Plenteous Redemption

"Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." Psalm 130:7, 8

Three points seem to strike my mind as most prominent in the words before us. First, a divine exhortation—"Let Israel hope in the Lord." Secondly, a spiritual reason—"For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." And lastly, a gracious promise—"And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities."

I. A divine EXHORTATION– "Let Israel hope in the Lord." But what are we to understand by "Israel?" In order to lay a solid foundation for a spiritual superstructure; not to stumble at the very threshold, nor slip at the very outset, we must, first, decide who is meant by "Israel." And to settle this point, we must interpret the Old Testament by the New, for in that the mind of the Spirit is more clearly revealed. The Apostle Paul tells us then, "They are not all Israel which are of Israel;" (Rom. 9:6;) whereby he gives us clearly to understand that the literal Israel was but a type and figure of "the Israel of God," the election of grace, redeemed by precious blood.

But we must go a step farther than this, and show, that by "Israel" is meant not merely the elect, but also of the quickened elect. Does not the Apostle say, "As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." (Gal. 6:16.) What was this rule? That "in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumsion, but a new creature;" clearly pointing out that "Israel" is not only the chosen of God, but "a new creature," begotten from on high.

But again. As strongly distinguishing the spiritual from the carnal Israel, he says, Rom. 2:28, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God."

By "Israel," then, in our text, we are to understand the quickened elect; God's spiritual family, in every state, stage, or circumstance of their experience. Thus it will comprehend every living soul, from the first pang of conviction to the last expiring hallelujah, from the first cry for mercy raised up in a sinner convinced of his sin—to the triumph of a saint dying in the full blaze of manifested glory. And thus, of all Israel, in every state and stage of experience, in every circumstance of their spiritual life, we may say, "Let Israel hope in the Lord;" for Israel will ever have to "hope in the Lord." I do not mean to say, that Israel will not be able to rejoice and triumph in the Lord; but as long as Israel is in the body, so long will Israel be exposed to the temptations of the flesh, the assaults of Satan, and the hatred of the world; and therefore until safely folded in the arms of the heavenly Bridegroom will there be a necessity that Israel should "hope in the Lord."

We may look, then, at "Israel" under various circumstances and in different states and stages of the divine life; and of each and of all we may still say, "Let Israel hope in the Lord." For instance,

1. There is, first, Israel under conviction of sin. When the Lord is pleased for the first time, to shoot from his unerring bow, an arrow of conviction into the conscience, and raises up that cry in the bosom which he has never failed to hear—"God be merciful to me a sinner!" "What shall I do to be saved?" 'How can I flee from the wrath to come?'—when thus under conviction, with a feeling sense of utter ruin and misery, crying to the Lord for pity and pardon, there is still a divine exhortation for Israel to "hope in the Lord." It is from the word of the Lord, which is "sharper than any two-edged sword," that this spiritual distress and exercise arise; and the same God who wounds is able and willing to heal; for "He makes sore, and binds up; he wounds, and his hands makes whole." And thus, there is every encouragement for convinced Israel to "hope in the Lord."

2. But there is seeking Israel. No sooner does the Lord convince of sin, than he puts a cry and sigh into the soul for his manifested mercy. And hereby the convictions of the Lord's family are distinguished from the convictions of reprobates, that in the heart of the latter there is no cry after mercy. "They cry not when he binds them." (Job 36:13.) But when the Lord begins a work of grace upon an elect soul, and convinces it of sin, he plants a cry for mercy; and urges it to seek earnestly, imploringly, and perseveringly until in due time that mercy comes. The Lord will not let begging Israel seek his face in vain. He says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." There is, therefore, every encouragement for seeking Israel to "hope in the Lord;" for from the Lord the spirit of seeking comes, and to such the promise is made.

3. Again. There is longing, hungering, and thirsting Israel; and Israel in this state is still bidden to "hope in the Lord;" for there are certain blessings which the Lord has to bestow on his hungering and thirsting people. He has said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6.) David also records his experience thus—"As the heart pants after the waterbrooks, so pants my soul after you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm. 42:1, 2.) Whence come these holy pantings, these intense longings? Who created these ardent desires? What has made the soul thus to hunger and thirst after manifested salvation? After Jesus' atoning blood applied to the conscience, and the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit? Whence can they, whence do they spring, but from "the Father of lights," the unchanging and unchangeable Jehovah, from "whom comes every good and every perfect gift." There is, therefore, every encouragement for longing, panting, hungering and thirsting Israel, to hope in the Lord.

4. But there is believing Israel. When faith is raised up to believe in the precious name of Jesus; when there is a gracious discovery of his Person, of his atoning blood, of his justifying righteousness, of his dying love, and of his divine suitability to every state and case; and God the Spirit is pleased to draw forth faith to look unto him, lay hold of and clasp him, and bring him in all his beauty, preciousness, and loveliness—then there is a blessed change, and we have believing, loving, and praising Israel. But Israel is not yet safely landed; yet as anchoring within the veil she is encouraged more firmly than before "to hope in the Lord."

