Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed you. I. HERE IS AN INTERPOSING AND DIVIDING MEDIUM: a cloud of sins. A vapour, says the Hebrew; and, then, a thick cloud. God's people ought always to dwell in fellowship with their God. There ought to be nothing between the renewed heart and God to prevent joyful and hallowed fellowship; but it is not so. Sometimes a cloud comes between, — a cloud of sin; and, whenever that cloud of sin comes between us and God, it speedily chills us. Our delight in God is no longer manifest; we have little or no zeal in His service, or joy in His worship. Beneath that cloud, we feel like men who are frozen; and, at the same time, darkness comes over us. We get into such a sad state that we hardly know whether we are God's people or not. Besides that, it threatens us. Remember, clouds are earthborn things. Yet, recollect that the sun is not affected by the clouds. II. THE COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THIS BARRIER. "I have blotted out," &c. 1. No known human power can remove the clouds. So it is with your darkness and doubts if you have fallen into sin. 2. But what a mercy it is that God can remove these clouds of sin. 3. When God drives away these clouds from us, though we may see other clouds, we shall never see those black ones any more. When the Lord takes away His people's sins, they are gone, and gone for ever. 4. The glory of it is that the Lord has already done this great work of grace. "I have," &c. III. THE TENDER COMMAND. "'Return unto Me.' The great barrier that separated us, is removed; so let us not be divided from one another any longer." 1. When He says, "Return," He wants you to give up that which has grieved Him. 2. The Lord's gracious invitation also means, "Come back, and love Me. See how I have loved you. I have already forgiven you your sin, you who are, indeed, My child, but whose faith has almost disappeared. Though you have provoked Me, I still love you. Will you not love Me? After such pleading, can you keep on in this cold-hearted state towards your God? 3. The Lord also means, "Return again to your old joys." IV. THE SACRED CLAIM WHICH BACKS UP THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. "I have redeemed thee." 1. The meaning is this: "I have loved you so much that I redeemed you with the blood of My dear Son; and, having loved you so much in the ages past, I love you still. Come back to Me. I did not make a mistake when I first loved you, through which I shall have to change the object of My choice. I knew all about you from eternity,;, all that you ever would be or could be, I knew it; yet I loved you and bought you, &c. 2. You belong to Me. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. |
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