Isaiah 58:11

A HAPPY CHRISTIAN

Isaiah 58:11. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, &c.

The portrait of what the Christian is in his happiest times. The setting is a framework of duties (Isaiah 58:9, &c.). These blessings are not promised unconditionally, but they are fenced in with terms. I must, therefore, address myself to those who are living in the faith, &c., while I depict their happy state. Five distinct features of their felicity are mentioned. They are described as enjoying—

I. CONTINUAL GUIDANCE. There comes to them, as to other men, dilemmas in providence. The path of doctrine, also, is sometimes difficult. Spiritual experience. The LORD shall guide thee—not an angel. “Shall.” “Continually.” Grasp it by faith.
II. INWARD SATISFACTION. It is a blessed thing to have the soul satisfied, for the soul is of great capacity. The Christian has got what his soul wants,—a removal of all that which marred his peace, blighted his prosperity, and made his soul empty and hungry—sin-pardoned, satisfied with God’s dispensations, promises, &c. In the worst times of distress he is still satisfied.
III. SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. It is a grand thing when the soul is in spiritual health, when the bones are made fat. Spiritual sickness is the condition of many. Do not be content short of spiritual vigour, &c.
IV. FLOURISHING FRUITFULNESS. This figure of a garden is a very sweet and attractive one. Some professors are not like this. There is little evidence of diligent cultivation in their character. The contrast between an unwatered and a watered garden.
V. UNFAILING FRESHNESS OF SUPPLY. Provided in the covenant of grace.
I can only regret that my text can have no bearing upon some of my hearers, to whom it must be read in the negative. Tremble at this! Terrible is your present state, but more terrible is the future. But there is hope yet. Jesus is able to save to the uttermost, &c.—C. H. Spurgeon: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Nos. 735–736.

GOD THE GUIDE OF HIS PEOPLE

Isaiah 58:11. The Lord shall guide thee continually

The people of God are strangers and pilgrims on the earth; they “seek a better country,” &c. He needs a constant guide. His path is one he has never before traversed. He is ignorant of the way, and, without a guide, his course would be uncertain, and very probable his end unattained. God graciously engages to conduct him.
I. THE GOOD MAN’S NEED OF A GUIDE. Necessarily arises—

1. From his ignorance. He is not in darkness, but he is at present the child of the dawn. His knowledge is so limited, that he cannot trust to it. He only knows the first elements of truth. He has entered on the path of life, but he feels it necessary to seek direction and guidance every step. For this he prays, &c.

2. From the diversified paths which surround him. Sin has a thousand treacherous paths, many of them apparently good, and most of them fascinating, &c. There are paths of mere morality, self-righteousness, &c. How necessary then to have a guide.

3. From the temptation to which he is subject. It is the work of Satan to allure and deceive, that he may ruin and destroy. He lays snares for the travellers’ feet. He tries to turn them aside from the path of duty and safety, or to suggest that the way is tedious, embarrassing, and uncomfortable.

4. The tendency of our own hearts to evil. Only partially sanctified. Liable to err. Often willing to be deceived. Apt to turn aside (Hebrews 3:12). Let us now inquire—

II. How GOD GUIDES HIS PEOPLE.

1. By the counsels of His truth (Psalms 73:24). Given to be the guide of our steps. Here is plainly and distinctively marked out the way we should go (Psalms 119:5; Psalms 119:9; Psalms 119:32; Psalms 119:35; Psalms 119:59; Psalms 119:104).

2. By the ministry of His servants. Of old He raised up Moses, &c. He also came to minister and to teach mankind in the person of His Son (Hebrews 1:2: &c). He has established the ministry of the Word with the Christian dispensation (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28).

3. By the teaching of His Spirit (John 14:16; John 16:13).

III. WHAT KIND OF A GUIDE GOD IS TO His PEOPLE.

1. He is an infallible guide. Incapable of error. Knows everything connected with the travellers, the way, and the perils to which they are exposed. Knows all things.

2. He is patient and forbearing. Remembers they are but dust. Endures their provocations—slow advances, &c.

3. He is affectionate and tender. As the shepherd kindly leads his flock. As the mother aids her infant child to walk. He breaks not the bruised reed, &c.

4. He is constant and unfailing. Never leaves. Guides their youth and mature years, and casts “not off in the time of old age,” nor forsakes when their strength faileth. He guides even to death, and conducts to glory.

