of all tribes and kingdoms shall be made to feel the power of Almighty grace. The plan of salvation is adapted to every variety of circumstance. The monarch on the throne of vast empire — he is seated there in the sight of God a poor rebel, and he needs salvation. Or take the other extreme — the lowliest and obscurest of the children of men — he is a sinner before God, an immortal creature.

III. GOD'S SIMPLE COMMAND to the guilty and the lost, while announcing Himself as the Source of salvation, and while proclaiming its universality, is "Look unto Me."

1. To look unto God, as the Source of salvation, implies knowledge of Him.

2. The exercise of faith.

3. Confidence in God.

4. We may give emphasis to the expression, "Unto Me." God requires that you should look away from all other objects which would interfere with the entire yielding up of the whole soul to Him.

5. There should be in the mind of the believer a full assurance that He is able to save, and willing to save.

(G. Fisk, LL. B.)

II. THE REASON WHY THAT INVITATION SHOULD BE COMPLIED WITH. "For I am God, and there is none else." There are two ideas involved in this statement.

1. That Jesus is the true God, and therefore able to save.

2. That on Him only should we depend, for there is no other being in the universe who is able to rescue an immortal soul from eternal ruin.We see from this subject —

1. The folly and danger of unbelief.

2. The habitual duty of all true Christians. It is to look unto Jesus at every stage of their spiritual history.

(P. Grant.)

II. THE PERSONS ADDRESSED.

III. THE BLESSINGS PROMISED.

IV. THE MANNER OF OBTAINING THEM.

(Bp. R. Bickersteth, D. D.)

II. If you look to Jesus you will see LOVE INCARNATE — Divine love. According to the medium through which it shines, the same lamp can be made to give a radiance of a very different colour, a cheering or a gloomy light. In a sinful world like this, could you not easily imagine a vindictive incarnation and manifestation of the blessed God, which would have brought into the midst of our sinfulness the consuming fire of His holiness, which, thus coming in contact with our combustible corruption, would have turned our earth into an early perdition? But what was the actual fact? "The Word dwelt among us, full of grace and truth."

III. Looking unto the Lord Jesus, there is yet another sight with which the earnest sinner is regaled, and that is RIGHTEOUS RECONCILIATION.

IV. Whosoever looks at Him long enough, simply enough, intently enough, will find in Him TRANSFUSED IMMORTALITY, life transmitted from that Saviour unto his own soul.

V. If you look to Jesus simply as God reveals Him in His Word, and as He is in Himself, you will see A LOVE-ATTRACTING AND A LIFE-ASSIMILATING SAVIOUR; a Saviour who, when he attracts your love, will assimilate your life to His.

(J. Hamilton, D. D.)

I. AS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDRESSED. "All the ends of the earth" — all men.

II. WHY ARE THEY TO LOOK? "And be saved." Now, under the New Testament you and I are directed especially to Jesus Christ. He tells us that no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Look upon this for your encouragement, what faith sees when she looks upon Jesus. She finds love in Jesus, pardon in Jesus, peace in Jesus, eternal happiness in Jesus. And this is so with God. He sees the sinner in Jesus, He is satisfied with His atoning work, and accepts the believing sinner for His sake.

III. HOW THEY ARE TO LOOK. The term "look" in the Word of God is ordinarily intended to mean "belief." That we should look to the Lord Jesus expecting something, just as the lame man looked at Peter and John at the Beautiful gate of the temple, expecting to receive something of them.

1. If you can take this view of Christ, that He intends your salvation, then there will be a look of real sorrow for sin. We shall mourn for sin on the one hand, but rejoice in Christ Jesus on the other.

2. A look of acquiescence, of trust and confidence.

3. A look of prayer.

(J. W. Reeve, M. A.)

1. The very idea of looking to the Saviour, implies a looking off ourselves, our idols, our sins, our righteousnesses, and our unrighteousnesses. It is to look off our duties, our prayers, our tears, our humiliations, our resolutions, and simply and singly to look to Christ for salvation.

2. To look at Christ for salvation implies a conscious need of salvation.

3. To look at Christ is to look at Him not only as the very Christ of God, but as the Son of God.

4. To look at Christ is to look to Him for a whole salvation.

II. THE NECESSITY OF THE PRECEPT. We have a natural disinclination to it; we naturally look at any other object. When in the world, and of the world, this is grossly the case. Our friends, our families, our prospects, profits, our pleasures, our sins, form our world. If we withdraw from its grossness, and are mingled Up with its more decent enjoyments, and add something of religion; its forms, its ceremonies, its worship, quite occupy us. Our little orbit of vision is full, quite full; we can look at nothing else. A mere hand before the eyes hides the sun. We think ourselves far better than many, far from being so vile as some; and even after the Holy Spirit has convinced us of sin, yet still what backwardness to look to Christ!