5. But Israel is not always here—these are for the most part short seasons. The visits of Jesus are but a "glittering," or "glancing," (as the word means,) "through the lattice;" very transient, yet enough to raise up sweet emotions of love to him who is "altogether lovely." When, therefore, these 'short visits end,' Israel is, in her feelings, forsaken of the Lord. She cannot find that access which she once enjoyed; the Lord does not seem to listen to her prayers as he did in former times. There are no sweet love-tokens, no precious promises applied, no blessed visits, no manifestations—all within is dark, dark, dark as midnight.

But is Israel to cast away her confidence because she is forsaken? "For a small moment have I forsaken you, says the Lord; but with great mercies will I gather you." (Isa. 54:7.) "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yes, they may forget, yet will I not forget you." (49:15.) There have been times and seasons when the Lord blessed Israel with his presence, smiled upon her, applied his promises to her heart, enlarged her soul with his love, drew forth her affections, fixed them upon himself, and gave her to enjoy some sweet moments of heavenly communion with his gracious Majesty. Israel is not to forget these, nor to cast them behind her back. She is, therefore, still encouraged to "hope in the Lord."

6. But there is also tempted Israel. Israel is not always enjoying the manifested love of her covenant Head. She is often tempted, tried, buffeted, plagued, and exercised; and yet, in all her temptations, trials, and exercises, she is still bidden and encouraged to "hope in the Lord" that these temptations shall not swallow her up; that these severe exercises shall not prove her downfall; that these snares shall not fatally, nor fully entangle her feet; that she shall not be overcome by the number of her inward or outward foes, but be victorious over all. And thus tempted Israel is still encouraged to "hope in the Lord."

7. But there is backsliding Israel. How many of the Lord's family get entangled in the snares of Satan, in the lusts of their fallen nature, in the things of time and sense, in the cares and anxieties of the world, in the nets and traps that Satan spreads for their feet! How many backslide from the Lord, grow hard and callous, secure and reckless; neglect a throne of mercy; and seem as it were to fall into a state where they can scarcely trace one mark or feature of the divine image in their soul! But backsliding Israel is still encouraged to "hope in the Lord." He will not cast her off. He has said, "return unto me, you backsliding children; for I am married unto you." The Lord's people may backslide from him; but he will not turn away from them, though they deserve to be banished entirely from his presence. Thus Israel, after her worst state of backsliding, when pierced and wounded by a sense of her guilt and sin, is still encouraged to "hope in the Lord."

Why should Israel, in these various states and circumstances, "hope in the Lord?" Because she is divinely taught to hope nowhere else. The work of the Holy Spirit upon her heart is mainly to bring about two things—a death to self, and a living unto God; a slaying of the creature, in all its shapes and forms, and a setting up of the blood, obedience, and love of Immanuel. This work takes in Israel in all her states of experience. Look at her in every stage of the divine life; whether when first convinced of sin, or seeking after mercy, or panting after God, or believing in Jesus, or forsaken by him, or tempted by Satan, or backsliding in heart. All the dealings of God with her, in every state and stage of her experience, are to slaughter her, to make her distrust the creature in every shape and form, and bring her out of self, with all its miseries, to look to, hang upon, and "hope in the Lord," with all his mercies.

Hereby Israel is distinguished from all the nations that are upon the face of the earth. Hereby "Israel of God," the Spirit-taught Zion, the quickened elect, the living family—are distinguished from all mere dead professors, however high in doctrine, or however low in doctrine. By these two features the living family of God are distinguished from all—that they put no confidence in the flesh, and that all their hope and trust is in the Lord alone. What said David? "My soul, wait only upon God; for my expectation is from him." (Psalm. 62:5.)

And is not this the state and case of every child of God, so far as the Lord is pleased to lead him into the truth—to turn away from the creature in all its shapes and forms, and fix the heart and affections where Jesus sits at God's right hand? Thus the divine exhortation is to hope—not in self, wretched, ruined, undone, bankrupt self; not to hope in the law, which can only deal out thunders and lightnings and wither by its consuming flames every one found under that fiery dispensation; not to trust in the creature; for to trust in the creature is to lean upon a bruised reed that runs into our hand, and pierces it; not to trust in man, sinner or saint, because "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord." (Jer. 17:5.)

But, brought away from self, away from the law, away from the creature, as a poor perishing worm, Israel is enabled by divine teaching and divine testimony to look unto the Lord, wait upon the Lord, hope in the Lord, and cast her burden and care upon him who has said, "Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you; he shall never allow the righteous to be moved." (Psalm. 55:22.)

But what is this "hope?" There are many "hopes" that the word of God declares to be utterly fallacious. There is "the hope of the hypocrite" that comes to nothing; (Job 27:8.); the hope of the pharisee; the hope of the self-confident professor. There are "hopes" of every name and size, of every stature and dimension; no, almost as numerous and diversified as the sons of men. And yet, all these "hopes" are but refuges of lies. The true hope is that which comes down from God into the soul—the "good hope through grace," that springs out of the Spirit's teachings and testimony—that grace of the Spirit which lives together with faith and love. "And now abides faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love," (1 Cor. 13:13,)—a threefold cord, that cannot be broken.

II. But we pass on to consider the spiritual REASON which the Holy Spirit has given by the pen of the Psalmist why Israel is to "hope in the Lord." "For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." Two reasons, then, God the Spirit has given why Israel should "hope in the Lord."

Next Part Plenteous Redemption 2

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