Isaiah 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain… We might gain much solace by considering what God has not said. We have an assurance that God will answer prayer, because He hath not said unto the seed of Israel, Seek ye My face in vain. The proposition is this: that those who seek God, in God's own appointed way, cannot, by any possibility seek Him in vain; that earnest, penitent, prayerful hearts, though they may be delayed for a time, can never be sent away with a final denial (Romans 10:13; Matthew 7:8). I. I SHALL PROVE THIS BY THE NEGATIVE, as our text has it. 1. Suppose that sincere prayer could be fruitless, then the question arises, Why are men exhorted to pray at all? Would it not be a piece of heartless tyranny if the Queen should wait upon a man in his condemned cell, and encourage him to petition her favour, nay, command him to do it, saying to him, be importunate, and you will prevail; and yet, all the while, should intend never to pardon the man, but had determined in her heart that his death-warrant should be signed and sealed, and that on the execution morning he should be launched into eternity? Would this be consistent with royal bounty — fit conduct for a gracious monarch? Can you for a moment suppose that God would bid you come to Him through Jesus Christ, and yet intend never to be gracious at the voice of your cry? 2. If prayer could be offered continuously, and God could be sought earnestly, but no mercy found, then he who prays would be worse off than he who does not pray, and supplications would be an ingenious invention for increasing the ills of mankind. For a man who does not pray has less woes than a man who does pray, if God be not the answerer of prayer. He who has been taught to pray has great desires and wants; his heart is an aching void which the world can never fill; but he that never prays has no longings and pinnings after God. If, then, a man may have these vehement longings, and yet God will never grant them, then assuredly the man who prays is in a worse position than he who prays not. How can this be? 3. If God do not hear prayer, since it is clear that in that case the praying man would be more wretched than the careless sinner, then it would follow that God would be the author of unnecessary misery. This is inconsistent with the character of God. 4. Should there still be some desponding ones, who think that God would invite them to pray and yet reject them, I would put it on another ground. Would men do so? Would you? Can God be less generous than men? 5. This is God's memorial by which He is distinguished from the false gods (comp. Psalm 115:6 and Psalms 65:2). One of the standing proofs of the Deity of Jehovah is, that He does answer the supplications of His people. 6. If God do not hear prayer what is the meaning of His promises? 7. What is the meaning of all the provisions which He has already made for hearing prayer? Why a mediator, an intercessor? &c. 8. If God hear not prayer, what Gospel have I to preach? 9. Where, then, were the believer's hope? 10. What would they say in hell, if a soul could really seek the Lord and be refused? There are some who, when. under conviction of sin, still cleave to this dark delusion, that God will not hear them. Therefore, I have tried, by blow after blow, to smite this fear dead. II. THAT THE LORD DOES HEAR PRAYER MAY BE POSITIVELY SUBSTANTIATED. 1. For the Lord to hear prayer is consistent with His nature. 2. It is harmonious with all His past actions (Psalm 107:3). Conclusion — Try for yourself. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. |
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