III. THE BLESSED EFFECT OF OBEYING THE PRECEPT. Salvation.

1. How wonderful is this salvation — that one real look at Christ has eternal life in it; that if the vilest sinner do but look at Him, he is saved even at the eleventh hour!

2. The longer thou livest, the more the Spirit will open the depravities of thy nature to thee. As He does this, pray that He may open the very grace and glories of Jesus to thee.

3. When, through the power of the Holy Spirit, this peace is established in thy conscience, through the precious blood of the Cross, seek its increase into the full assurance of hope, in all the ways of holy walking, still looking to Jesus for all the supplies of His grace and Spirit.

(J. H. Evans, M. A.)

1. As a Mediator.

2. As the Lord our righteousness.

3. As the Fountain to wash away sin.

4. As the sinner's Life.

II. AN ACT CALLED FORTH. "Look unto Me," or as some would understand the original, "Turn your face to Me from false idols." This act implies —

1. Knowledge.

2. Faith.

3. Conversion. Every man has gone astray from God.

4. A waiting posture.

III. THE EXTENT OF THIS CALL. "All the ends of the earth." This phrase imples —

1. That all men have gone astray from God.

2. That God is no respecter of persons.

3. That there is salvation in no other.

4. The sufficiency there is" m" Christ" to every returning, soul.

IV. THE BENEFITS inseparably connected with a looking to Jesus Christ. "And be saved" — not be made rich for threescore years and ten. No! "and be saved."

(T. Jones.)

1. With an eye of faith. To direct our thoughts to Him in the same manner as to any other person, is not enough.

2. With eager desire of relief.

3. With gratitude and love.

4. As an example of righteousness whom it behoves us to follow.

5. As our Intercessor.

II. SOME CONSIDERATIONS TO ENFORCE THE DUTY.

1. Who is the glorious Object to which you are required to look? None other than the Son of God.

2. Who it is that requires you to look.

3. It is salvation for which we are to look.

4. The facility of the duty here enjoined.

5. The boundless extent of the invitation.

(A. Ramsay, M. A.)

I. Chapter the first. HOW HE LOOKED WITHIN. I do not know much about him, except this. How it came about, indeed, I know not. Whether it was some sermon that smote him; whether it was the death of some neighbour; whether it was some peril of his own; whether it was some sharp sickness that overtook him, I know not; but so it was. One day that man stopped and looked in at himself, and he said, "There is no mistake about it; I am wrong, I can see. I am all wrong, and I will just set to work, and I will make things right. I will turn over a new leaf." And he set to work, and he began to tie up his sins with the strong cords of his resolutions and his good desires, and there he set them all of a row. This was never going to be indulged any more, and this should not, and the other should be denied. All went well for a day, and then something or other came across him, and snap went the cords, and up sprang one old sin. Snap went the cords, and another sprang at him. "There," he said, "I knew that it was no good my trying," and he just gave it up. Who is that? You. I think I see here a man who has turned over a new leaf. Here it is all white and clean without a blot. Ah, there is a blot now. Oh, there is another smudge; there is a mistake. If we cannot find a better way than turning over new leaves, we shall soon give it up in despair. Besides, if thou couldst do so, what would it do for thee? Here is a man who has got into low water, and he cannot make ends meet, and one day a friend steps in to advise him and finds him in a state of glee, and the man says, "I have got credit for this, and I have received this"; and there he is filling up the column of his receipts. "Why, what does this mean?" says the friend — "My dear fellow, you have forgotten the 'brought forward.' You have left out the 'carried over.'" That dreadful "carried over!" That awful "brought forward!" What about the past? There it is, what can I do with it? We have not done with that chapter yet, for there is a second part of it. You say to me, "Yes; I can see that if I am ever going to be what I want to be, I must just come right up to God, and let Him do it." But, dear friend, what ails thee? "Well, you see, I do not know. I have not got any faith. I have not got any repentance I have not got any earnestness. What is a man like I am to do?" Hast thou never learnt how to make thy hindrances into thy helps? Hast thou never learnt how to make thy very need thy claim upon thy God? I pray thee now, just as thou art, with all thy sense of want, lift up thine eyes. Why, the only thing that I know about repentance is what I feel in my heart when I see Jesus. I have never found any place of repentance except at the foot of the Cross. The only thing that I know about faith is what springs up in my heart when I look at Jesus. Faith does not come from looking within. Let thy whole soul say, "I will look unto Him, and be saved."

