Isaiah 33:15-16 He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes… We are going to look at the favoured people. I. Let us NOTE THEIR CHARACTER. They are described in part in the words of our text, but I am obliged to go a little farther afield for one essential part of their character. 1. The true people of God who in the time of danger will be preserved are a people who display a humble, patient, present faith in God. They reveal their character in verse 2, when they pray, "O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee," &c. They are a praying people, who make their appeal to God under a sense of need: they are not fatalists, neither are they self-sufficient. They beseech the Lord to bless them not according to their own merit, but according to His grace. They are not a people who think that God will be gracious necessarily, for they are found crying to Him in earnest prayer. They are a trustful people. Furthermore, they are a waiting people: "We have waited for Thee." If the Lord does not seem to hear their prayer at once, they nevertheless expect that He will do so. They are a people who have a present faith, which they exercise every day, saying, "Be Thou their arm every morning!" Every step they are depending, every morning they are looking up to the hills whence cometh their help. The description in our actual text is the portrait of their outer life; but a living faith is the secret basis and foundation of it all. 2. This being understood, our text gives a description of these people, setting out their various features. (1) It first describes their feet, or how they walk: "He that walketh righteously." When a man believes, his faith affects every part of him; it operate-s upon-his actions, thoughts, wishes, and designs; and it affects both his private and public life. One of the first evidences of a true belief in God is that a man walks righteously. He tries to act rightly towards his God and towards his fellow-men. The rule of right is the rule for him; not policy, nor the hope of gain, nor the desire to please, much less the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. (2) The next feature that is described is his tongue — "he speaketh uprightly." A man whose words are arrogant and boastful, cruel and slanderous, unreliable and deceptive, unchaste and impure, is no child of God. The grace of God very speedily sweetens a man's tongue. The doctor says, "Put out your tongue," and he judges the symptoms of health or disease thereby; assuredly there is no better test of the inward character than the condition of the tongue. "Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee" is a fair decision. (3) The next feature is the heart — "he that despiseth the gain of oppressions." Not only does he not oppress any man, nor wish to gain anything by extortion; but he thinks such gain as might be made in that fashion to be utterly contemptible — he despises it. It little matters what our outward life may be, or even what our speech may be, if our heart is not affected by our religion. If grace only lies skin deep in thee, it has only saved thy skin, but not thy soul. Until grace touches the mainspring, it has done nothing to purpose: the heart must despise evil, as well as the lips denounce it. Until the well-head is sweetened, the streams are foul. Not only must I do right, but love right; not only must I avoid wrong, but hate wrong. (4) The portrait does not omit the hands — those prominent actors both for good and evil. In Isaiah's day bribery was connected with every government office high and low; but the good man shaketh his hands from holding of bribes." If money was slipped into his hand before he was aware of it, he shook it off with indignation. (5) Now comes the ear — "that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood." Men who delighted in war in olden time were apt to regale one another with their cruel deeds — whom they slew, and how they slew them. In Hezekiah's times, I warrant, tales were told blood-red with horror that would have made our ears to tingle, and these were greedily listened to by those of a coarse spirit; but the good man in Jerusalem would not hear them. Now it is not the hearing of blood alone that you and I must avoid, but the hearing of anything that is tainted, prurient, sceptical, depraving. The Christian wisely shuts the gate, lets down the portcullis, and pulls up the drawbridge, so that no filthy communication may come in by Ear-gate. The same sacred prudence prevents our reading books which are corrupt, or false. The righteous man knows that an ill tale cannot injure him if he never hears it, and therefore he denies his curiosity that he may preserve his memory undefiled. He is deaf to news about which a good man would be dumb. He has the blood upon his ear, to signify that his Lord has bought him with a price in that member, as well as in every other; yea, his ear is bored to the doorpost of truth, that he may hear it, and it only, with full intent of heart. (6) The picture is complete when the eyes are mentioned — "he shutteth his eyes from seeing evil." He cannot help seeing it as he goes along his pilgrimage through life; but he seeks not such a sight, and as much as he can he avoids it. Shortly, the text means just this, that a true believer is a man who has himself well in hand, having mastery over his whole manhood. He has a bit in the mouth of all the steeds which draw the chariot of life, and he holds them under due control. The true Christian is a man who keeps himself clear of the common sins of the age, the popular vices which flourish uncondemned. The sins mentioned in the text were those current in Jerusalem. The child of God was out of the fashion. II. We OBSERVE THEIR SECURITY. 1. As it is pictorially described. The times are those of war: the battle rages in the plain, but "he shall dwell on high"; aloft upon the craggy rocks shall be his citadel. In times of invasion men resorted to the highest mountains and rocks, that there they might be sheltered among the lofty fastnesses. While others flee, this man shall dwell at ease, in permanent peace; and that dwelling shall be on the heights, far beyond the reach of the invader. Is not this glorious? The bands of robbers ravage all around, but they cannot plunder him; he looks down upon them, and defies their power. A believer dwells on the heights, his life is hid with Christ in God, he cannot be reached by the darts of the adversary. "Yet," saith one, "though he dwell on high, the enemy may reach him by scaling ladders, or by some other means of assault." By no means shall they smite him, for he shall have a "place of defence." "Yet," crieth one, "these walls may be dashed down, or may fall into decay." Not so, for "his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks." Immutable strength shall gird him around both by day and by night for ever and ever. "Yet," saith one, "the enemy may starve a man out of his citadel: rock cities have been captured at last because the inhabitants have been pinched with hunger. But this also is provided for — "His bread shall be given him. As the Lord's chosen cannot be driven out, so they shall not be starved out; "Ah, well, saith one, but even if bread could be conveyed into the fortress, yet these elevated positions cannot be readily supplied with water, and by thirst they may be forced to yield." The promise has thought of that also, for it is written, "his waters shall be sure." It is a poetical description, but it is true in every jot and tittle, and so I ask you to accompany me while — 2. We consider this thing as it may be actually experienced. The man who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, and lives as a Christian should live, dwells on the heights. His mind is lifted up above the common cares, and worries, and vexations of life. You have also found that you have had a place of defence in time of trouble. Though often assailed you have never been really injured. The poetic utterance, "Thy bread shall be given thee," is also literally true. You may frequently reach the end of your provision, but you can never exhaust your Provider. The meal may come by handfuls, and the oil may only drip out drop by drop, but what matters? "His bread shall be given him," refers also to heavenly bread. As for the waters, the living waters of grace and of the Holy Spirit, these shall always flow: in summer and winter shall the still waters be found at your side; yea, they shall be within you, "a well of water springing up unto everlasting life." III. SEEK THEIR FELICITY. 1. Shall I need to say, "Do not try to obtain it by hypocrisy"? Since they are so happy whom God favours, do not think that by getting your name into their church-book you will necessarily be favoured too. 2. Do not hope to win the bliss of the righteous by self-righteousness. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; |
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