Homilist Isaiah 48:18 O that you had listened to my commandments! then had your peace been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea: I. AN EARNEST DESIRE OF THE ETERNAL. 1. He desires for man an abundance of peace. The word "peace" stands for something more than freedom from national war or moral agitations. It stands for happiness in its widest and deepest import. The happiness desired, then, is not a little happiness, not a few drops, not even a copious shower that soon passes away, but a "river." (1) Ever augmenting in fulness. (2) Ever increasing in calmness. The deeper and fuller the river becomes, the more calm. (3) Ever approximating to its consummation. 2. He desires for man an abundance of spiritual prosperity. "Thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." "Righteousness" must also be taken in a general sense as standing for rectitude of soul and holiness of character. Those waves, how majestic in aspect! how resistless in flow! how unconquerable in energy! The Eternal does not wish us to have a little religion, but to "comprehend with all saints what is the length," &c. II. AN UNALTERABLE PLAN OF THE ETERNAL. The plan is that happiness should only come through obedience. "O that thou hadst hearkened," &c. 1. The constitution of the human soul shows this. The sum of all God's commandments has been reduced by Christ to love — supreme love to God. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart." Now, the nature of the soul shows that there can be no true and perfect happiness without this. (1) Nothing but a supreme love for Him can draw out harmoniously the soul's powers. (2) Nothing but supreme love for Him can satisfy the soul's conscience. 2. The order of society requires this. All are members of a social system, and each has a mission to fulfil, not only in relation to himself, but in relation to others. For society to act in harmony it is necessary that there should be one will worked out by all. Where each follows his own will there must be eternal collisions and anarchies. 3. The history of the world manifests this. Every chapter in the world's history shows that the disobedient have been miserable, whilst the obedient have been happy. 4. The Word of God declares this. III. AN INEXPRESSIBLE REGRET OF THE ETERNAL. "O that thou hadst hearkened unto My commandments." Such Divine exclamations are not altogether unusual. Such expressions of Divine feeling indicate two things — 1. The immense evils involved in disobedience. God alone knows the evils connected with disobedience to the individual, society, the universe. And seeing the dark and turbulent ocean of miseries springing from disobedience, He seems to sigh over it. His heart seems to break into commiseration. Fools may laugh at sin, but God is solemn over it. 2. That restoration to obedience is man's deepest necessity. God does three things to restore man to obedience. (1) Presents His law in the most attractive forms; not in characters on stone, in dry propositions, but in the lovely life of Jesus. (2) Presents the most powerful encouragement to obedience. The Gospel abounds with motives from heaven, earth, and hell, from time and eternity, to follow Christ. (3) Offers the Divine Spirit to help to obedience. Mark the pivot on which thy destiny hinges. It is obedience. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: |
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