The Lord’s promises and encouragements to His Church in the world are many. They are scattered through the Word of God and appear like bright shining stars to guide and encourage His people onwards to Zion. Especially in trying times the promises given in the Word of God of more glorious days for the Church of God cannot but be uplifting to the tried hearts of the children of God. Isaiah’s plea is one such encouraging word when he says: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”
The low state of Zion is oftentimes a burden to the true people of God for they seek the good of Zion. The low state of the Lord’s Cause in their own midst and in their own souls causes them greater anxiety than anything else. Their inmost desire is that the Lord would be glorified in their midst and that Zion would be built up. They mourn over their own part in the desolations of Zion. They acknowledge and grieve over their many sins and backslidings which have caused the Lord to hide His face from them. Had they been more zealous for the glory of God, had they been more dependent on the Lord, had they been more urgent in their entreaties at a Throne of grace, they know that things would have been otherwise than they are now. Their desire is that the Lord would come over the mountains of separation which are raised up between them and Him, and that for His own Name’s sake He would remember mercy.
The Lord has said in His Word: “I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them.” They know that this is a duty laid upon the children of God, that is, to plead for His Cause in the world and in their own midst. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem”, they are exhorted in his Word and are given encouragement to do so by the assurance, “they shall prosper that love thee.” They know that when the Lord is to revive His Cause that He will give His people a pleading spirit, and this they desire to have. “They shall seek Me and find Me, when they shall seek for Me with all their heart,” the Lord promises, and He is faithful that promises. His people then desire to be of a like mind with Isaiah when he says: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”
The servants of Christ cannot but be painfully aware of the low state of Zion. They have to lament with the Psalmist.
Our signs we do not now behold;
there is not us among
A prophet more, nor any one
that knows the time how long.
They are ready to say with Isaiah the prophet: “I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain.” How good if they can add with the prophet: “Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord, and my work with my God.” Whatever may be the complaints of the servants of God, yet the Lord Himself has to say: “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” And neither shall they hold their peace until the righteousness of Zion and of Jerusalem go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
However great is the interest of the Lord’s people and servants in the prosperity of Zion, there is One who has a greater interest in it still, even the Holy One of Israel. The Lord can say of His people: “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands and thy walls are continually before Me.” His eye is ever upon His Church in the world. She is precious in His sight. His glory is bound up with her interests. He has purchased His Church with His own blood. She is a vineyard of red wine to Him of which He says: “I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.” He alone can build up Zion and it is to Him His people look in order that great things may be accomplished for Zion. Man’s power cannot effect the building up of Zion, only the power of God can do this. However impossible it may appear now that Zion shall become a praise in the earth, yet the Lord shall do this by His mighty power and to the glory of His great Name. With Him nothing shall be impossible. Trampled down and despised though Zion be in our day, she shall yet rise and prosper and her enemies shall then be ashamed. To her it shall be said: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee and His glory shall be seen upon thee.”
The enemies of Christ’s Cause say: “Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.” But the answer of the Lord to these enemies is that “they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they His counsel.” He declares that “he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.” The Lord says also to His Church and people in the world: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Let not then the hearts of the Lord’s servants and people be discouraged even in a day of blasphemy and rebuke and of abounding iniquity. Rather let them trust in the Name of the Lord and stay themselves upon their God.