SOME of the most wonderful descriptions we have in the Bible have reference to the home that God has prepared for His people. Nothing can excel the chaste beauty of language in which John tells of the vision he had of the Holy City—”And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it” (Rev. xxi. 23-26). It is true in a sense that no human language can describe the glory of that City but the inspired writers have certainly employed language of the chastest beauty in describing the ineffable glory of the Holy City. The Scripture also in describing the way to the City uses language which arrests and captivates the mind of the pilgrims on the way to the Celestial City. In the sixteenth Psalm, so appropriately called the Golden Psalm, we have a description of that way as the path of life—”Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. xvi. 11). In Peter’s sermon so signally owned and blessed of God on the day of Pentecost we have an inspired indication of the glorious Person to whom this Psalm refers. His resurrection from the dead
when He was raised far above all heavens that He might fill all things gave a new meaning and significance to this Psalm so full of divine beauty. As the Servant of the Father the path in which life that shall never end was to be had was shown to Him. The manner in which the gate into the path of life was to be opened was one of those mysteries which was kept secret in the divine mind from eternal ages. The Fore-runner of the great multitude which were to use this way to the City had a tremendous task imposed upon Him in removing the mighty gates of brass that barred the entrance of God’s redeemed to the heavenly way. But blessed be God’s name eternally a stronger than Samson removed the gates and through them from every nation under heaven a multitude have entered into the way of life and multitudes shall yet enter. He has set before those He received of the Father an open door and no man can shut it. The opening of this way cost the Redeemer tears and blood but there was no turning back. In making this path He had to feel the full weight of the stroke of the sword of divine Justice and when He said it is finished the mightiest work that time or eternity has seen or shall see was accomplished for evermore. The path of life thus opened up by the Redeemer leads into the presence of God where there is fulness of joy and to His right hand where there are pleasures for evermore. Whatever fears they may have had and with some of them they were filled with fears all the way still there was a happy ending after life’s journey was over and it must have been with feelings of holy surprise they found themselves amidst all the glories of heaven. He who guided their feet into the way of peace had in His divine purpose that every one of them should appear before Him in Zion at length. In that presence they shall enter on that fulness of joy that is to be theirs throughout all the ages of eternity. Here they had a foretaste of it, an earnest, occasional draughts from the river of His pleasures; there, it is the infinite ocean of their Redeemer’s joy on which they enter. What it will be they cannot now imagine but that it will be far beyond anything they experienced
in time is evident from the language of Scripture. The joy will be unbroken: everything that caused sorrow and grief will be excluded from the Holy City and they need never be haunted with the fear that so often marred their joy here below that it may soon give place to grief and despondency and tears. Their joy will be the serene felicity of heaven purchased for them by their Lord at a great price. But the Psalmist under the teaching of the Holy Spirit not only speaks of the fulness of joy to which the path of life leads; there are also the pleasures at God’s right hand. They drank out of the rivers of His pleasure in this world but sweet though the waters were there was always something to remind them of how easily their salt tears could be mingled with these sweet waters. But all that is now at an end and the pleasures they enjoy at His right hand are pleasures for evermore. Well may they be called a happy people who have such a prospect before them in the future. Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, called by His Spirit in time, made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light they now enjoy in all its fulness those blessings bought at such a great cost. The path of life that leads to the Holy City is the way of peace and eternal hope. The world may see nothing desirable in it but the way that leads through all the darkness and the gloom of the grave right over to the other side has a deathless interest to God’s redeemed. The path is the way of holiness and those who walk therein love holiness and long to be conformed to the image of Christ. And though between their present state and what they are destined to be there seems to be a distance that will never be traversed yet He who called them by His grace shall keep them until they are presented before the presence of His glory without spot or wrinkle. Of old the wonder of this way was set before the Old Testament saints as the Lord’s highway for the Lord’s ransomed—”And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness: the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any
ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there; and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Is. xxxv. 8-10).
A Sermon.
Preached by the late Rev. D. MACFARLANE, Dingwall.
“Who are these that fly, as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?” (Is. lx. 8).
