Spurgeon — Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Vol. 39

Then let this be your sweet resolve, “We will bless the Lord from this time forth.”. And then comes, lastly, AN EVERLASTING CONTINUANCE: “We will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.”.

They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them

They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk, not: neither speak they through their throat. It is a grim piece of sarcasm which the psalmist here aims at the idol gods.

The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us;

He hath done whatsoever be hath pleased:” the gods of the heathen have done nothing;. It will go back through the old year, and forward into the new one: “The Lord bath been mindful of us: he will bless us.” See how mindful he has been of us all through the past year in a thousand ways.

The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men

He has delivered us from dangers of which we never knew; and led us into mercies of which we never dreamed. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S: but the earth hath hegiven to the children of men.

The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence

Great blessings for small people, and not small blessings for those whom he maketh great in Israel. Many of you have had the new creation wrought in you: you shall live to see new heavens and a new earth.

GOD’S UNSPEAKABLE GIFT

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied
By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
For he shall bear their iniquities
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto

He was no felon, whose body must be cast out to the kites and jackals; but “He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”. His death-pangs were birth-pangs: “the travail of his soul.” He sees the multitude that shall be born through his death, and he is content.

DARE TO BE A DANIEL.”

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand,
With part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the,
In whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had
And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank
So nourishing them three years,
Unto whom the Prince of the eunuchs gave names
But Daniel purposed in his heart —
That he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the
So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days
And at the end often days their countenances appeared fairer — and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians
And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus

Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

ABRAHAM, A PATTERN TO BELIEVERS

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

The evidence of things not seen
For by it the elders obtained a good report
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than, Cain, He was a better man than Cain, and his offering was a better offering than
By which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death;
And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek hint
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;
And he went out, not knowing whither he went
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them,
And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them

It was “by faith” that Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” presented. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;.

SIMEON’S SWAN SONG

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon;
Waiting for the consolation of Israel
And he came by the Spirit into the temple
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;
And for a sign which shall bespoken against;
That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed
And she coming in that instant —
Gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem

“Being found in fashion as a man,”. and a man under the Jewish law, Jesus and his parents were obedient to all its requirements. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon;. and the same man was just and devout,. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Just when a young man was entering, with his wife and new-born child, “He came by the Spirit into the temple.”. God grant that it may be proved that many an aged Simeon has traveled here this Sabbath night, led by the Spirit for this purpose, to find the Savior in his own house.

THE MEMORY OF CHRIST’S LOVE

Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

It enables us to get some faint idea of the greatness of God when we read that he has to humble himself even to look at the things in heaven, perfect and spotless though they be. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes, even with the, princes of his people. What a mercy it is that the Lord “lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people”.

If you are a minister of the gospel, I should not wonder if those have been your most fruitful seasons. You will find the narrative in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, at the eleventh verse.

And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers,
Which stood afar off
And they lifted up their voices,
And said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us
And when he saw them,
He said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests
And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed,
Turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God
And fell down, on his face at his feet, giving him thanks
And he was a Samaritan

When the king went along the highway, there were crowds of poor lepers on either side of the road, a shocking sight to see in this dear land of ours; and the king, in his tender mercy, simply passed a law that the lepers should not come near the road again to hook his gracious majesty with their misery. They were not to go to the priests till they were clean, for the priests could not heal them. It was the healed man who went to the priests to get a certificate that he was healed, and so might mingle in society again.

It was a strange message, then, that the Savior gave to these lepers: “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.” And oh, the faith of these men. With only this shell of a promise, as it were, they cracked it, and found a promise inside it, for they said to themselves, “He would not send us to the priests for.

GOD’S PEOPLE, OR NOT GOD’S PEOPLE

For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me

Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them;
Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them
And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels,
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her
And I will give her her vineyards from thence,
And the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the
And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the
And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely
And I will betroth thee unto me forever;
And I will sow her unto me in the earth;
And I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy;
And I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people;

And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mint hand. If they have been very happy in the ways of sin, and he intends to save them from their evil courses; he will take away all their joy. Now God says, “I will break the bow and the sword and the battle.” How often God gives a heavenly calm to us when we are once washed in the blood of Christ, and covered with his righteousness.