CONCLUSION.—

1. Are you under the guidance of God? Have you yielded yourselves to Him, &c.?
2. Cherish a spirit suited to your character and condition—reverence and holy fear, confidence in God, fervent prayer, self-denial, &c.
3. Urge sinners to turn from the way of death and live.—Jabez Burns, D.D., LL.D.: Sketches on Types and Metaphors, pp. 112–115. (See p. 294, 296, 302.)

THE CHURCH THE GARDEN OF THE LORD

Isaiah 58:11. Thou shalt be like a watered garden

Sin blighted the moral creation of God, and turned the Eden of the Lord into a barren desert. Through the intervention of Divine mercy, God has set on foot a scheme of merciful renovation. United in the fellowship of the Gospel, the regenerate constitute His spiritual Church, and appear in our wilderness world as the “watered garden” of the Lord. As a garden the Church is—
I. SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD. Originally like the waste howling wilderness, now distinct and separated, called out of the world as to spirit and character. In, but not of it; not like it—separated. To be manifest—as unlike the world as the garden is unlike the barren heath.

II. SURROUNDED BY A PROTECTIVE FENCE. Otherwise it would be a prey to wild beasts; thoroughfare for every rude foot; would become a waste. Fenced round, as with a wall of adamant. God is its keeper and defence. He is round about in the energy of His omnific power (Psalms 125:2).

III. IN A STATE OF CULTIVATION AND IMPROVEMENT. For the Church’s cultivation He sends His Word, messengers, and the benign influences of His benevolent providential administrations.

IV. DISTINGUISHED BY ITS TREES AND PLANTS. The good man is likened to a lofty cedar, the useful olive, the fruitful vine, the fragrant myrtle, the thriving willow, &c. May be compared to flowers—adorned with the graces of the Spirit. Are said to be the Lord’s planting (Matthew 15:13; Psalms 92:12).

V. RICHLY WATERED BY THE BLESSING OF HEAVEN. Water is indispensible to fertility and growth, &c. The Spirit of God is often presented under this figure (Isaiah 35:6; John 7:37; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 55:1; Isaiah 27:3). These communications are essential to our comfort, well-being, fruitfulness, &c. They keep the garden of the Lord ever verdant, and produce from the trees of the Lord an abundant increase.

VI. THE LORD EXPECTS A RETURN OF FRUIT FROM IT. All the labour and outlay of God’s goodness is to produce the fruits of holiness. This He expects; and how reasonable is the expectation, and how important to us! Do we render to the Lord the fruits of righteousness, &c.?
APPLICATION.—Do we form part of the Lord’s garden? Are we the plants of His right-hand planting? Are we flourishing, retaining our verdure, growing, yielding fruit to God? The impenitent, as briers and thorns, He will consume in the day of His fiery indignation.—Jabez Burns, LL.D.: Sketches on Types and Metaphors, pp. 208–211.

A similar idea is presented in Jeremiah 31:12. It forms one of the touches in the beautiful picture which the prophets give of the restored happiness and prosperity of the nation after the rigorous season of captivity and exile. Their experience in Babylon was one of drought and decay. It was like being driven into a wilderness where everything becomes parched and barren. The people had been prepared for this, during their state of declension, by the faithful messengers of Jehovah (Isaiah 64:10; Jeremiah 10:22; Jeremiah 12:10; Ezekiel 20:35). Yet we see throughout the history that bright hopes are blended with dark judgments, and the flock, though scattered, are followed by the loving purpose of God, who means to effect a great redemption. Even the wilderness is to be a scene of reconciliation and hope (Hosea 2:14).

Our text, then, presents the pleasant picture of the restored, united, and prosperous community, after their season of correction; and the image may well be used as suggestive, also, of Divine experiences in the individual soul.
I. A well-watered garden indicates the presence of life. To speak of a garden without life would be unmeaning and absurd, however much may be done by art and skill to create a pleasing scene. This thought has a real application for human souls. We are too apt to confine our ideas of life to the outward and superficial aspects of mere existence. We see around us a great deal of the machinery and parade of life. But the suspicion will force itself upon us that much of this is but the fencing in of uncultivated regions—useless labour bestowed upon barren and unproductive spots which are not “rich towards God.” There is the secret of the well-watered garden. Christ emphasises the life that is in it, and a life, too, which can be deep, and full, and abiding, only as it is centered in the Divine fulness itself. This suggests the value of the promise to ancient Israel. As long as they were a scattered flock, separated from God above all by their evil affections, they were losing life. Their spiritual strength was decaying, they were living in a wilderness where all their powers were parched and blighted, and they were doing what so many are doing now—they were losing their own souls in the mere materialism of a godless and undevout life. We may depend upon it that things are going badly, and even tragically with us, when the roots of a growth towards God are showing no signs. We are made for the achievements of faith: if that life of faith be not in us, “the world is too much with us.” Only by being transformed as into “a watered garden” can our true life be secured.