IN the preceding chapter the Church was in a low condition on account of the flood of errors introduced into her by the enemy, and in this chapter she is called to arise from her low state because her light was come and the glory of the Lord was risen upon her. Christ is the true light and her glory, and He was come to her—”And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord” (Is. lix. 20). The 60th chapter evidently speaks of New Testament times and of the glory of the Church from the coming of Christ in the flesh till all the members of His mystical body are brought to heaven where their sun shall never go down and the days of their mourning are ended. Although darkness was to cover the earth and gross darkness the people the Lord was to arise as light upon the Church and this glory was to be seen upon her, and many who were in gross darkness would be made light in the Lord.
In our text the question is asked: “Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?” and the answer is given.
I. The question who are these? This question is asked by way of admiration. When sinners are seen flying to Christ it is a thing to be admired and cause rejoicing to the Lord’s people and especially when a great multitude which cannot be numbered are entering the church by the door, Jesus Christ. They are
spoken of here as a cloud composed of so many drops that no creature can number them.
II. The answer to the question. They are chiefly the Gentiles who were left outside the church before the coming of Christ. Although many of the posterity of Jacob is mentioned as flying to Christ, the Gentiles are to come to Him in larger numbers as is declared in the context—”Surely the isles shall wait for me and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far; and their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God and to the Holy One of Israel—because He hath glorified thee” (verse 9). The children of the desolate woman shall be more numerous than those of the married wife.
III. The manner of their coming. (1) They fly as a cloud. The cloud is moved by the wind as we have often seen clouds moved by the wind from one part of the firmament to another. In like manner sinners are moved by the Holy Spirit to fly from sin and the wrath to come when they are awakened by the Spirit by means of the word of the law—by which is the knowledge of sin. A cloud is dark in appearance, however, bright other parts of the firmament may be. When sinners are awakened to a real concern about the salvation of their souls they find themselves in darkness not knowing at that stage what to do or where to flee for safety. Such was the case of Saul of Tarsus, he was struck blind by the light from heaven that shined upon him so that he could not see his way before him and had to be guided by the hand of a person who had his eyesight, and the jailor at Philippi found himself in darkness not knowing what to do in order to be saved—”What must I do to be saved?” (Acts xvi. 30). When sinners are awakened to a sense of their lost condition they find themselves ignorant of the way of salvation, however often they might have heard of that way preached to them and set forth in the word of the Gospel.
Those coming to Christ are spoken of not only as a cloud but also as doves flying to their windows. This indicates a further stage in the progress of the work of the Spirit. Doves have wings without which they could not fly. The wings by
which sinners fly to Christ are faith, and hope. The Spirit that awakened them to concern about the salvation of their souls works faith and hope in them and their minds being enlightened in the knowledge of Christ revealed in the Gospel they fly to Him and find rest to their souls as the doves find rest when they enter their dwelling place by the window. People that keep doves have dwelling-places for them with a door or window by which they enter into them. When they are outside and feel themselves in danger from birds of prey or other causes they fly with all speed to their place of safety. Sinners without Christ are in danger every moment of being cut down by death and cast into hell, but those who have received the gift of faith fly to Christ and are delivered from the wrath to come and have everlasting life. In this age of delusion poor ignorant sinners imagine that they are going to heaven and none of them expects to be in hell—but if they die without Christ they shall be woefully disappointed in their expectation.