Oh, yon that are in storms tonight, I pray that God may bring you to himself, and give you “peace, perfect peace!” And then what more will the Lord do. See, it is all in “shalls” and “wills.” God is speaking, God omnipotent, omnipotent over men’s hearts.

SAINTS GUARDED FROM STUMBLING

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the, Almighty

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
And from the noisome pestilence
He shall cover thee with, his feathers,
And under his wings shalt thou trust
His truth shall be thy shield and buckler
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;
Nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him Does God take notice of our poor love? Oh, yes, he values the love of his
I will set him on high, because he hath known my name
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him, and honor him
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation

There are some who worship in the outer court of the temple; but “he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High” lives in the Holy of Holies; he draws near to the mercy-seat,. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; inhim will I trust. In the light of the Lord you will see light; and you will discover the limed twigs and the nets and the traps that are set to catch you: “He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.”.

It comes creeping in, and fills the air with death before you perceive its approach; but “He shall deliver thee from the noisome pestilence.” There is a pestilence of dangerous and accursed error abroad at this time; but if we dwell in the secret place of the most High, it cannot affect us; we shall be beyond its power. It is he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, who, by God’s help, treads upon the lion and adder, and of whom it is written, “The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.”.

SEALED AND OPEN EVIDENCES

So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I
And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land
Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,
Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings,
And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face
Though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul

And, first, I would say, among the sealed evidences is this: the Word of the Lord has come to us with power. Fear looks like one of the minor graces; but it is a very leading one in the spiritual life. Revolution in France, when, at the end of the last century, she had cast off all fear of God.

Another sealed evidence is the secret love which the child of God has to all others of the children of God. One very open evidence of a change of heart, and of our possession of the inheritance, is a readiness to forgive.

THE CHRIST-GIVEN REST

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him

Rooted and built up in him,
And stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein, with thanksgiving
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
And ye are complete in him,
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision, of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
Having forgiven you all trespasses;
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days
Which are a shadow of things to come;
But the body is of Christ

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Everything, then, must be in Christ if all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him. You are like warriors thoroughly furnished, fully armed for the fight: “Ye are complete in him.”.

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with himthrough the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against its, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

THORNS AND THISTLES

And when the woman saw —
That the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one Wise, she took of the fruit thereof,
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day
And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of

Thorns and thistles might multiply; but there would be the herb of the field for him, and he would be spared. If you want a herb of the field that you are to feed upon, you must sow it. We may expect to have trials of every sort and size, for they attend the followers of the Lamb as long as they are in the world that lies under this curse, Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.”.

The Lord had said concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, shegave me of the tree, and I did eat.

THE WHOLE GOSPEL IN A SINGLE VERSE

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
And a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should

I remember, when on the Continent, seeing on a cross the words “Spes unica,” the unique, the only hope of man; and that is true of the cross of Christ, and of Christ who suffered on it, he is our hope. You see, the apostle, in his day, had to contend against those who ran away from the simplicity of the gospel into all manner of fables and inventions. Such, in our day, are the doctrine of evolution, the doctrine of the universal fatherhood of God, the doctrine of post-mortem salvation, the doctrine of the final restitution of all men, and all sorts of fables and.

This indeed was to him the glorious gospel of the blessed God, that had saved him, the very chief of sinners. When he remembered his own conversion and pardon, and his being entrusted with the ministry of the gospel, be was obliged to put down his pen, and lift up his voice in grateful thanksgiving to God.

MARAH BETTER THAN ELIM

ON THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 4TH, 1889

They had just seen the Lord divide the Red Sea, and drown their enemies; and now has he brought them out of Egypt to lot them perish of thirst in the. In the case of Israel, the Lord proved them by that thirst in the wilderness, and that great agony on finding that the water they looked for was undrinkable. When he sits as a refiner of silver, believe me, it is no child’s play to be in the crucible.

They were in the love of their espousals; they went after him into the wilderness. They had just been married to the Lord by a new covenant, and baptized in the cloud and in the sea; yet within three days they are ready to fling it all up, and to say, as they did in their hearts, “Would to God that we had remained in the land of Egypt!” Oh, what poor, faithless, treacherous, deceitful creatures we are.