Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks

"In that day, sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it, I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." -Isaiah 27:2, 3 [KJV]

And in what day, but the gospel day, could this song be sung with greater justness? Christ's church is indeed a vineyard, hedged in, and fenced round, from the world's wilderness; so that all within it may well sing this song in Judah, when God hath made it like a strong city, and appointed "salvation for walls and bulwarks." Yea, God Himself hath sung to His well beloved Son, this song of His beloved, touching His vineyard. But what is the red wine of the vineyard? Red wine of Judaea, was of the choicest grapes; and surely the blood of Christ is the choicest of all blessings to the sinner's view.  

Now, my soul, mark the sweetness of Jesus's promise; it is He who engageth to keep it; yea, to have His eye upon it night and day, lest any hurt it; yea, not only to keep it, but water it, and that every moment: so that he is both a fence and a refreshing, a covert from the storm and as rivers of water in a dry place; and; like some rich luxuriant tree in a sultry land, not only forms a shade to shelter the poor sun-burnt traveller from the heat, but also affords fruit to slake his thirst, and to feed him; so that while he is strengthened in his journey, in resting under its branches from his fatigue, he may find occasion also to bless God, both for protection and support.  

And art Thou, blessed Jesus, all this, and infinitely more, to Thy people? Art Thou the tree of life in the paradise of God? Dost Thou keep Thy church, Thy vineyard, night and day, that none shall hurt it; yea, and water it every moment, and every individual soul of Thine, of the plants of Thy Father's planting? Help me, then, Thou blessed, gracious Lord! Help me to feel all that confidence which is suited to an entire dependence upon Thee! Sit down, my soul, under "the shadow of thy Lord, with great delight, and His fruit will be sweet to thy taste." 

-Robert Hawker (1753-1827 A.D.) 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JESUS - Rock of Ages

Jesus remains the same in all ages. He is the One who is constant when everything and everyone else fails. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our R ock [I SAMUEL 2:2 ] . In the Old Testament, in Exodus 33, Jesus is pictured as the Cleft Rock. In that chapter, verse 18 and following, Moses desired to see the glory of the Lord, but was told, "You cannot see My face; for there shall no man see My face and live.” And the Lord said, “There is a place by Me, and you shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by." Notice that as Moses stood upon the rock, the Lord hid him in the cleft. This wonderfully applies to us today! Believers are both standing on and hidden in Christ [COLOSSIANS 3:3 ] . We are both in and on the Rock. As life with its many bitter events presses upon us, ...
Read more

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s...
Read more

GLORY ALONE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

" Lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me." -Judges 7:2 [KJV] Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of His own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.”   But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian— against Me. Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. Thou vauntest thyself against the Lord . Thou art gloryi...
Read more