II. Chapter the second. HOW HE LOOKED ROUND. You say, "There is to-morrow; people would notice the change, and I should not like to tell them that I had given myself to the Lord Jesus Christ, and how I was going to be His soldier and His servant; and there would be the sneer, and scorn, and ridicule, and one would perhaps try this temptation, and another would see whether I could bear the other, and I do not know that I could." The Gospel is, that Christ comes right to me and takes my hand. He lives, and He comes to thee and me, and He saith, "Thou art setting forth to be My child and My servant, and I am never going to let thee be alone." Now, wilt thou put thy hand in His? But we have not done with the second chapter quite yet. I can think of some one going a step farther and saying, "Well, I do look to Jesus, you know, and I am looking to Him, and I have been trying to look to Him, but somehow or other I cannot get on." Why not? Well, it may be that you are looking around still. Some of you say to me, "Well, you see, I look to Him, but I cannot rejoice. I do not feel happy." Well, I do not know that it says, "Feel happy." It says, "Look unto Me, and be ye saved." I think that we must let the Lord Jesus Christ take care of our feelings. All we have get to do is just to look to Him. But we look around at one man and another. Somebody says to me, "John Bunyan went for three months weeping and crying. I am a dry eyes; I cannot shed a tear." Well, who wants you to shed a tear? What have you got to do with other people? We will look no more round.

III. Chapter the third. HOW HE LOOKED UP. You must look up. Will you?

(M. Guy Pearse.)

I. ALL MEN NEED TO BE SAVED. We need to be saved —

1. From our propensity to wrong-doing.

2. We need also to be saved from our spirit of unrest.

3. From our weakness in being overcome by pain and trouble.

4. From our fear of death.

II. GOD DOES NOT FORCE ANY MAN TO BE SAVED AGAINST HIS WILL. In the occurrences of this life we may have to employ force sometimes to save the body of a fellow-creature against his will. But God cannot act so, because He is God, and would have men love Him. The only way God has of compelling us to follow Him is through the attraction of His love, as shown in Jesus Christ, who laid down His life on the Cross for love of us. Love is the strongest power in the universe, for God is Love.

III. THE POWER AND SIMPLICITY OF THE SALVATION OFFERED TO US.

1. Its power. Salvation does not exist anywhere except in God. We ministers are only like the boys with handbills inviting you in to buy salvation from our Master without money.

2. The simplicity of the salvation. It is to be had for a look; but it must be —

(1)A penitent look.

(2)A look of entreaty, the sort of look that a man has who is trying to save himself from drowning, and seeing you, calls to you for help.

(3)A look of hope.

(4)A look of faith.

IV. IT IS A UNIVERSAL INVITATION, embracing, "all the ends of the earth." You know what the "ends" are. When a coat becomes frayed, or a shawl worn, the ends are of no use and you cut them off. The outcasts of men, of what use are they? This salvation is for the despised ones, for the very "ends" that the world throws away; and, better still, it is for you.

(W. Birch.)

II. HERE IS THE RICHEST BOON. "And be ye saved." Salvation is a treasure unutterably and inconceivably great. If it begins with "no condemnation," it ends with "no separation." There is pardon in it, and holiness, and wisdom, and power; there is the blessed life here, and hereafter there is the life of "full and everlasting and passionless renown."

III. HERE IS THE WIDEST OUTLOOK. "All the ends of the earth" — thus far the love of the Father and the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit travel and reach. There is nothing calculating, stingy, arithmetical in God's largesse and bounty.

(A. Smellie, M. A.)

I. A BLESSED INVITATION. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

1. The subject to which it refers is unspeakably momentous. The word "saved" is easily pronounced, but who can comprehend the fulness of its meaning?

2. The duty it enjoins for securing this great blessing is exceedingly simple. "Look unto Me." Many are quite confounded at the simplicity of the Gospel terms of salvation.

3. The range of this invitation is unlimited. "All the ends of the earth." The call is wide as the world.

4. The ground on which it rests is highly encouraging. "For I am God, and there is none else." In a previous verse it is said, "They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save." The idols of the heathen are altogether impotent. But our God is able to save, and He alone is able. At the same time, something more than mere power is necessary, and that something is not wanting in Him to whom we are invited to look. He is "a just God and a Saviour."

