The Glory of Christ as seen by the Prophet Isaiah
This Address is about a prophet who saw the glory of God. Isaiah is the prophet most quoted in the New Testament and he had a unique impression of the glory of Christ.
This Address is about a prophet who saw the glory of God. Isaiah is the prophet most quoted in the New Testament and he had a unique impression of the glory of Christ.
Some of the glories of Christ can be seen in type through the words of Moses who asked, “Let me, I pray Thee, see Thy glory” (Ex 33:18). Moses was permitted to see God from behind. He was placed in a cleft of the rock, and God’s goodness passed before him. God is glorified in His goodness, and Moses was wonderfully privileged to be on the mount and to see the glory of God shining in Christ. But, by the Spirit, we can look upon the glory of the Lord.
I have read of two men because we learn a lot of things by contrast. Both had the same opportunity, but one went away sad, and the other went away glad! Our desire is that everyone may go away glad from this meeting tonight.
The Lord Jesus told us about two men who went up to the temple to pray (Luke 18:9‑14). One was a Pharisee – a very self-righteous, religious person. His prayer was full of himself, and how good he was compared to the other man – a tax-gatherer – who smote upon his breast and prayed saying, “O God, have compassion on me, the sinner.” Jesus said that the tax-gatherer “went down to his house justified.”
It has been on my heart for some time that we should have an impression of the presence of the Lord amongst us. I sought in prayer the help of the Lord to speak together about this important matter, of having a real impression of the presence of the Lord amongst us.
I was particularly impressed with the fact that, once we have come together, we can have an impression that, really, the Lord Jesus is pleased to be with us. It is a real matter. It is not a physical one, as, of course, we know, but it is a matter of really experiencing His presence. And I thought of these passages, the first one being the passage that sets forth the conditions in which we can receive the Lord.
In this Address your attention is drawn to four men in the Acts of the Apostles who gave evidence of life without having much experience at all, so that we might be encouraged to go by the same way as they did and find the enjoyment of life for ourselves, because it is made quite clear in each passage what life meant to them and thus could mean to you and me as well.
These Scriptures show something of what Scripture has to say about life. When Scripture speaks about life it is not, of course, speaking about the natural life which we all have and which much of creation has; Scripture is speaking of life according to God, which is imparted to us by God Himself. It is a gift of God.
The four Scriptures read bear on the effect that the precious truth of the near return of Jesus should have in our lives and in our pathways today. The first Scripture is really an example of how to live. The second Scripture is a warning. The third Scripture is a declaration. The fourth Scripture is an admonition.
I thought in the prophet we have a word for the bridegroom and the bride, and a word for all of us. I trust everyone here has been clothed with this garment of salvation. It comes out of heaven’s wardrobe, and it is the same for every one who believes in the Lord Jesus. Luke 15 would show us just what is in the heart and mind of God. God’s house is down here, where He is delighting to bring out the best robe and clothe every repenting sinner, and I believe our dear brother and sister would rejoice to have the gospel enter into this happy occasion, and we appeal to everyone here that their heart may be turned towards the Saviour, the One Who has, as we have sung (hymn 99), done so much that He might secure what is for Himself.
I have read these Scriptures in Daniel and Nehemiah because they speak of two lovers of God who made certain personal commitments to serve their God.
In Christian life there are many paradoxes. Maybe, for the young, that is a long word; a paradox means something that appears to be contradictory – two opposite things which are equally true. I want to speak about a paradox tonight. For the Christian is not to change certain things, but on the other hand he is to change.