In the past many have been seen flying as a cloud and as doves coming to Christ and some are coming to Him at the present day. In the time of the Apostles it is recorded in Scripture that “the Lord was adding to the church daily such as should be saved,” and who knows but He is doing so in our own day though His cause is very low? There are 365 days in a year and it is to be hoped that such a number are led to Christ during the year throughout the world when we take into account that the Gospel is being preached to all nations. If He is not adding to His church in one part of the vineyard He may be adding to it in other parts. Many more shall come to Him in the future for this end the Gospel is to be continued to be preached to the end of time and the gates of the church are left open day and night to receive them. They are left open not only during the day but also during the night. Some come to Christ at night when others are asleep in their beds. Nicodemus came to Christ by night. It was a twofold night with him, natural night, and spiritual night. It was night in his soul as was manifest by his ignorance of the new
birth. It was at night the jailor at Philippi came to Christ and many more may have come to Him at that season also. Other gates that are open during the day are shut at night but the gates of the church are left open day and night so that whether you come in the day or at night you will find your way to the Saviour. “Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring to thee the forces of the Gentiles and that their kings may be brought . . . . The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (verses 11-14). The offspring of persecutors who afflicted the church shall be converted and brought to the obedience of the Gospel. And the Lord promises to make His church which was formerly despised and afflicted so glorious as to attract sinners to it—”Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations” (verse 15) and it shall continue to be glorious in their estimation not for a short time but for many generations. When the church is on the decline it generally takes three or four generations before a change for the better takes place and when that change takes place the church shall continue to prosper for many generations. So far as doctrine and practice are concerned the church is despised and forsaken by many in the present day but when the Lord shall build up Zion in a larger degree than He does now He shall appear glorious Himself and shall make His church glorious to attract many to it who formerly despised it. However contemptible it is in the estimation of carnal men it is the most glorious institution in the whole world. It is so in the estimation of believers. They see a transcendent glory in God Himself, and they see a glory in the doctrines of the church, in her worship, and in her members. They see a glory in the believer though he might be in temporal matters as poor as Lazarus and suffering from sores in his body. Them they see
in the King on the throne with all His wealth and health. No sooner a sinner comes to Christ than he begins to desire that others should come to Him too. No sooner the Samaritan woman came to Him and believed in Him than she, though not in the office of the ministry, women have no right to preach in the church, began to invite her neighbours to see and hear Him. Although the believer seeks the salvation of his fellow sinners in general, he seeks first of all the salvation of his own household or his nearest and dearest relations. The salvation of these comes next to that of his own salvation like Esther who said when the King asked her what was her request. She answered: “Let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request” (Esther vii. 3).
(1) In the past it has been observed that the most that came to Christ came to Him in the days of their youth, hence the exhortation “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecc. xii. 1). This appeals to you young boys and girls present this evening. It is comparatively few that are converted when they come to old age, and this is a warning to you who have been for forty, fifty, sixty, or seventy years hearing the Gospel without a saving change. We do not say that you shall die in that condition but we do say that it is a very dark sign. You may excuse yourselves by saying we cannot change ourselves to a state of grace, but do you make diligent use of the means of salvation, private, and public? Do you strive to enter in at the strait gate, if not, your excuse is only a pillow you put under your head in order to sleep on till you awake in the flames of everlasting fire. We have spoken of the gates of the church being open day and night that sinners might come to Christ by night as well as by day. The Lord’s people have their night as well as their day. It is night with them when Christ the sun of righteousness is absent and it is day when He is present with them. When they are in darkness they are not at ease or comfortable and they long for the coming of the day, and earnestly pray for its appearance. Like the Psalmist—”My soul waiteth for the
Lord more than they that watch for the morning” (Ps. cxxx. 6). This is a healthy sign, a sign that they have been enlightened by the Spirit so that they can distinguish between day and night. They shall have a continuance of day and night alternately during their time in the world but when they leave this world they shall leave the night behind them and they shall have an everlasting day, their sun shall no more go down, the Lord Himself shall be their everlasting light and their God their glory. “And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. xxi. 24-27). They shall be full of light within and surrounded with light outwardly, without the least cloud of darkness throughout eternity, for their sun shall be always at its noonday height, therefore, whatever darkness from unbelief and the hiding of God’s face may meet them in the world let them not cast away their confidence which hath great recompense of reward (Heb. x. 35). There shall be a glory revealed in them and a glory put upon them, and they shall be glorifying God and thus answering the end for which they had been created.
We would wish to dwell upon this theme till we draw our last breath but in order to be faithful to all our hearers it is our duty to speak of the darkness of the lost in eternity; it is a darkness without the least ray of light. Their souls shall be full of darkness and they are enveloped in outward darkness out of which they shall never come, and they wish that they had never been born. Those who shall go to that darkness from the land of the Gospel shall be in greater darkness than the heathen to whom the light of the Gospel never came. Oh! poor sinner take warning, you are now in the darkness of a state of nature but you may be brought out of that darkness but if you are
cast into the darkness of which we speak you shall never be delivered from it. You may now be contenting yourself by the light of sparks kindled by yourself but if you go to eternity without the true light you shall lie down in sorrow. So long as you are without Christ you are every moment suspended above the place of everlasting woe by the slender thread of life and when that thread breaks you immediately fall down by the weight of your sins into everlasting darkness. The state of the lost in eternity is so terrible that the thought of it ought to move careless sinners to flee to Christ who delivers His people from the wrath to come (I. Thess. i. 10). Although it is not the fear of punishment alone that moves the redeemed to fly to Christ for salvation but the fear that they shall never find an interest in Him.