II. AN EMPHATIC PROCLAMATION. "I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return; that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." In reference to this subjection two things are stated —

1. Its universality. In the time of Elijah, God had reserved unto Himself seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal; but here we have a period predicted when idols shall be utterly abolished.

2. Its certainty. "I have sworn by Myself." These emphatic expressions denote that the purpose was made in the most solemn manner, and ratified in the most sacred form. It is a purpose, therefore, that will be infallibly executed. "From henceforth expecting." says the apostle of the enthroned Redeemer, "till His enemies be made His footstool." And has He not ample grounds for such an expectation? The desires even of the righteous shall be granted, their hope will not be disappointed; how certain, then, must be the fulfilment of the desires and hopes of Him whom the Father heareth always? Is it not said, "Ask of Me"? &c.

III. A WISE RESOLUTION. "Surely, shall one say," &c. (ver. 24). The two blessings which are here referred to, are absolutely necessary to salvation, and all who are enlightened from above will be led to apply for them where alone they are to be found. It is here stated, "Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength": let each of us determine, by Divine aid, to be that one. It must be a personal resolution, as the surrender is a personal surrender. It is added, "Even to Him shall men come, i.e. they will apply to Him for these blessings. On the other hand, He will be made known by terrible things in righteousness to those who refuse to seek His face, and continue to rebel against His authority. "All that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed."

IV. AN IMPORTANT DECLARATION. "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory."

(Anon.)

(J. Hamilton, D. D.)

(J. Trapp.)

(Quiver.)

(W. Birch.)

(J. S. Drummond.)

     4029   world, human beings in
     6620   calling
     6628   conversion, God's demand
     8151   revival, corporate

Isaiah 45:20-22

     1165   God, unique

Isaiah 45:21-22

     1320   God, as Saviour

Isaiah 45:22-23

     1355   providence

Sovereignty and Salvation
"Ere since by faith I saw the stream His flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die." I shall never forget that day, while memory holds its place; nor can I help repeating this text whenever I remember that hour when first I knew the Lord. How strangely gracious! How wonderfully and marvelously kind, that he who heard these words so little time ago for his own soul's profit, should now address you this morning as his hearers from the same text, in the full and …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

The Solar Eclipse
I shall note this morning, in addressing you, that since the Lord creates darkness as well as light; first of all, eclipses of every kind are part of God's way of governing the world; in the second place, we shall notice that since God creates the darkness as well as the light, we may conclude beyond a doubt that he has a design in the eclipse--in the darkness as well as the light; and then, thirdly, we shall notice that as all things that God has created, whether they be light or whether they be …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Ecce Homo
"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth."--Is. xlv. 22. Mechthild of Hellfde, 1277. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899 Wilt thou, sinner, be converted? Christ the Lord of glory see By His own denied, deserted, Bleeding, bound, and scourged for thee. Look again, O soul, behold Him On the cross uplifted high; See the precious life-blood flowing, See the tears that dim His eye. Love has pierced the heart that brake, Loveless sinner, for thy sake. Hearken till thy heart is broken To His …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series)

The Eve of the Restoration
'Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3. Who is there among you of all His people? his God …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Jehovah-Shammah: a Glorious Name for the New Year
THESE words may be used as a test as well as a text. They may serve for examination as well as consolation, and at the beginning of a year they may fulfill this useful double purpose. In any case they are full of marrow and fatness to those whose spiritual taste is purified. It is esteemed by the prophet to be the highest blessing that could come upon a city that its name should be, "JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, The Lord is there." Even Jerusalem, in its best estate, would have this for its crowning blessing: …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Eternity and Unchangeableness of God.
Exod. iii. 14.--"I AM THAT I AM."--Psal. xc. 2.--"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God."--Job xi. 7-9.--"Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." This is the chief point of saving knowledge, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Of Four Things which Bring Great Peace
"My Son, now will I teach thee the way of peace and of true liberty." 2. Do, O my Lord, as Thou sayest, for this is pleasing unto me to hear. 3. "Strive, My Son, to do another's will rather than thine own. Choose always to have less rather than more. Seek always after the lowest place, and to be subject to all. Wish always and pray that the will of God be fulfilled in thee. Behold, such a man as this entereth into the inheritance of peace and quietness." 4. O my Lord, this Thy short discourse …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

