Homilist Isaiah 22:23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. I. THE LESSON OF THE NAIL; that little things may be very important things. We read when David prepared for the building of the temple, "he prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates." So all preparation for training, for education, for the formation of character, is a kind of holy iron, hereafter to be fashioned into nails for the "sure place." And if you turn to Ezra 9:8, you will find the good man even makes this a matter of prayer, that "God would give him a nail in His holy place" — that is, that he and his might have a place of security, however insignificant it might be; for a nail, small as it is, speaks of security, it fastens things. There is an old proverb which says how, "for want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, for want of a horse the rider was lost." II. THE SURE PLACE. From which you learn, that even things good in themselves must be in a good place, in order that they may be of any good. For instance — 1. Good words, in order that they may do good, need good memories; and the good memory is the "sure place." 2. A good example in a fruitful life is "a nail in a sure place." 3. Faith fixed on a good object is "a nail in a sure place." Faith is not always good; people may believe lies. If you look to Christ and trust in Him there will be the "nail in the sure place." III. THE LESSON OF THE FASTENING. 1. In order to the fastening a nail needs guiding. You will need strength, help, and guidance from God. 2. Fastened. Some things, once fixed, are fixed forever. What a dreadful thing it is, to think that this applies, so far as we are able to say and to see, to bad things! Habit fixes a man like "a nail in a sure place," fixes his ways of thought and life so that it seems as if he is immovable; for every time we repeat a wrong thing, it is driven farther and farther into our life. See to it, as you value your happiness for time and eternity, that, if you are fastened as "a nail in a sure place," it shall be a good place. 3. In a good place, fastened. "Be steadfast, unmovable": act in such a manner that the bad people shall never have any hopes of getting you over on their side, or of drawing you out of your sure place. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. |
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