xiv. 3, 4. _And it shall come to pass in the day, &c._
In these verses is described the feeling of relief and joy of Israel
in view of release from the Babylonish captivity. So profound will be
their sense of God's deliverance and favour, that they will look with
contempt even upon the imperious and exacting Babylon, whose glory
will be smitten, whose strength will be destroyed.
This is an experience known to men in their spiritual seekings and
findings of God. Blessed is that "rest" which follows many a season
of sorrow, and fear, and hard bondage wherein men are made to serve.
Consider--
I. SOME JOYFUL DELIVERANCES, of which we may be said to have here a
type. Every soul engaged in a true search after God can recall such
experiences: first there was the "sorrow," then the "joy;" first the
"fear," then the confidence; first the "bondage," and then the rescue
and the liberty. _E.g.,_ 1. _The time of spiritual conversion._ That
is often preceded by deep conviction, anguish, and gloom. Alarming
are those awakenings whose first mission is to show us our guilt and
danger. Then we feel the grievousness of the bondage of sin. It is a
time of exile, want, servitude. What a glorious day is that in which
the Lord gives us rest for our sorrow and fear, by removing from us
the terrors of the law, and leading us into the liberty of the
Gospel! This is the deliverance to which our Saviour calls us (Matt.
xi. 28). 2. _The light which comes after a period of great mental
conflict and doubt respecting Divine things_ also illustrates our
subject. Honest and reverent doubt, which intercepts a true seeker
after God, is no sin. To creatures who have everything to learn,
doubt is but a part of the process of learning; all original
research, all independent inquiry, has more or less of it. But doubt
may become a hard master, a ruthless tyrant; that which comes from
mere prying curiosity, idle speculation, empty cavilling, is certain
to do so; in this case doubt, instead of being a pathway, becomes a
prison (H. E. I., 4867, 4868). But doubt in any case is a source of
unhappiness; it should lead, not to scepticism (H. E. I., 4867, 4868;
P. D., 910), but to prayer (P. D., 915, 916). Those whose prayers for
deliverance from it have been answered, know how blessed is that day
when the Lord gives them "rest." 3. _The period of victory which
follows a season of severe temptation_ is another illustration. In
most virtues weak, there are sides of our character specially exposed
to assault. The sin which most easily besets us proves our oppressor,
our tyrant (H. E. I., 4482-4484, 4497-4499). Recall the conflicts you
have often had, how often sin has wellnigh proved fatal to you. What
a gracious day was that when the Lord came to your help, and gave you
rest from your enemy! 4. _The heavenly life hereafter_ will be a
still better realisation of the thought before us. To many of God's
people the general character of their earthly life is so mysterious,
burdensome, and sad, that it _all_ seems a bondage to them. To such,
death will come as the day of the Lord to give them "rest" (H. E. I.,
220, 1623-1628).
II. THE REAL INSIGNIFICANCE OF OUR FOES, which in the day of our
deliverance will be made plain to us, and which should be apprehended
by our faith even now (ver. 4). 1. Greater is He that is in than all
that can be against us, and therefore, if we be faithful, our victory
is sure (1 John iv. 4; Rom. viii. 37; H. E. I., 934, 2368, 2791).
2. By Him even our very foes and oppressors shall be made to help us.
In the case of Israel, their masters were to become their servants,
their oppressors their subjects (ver. 2). It is so in the spiritual
life; our very sorrows, fears, nay, our sins, may be made to serve
great ends; a vanquished fear, a defeated sin, will leave us stronger
to meet the next. Let us so live and strive, by the grace of God,
that, having triumphed over every evil habit, every ignoble doubt,
every besetting sin, we may be able to say at last, "How hath the
oppressor ceased!"--_William Manning._