II. “A watered garden” is suggestive also of beauty. In the operations of nature, life and beauty go together. It is no mechanical labour, causing a sense of weariness; much less can we ever think of it as ugly and repulsive. Nature always allures us by her tenderness and her charms, and though always at work with marvellous energy, is always arrayed in garments of beauty. What numberless examples we have of this. To confine ourselves to the more limited image before us, what beauty is displayed by a “watered garden,” in the unfolding of its numerous forms of life.

This conception of beauty in life is not sufficiently pondered by Christian people. We have always been more ready to emphasise the sterner sides of religion than its tender aspects, &c. There has been considerable reason for this in the fact that the military and disciplinary elements of life are always very real with us. But this should be no excuse for driving out the sweeter elements that should give grace and beauty to character. Besides, we should remember that real strength, when rooted in the soil of love, is also beautiful. Our fault is in separating the graces as though they would not live together. But “strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.” Many a well-meaning life is made harsh and repulsive because it has ruggedness and massiveness without tenderness and grace. How much more powerful and winning would the influence of our character be, if we would not persist in separating what God has joined together. Look into the garden of the soul, as it is presented in Christian teaching, and see what is expected to grow there (Galatians 5:22). And there is nothing which will give grace to the life which ought to be left out (Philippians 4:8).

III. Fruitfulness is another thought suggested by the watered garden. We naturally expect to see, not merely leaves and flowers, however beautiful, but also fruit. This idea is, of course, involved in the passages just quoted to enforce the need for beauty, but the thought specially intended here is that the religion of Christ shows itself in the form of active beneficence, working as a Divine leaven in the midst of human life. The life rooted in Christ feels itself to be related to others. It exists, not for its own selfish ends, simply to absorb and to keep, but loves by its very bountifulness to enrich others. It thus aims to be reproductive, by bringing others to repeat the same experiences as we ourselves enjoy, and upon still higher levels. Look around on your neighbours and friends, on the community, on the world: look with the eye of love, with the mind of Christ. Is there not room to impart some spiritual gift? (Romans 1:11; John 15:8).

IV. I will put the thought in one other light. Our subject leads us to think of the need there is for cultured excellence. One of the main ideas suggested by such a garden as we have before our minds is, that it would be well tended and carefully cultivated, and therefore brought to yield the best of which it is capable. Weeds and noxious things, that only occupy valuable ground and prevent useful growth, are not tolerated: they are rooted up and cast out. The owner is not satisfied that it should yield anything less than its best. To this end he bestows upon it varied effort and ceaseless care. Ask any wise husbandman if he would care to risk a valuable garden by leaving it to the mercy of natural selection! Here we touch a point which ought to occasion us great searching of heart. Nothing can excuse indifference here, where it is to be feared our indifference is greatest. Do we suppose that no culture is needed for this garden of the soul, from which God is expecting so much? Look, then, on the one hand, at the results of life when it is recklessly left as a vineyard unkept—its ignorance, its grovelling sins, its animalism, its profanities, its vices. On the other hand, look at life in its higher and diviner forms—its watchfulness, its prayerfulness, its circumspection, its self-control, its heroisms. The weeds of life require no culture, the real fruits of life can be obtained only by highest care.

Let us not be satisfied with the littlenesses of life. We are called and destined for infinitely greater things than we have yet reached. The garden of the soul needs to be more richly watered with heavenly influence and power, that the whole scene of our motives and activities may be so quickened and enlarged that our service may be a whole-hearted faithfulness to God and man. This, however, is to be secured by three things—

1. A rooting (John 15:4).

2. A growth (2 Peter 3:18).

3. A discipline, called by Christ a pruning (John 15:2). This is the process by which God designs to get out of us the fruits of the seeds He has first of all put into us.—W. Manning.