He still claims to be Israel's Help. Separation from Him has all but
destroyed the rebellious; but it has not in the smallest degree affected
the fulness of His power, nor the fervency of His desire to help.
However earth may be shaken by storms, or swathed in mist that darkens
all things and shuts out heaven, the sun is still in its tabernacle and
pouring down its rays through the cloudless blue that is above the
enfolding cloud. Our text has wrapped up in it the broad gospel that all
our self-inflicted destruction may be arrested, and all the evil which
brought it about swept away. God is ready to prove Himself our true and
only Helper in that, as our prophet says, 'He will ransom us from the
power of the grave'; and, even when death has laid its cold hand upon
us, will redeem us from it, and destroy the destruction which had fixed
its talons in us. All the guilt is ours; all the help is His; His work
is to conquer and cast out our sins, to heal our sicknesses, to soothe
our sorrows. And He has Himself vindicated His great name of our Help
when He has revealed Himself as 'the God and Father of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.'