A Plain Description of the Essence and Attributes of God, Out of the Holy Scripture, So Far as Every Christian must Competently Know, and Necessarily Believe, that Will be Saves.
Although no creature can define what God is, because he is incomprehensible (Psal. cxliii. 3) and dwelling in inaccessible light (1 Tim. vi. 16); yet it has pleased his majesty to reveal himself to us in his word, so far as our weak capacity can best conceive him. Thus: God is that one spiritual and infinitely perfect essence, whose being is of himself eternally (Deut. i. 4; iv. 35; xxxii. 39; vi. 4; Isa. xlv. 5-8; 1 Cor. viii. 4; Eph. iv. 5, 6; 1 Tim. ii. 5; John iv. 24; 2 Cor. iii. 17; 1 Kings …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Unity of God
Q-5: ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE? A: There is but one only, the living and true God. That there is a God has been proved; and those that will not believe the verity of his essence, shall feel the severity of his wrath. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.' Deut 6:6. He is the only God.' Deut 4:49. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, there is none else.' A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Spiritual Hunger Shall be Satisfied
They shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 I proceed now to the second part of the text. A promise annexed. They shall be filled'. A Christian fighting with sin is not like one that beats the air' (1 Corinthians 9:26), and his hungering after righteousness is not like one that sucks in only air, Blessed are they that hunger, for they shall be filled.' Those that hunger after righteousness shall be filled. God never bids us seek him in vain' (Isaiah 45:19). Here is an honeycomb dropping into the mouths of …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Thy Name: My Name
'I have called thee by thy name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 1. 'Every one that is called by My name.'--ISAIAH xliii. 7. Great stress is laid on names in Scripture. These two parallel and antithetic clauses bring out striking complementary relations between God and the collective Israel. But they are as applicable to each individual member of the true Israel of God. I. What does God's calling a man by his name imply? 1. Intimate knowledge. Adam naming the creatures. Christ naming His disciples. 2. Loving friendship. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Extent of Messiah's Spiritual Kingdom
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever! T he Kingdom of our Lord in the heart, and in the world, is frequently compared to a building or house, of which He Himself is both the Foundation and the Architect (Isaiah 28:16 and 54:11, 12) . A building advances by degrees (I Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 2:20-22) , and while it is in an unfinished state, a stranger cannot, by viewing its present appearance, form an accurate judgment …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Its Nature
Justification, strictly speaking, consists in God's imputing to His elect the righteousness of Christ, that alone being the meritorious cause or formal ground on which He pronounces them righteous: the righteousness of Christ is that to which God has respect when He pardons and accepts the sinner. By the nature of justification we have reference to the constituent elements of the same, which are enjoyed by the believer. These are, the non-imputation of guilt or the remission of sins, and second, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

The Theology of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
This Chapter offers no more than a tentative and imperfect outline of the theology of St. Hilary; it is an essay, not a monograph. Little attempt will be made to estimate the value of his opinions from the point of view of modern thought; little will be said about his relation to earlier and contemporary thought, a subject on which he is habitually silent, and nothing about the after fate of his speculations. Yet the task, thus narrowed, is not without its difficulties. Much more attention, it is …
St. Hilary of Poitiers—The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers

Gifts and Talents.
"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him."--Judges iii. 10. We now consider the Holy Spirit's work in bestowing gifts, talents, and abilities upon artisans and professional men. Scripture declares that the special animation and qualification of persons for work assigned to them by God proceed from the Holy Spirit. The construction of the tabernacle required capable workmen, skilful carpenters, goldsmiths, and silversmiths, and masters in the arts of weaving and embroidering. Who will furnish Moses …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Putting God to Work
"For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside thee who worketh for him that waiteth for him."--Isaiah 64:4. The assertion voiced in the title given this chapter is but another way of declaring that God has of His own motion placed Himself under the law of prayer, and has obligated Himself to answer the prayers of men. He has ordained prayer as a means whereby He will do things through men as they pray, which He would not otherwise do. Prayer …
Edward M. Bounds—The Weapon of Prayer

Extent of Atonement.
VI. For whose benefit the atonement was intended. 1. God does all things for himself; that is, he consults his own glory and happiness, as the supreme and most influential reason for all his conduct. This is wise and right in him, because his own glory and happiness are infinitely the greatest good in and to the universe. He made the atonement to satisfy himself. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Messiah's Innocence vindicated
He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken. L et not plain Christians be stumbled because there are difficulties in the prophetical parts of the Scriptures, and because translators and expositors sometimes explain them with some difference, as to the sense. Whatever directly relates to our faith, practice, and comfort, may be plainly collected from innumerable …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting