Homilist Isaiah 25:6-9 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make to all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees… I. HUMANITY IS MORALLY FAMISHING — CHRISTIANITY HAS PROVISIONS. "A feast of fat things," etc. The feverish restlessness and the earnest racing after something not yet attained, show the hungry and thirsty state of the soul. Christianity has the provisions, which are — 1. Adequate: "for all people." 2. Varied: "wines and fat things full of marrow." 3. Pleasant: "wines on the lees well refined." II. HUMANITY IS MORALLY BENIGHTED — CHRISTIANITY HAS ILLUMINATION. "He will destroy in this mountain," etc. Men are enwrapped in moral gloom; they have their, "understanding...darkened" (Ephesians 4:18). "The veil is upon their hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:15). Physical darkness is bad enough, intellectual darkness is worse, moral darkness is the worst of all. It is a blindness to the greatest Being, the greatest obligations, and the greatest interests. Christianity has moral light. Christ is "the light of the world." Indeed, Christianity gives the three conditions of moral vision: — the visual faculty; opens the eyes of conscience; the medium, which is truth; and the object, which is God, etc. III. HUMANITY IS MORALLY DEAD — CHRISTIANITY HAS LIFE. "He will swallow up death in victory." Men are "dead in trespasses and sins" The valley of dry bones is a picture of moral humanity. Insensibility, utter subjection to external forces, and offensiveness, are some of the characteristics of death. Christianity has life. Its truths with a trumpet's blast call men up from their moral graves. Its spirit is quickening. "You hath He quickened," etc. IV. HUMANITY IS MORALLY UNHAPPY — CHRISTIANITY HAS BLESSEDNESS. There are tears on "all faces." Go to the heathen world, and there is nothing but moral wretchedness. The whole moral creation groaneth: conflicting passions, remorseful reflections, foreboding apprehensions, make the world miserable. Christianity provides blessedness. V. HUMANITY IS MORALLY REPROACHED — CHRISTIANITY HAS HONOUR. "And the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth." Man morally rebukes himself; he is rebuked by his fellow man; he is rebuked by his Maker. He is under "condemnation." And the rebuke is just. Christianity removes this. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." It exalts man to the highest honour. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. |
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