When dying Jacob, gifted with faith’s clear and penetrative vision, blessed his twelve sons with those blessings which should have their special application to “the last days”; having had occasion to speak of “the mighty God of Jacob,” he instantly added that brief parenthesis: “From thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.” This did this aged patriarch clearly set forth the origin of that “stone” or “rock,” of which so very frequent mention is made in the word of God.
With that selfsame rod, which in his hand had before been instrumental in bringing down God's righteous judgment before Pharaoh and Egypt, Moses smote
“THE ROCK IN HOREB,”
and it instantly yielded its copious stream of waters to quench their thirst, and to refresh His people Israel. To this the Spirit of God long afterward refers, for the purpose of presenting in one view this type so richly instructive, and the antitype even more full of instruction. Thus we read— “Our fathers did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:44And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4)). Bearing in mind the important fact that the words just quoted disclose, and perceiving that the “stone of Israel,” being “smitten,” became the prime source of refreshment throughout that long wilderness journey, we are the better enabled to enter sympathetically into the joy of Moses at its conclusion, even at that moment when in rapturous strains he sang of “God.... the Rock “; yea, of the
“ROCK OF HIS SALVATION,”
even then, alas! as this sweet singer in the same song sorrowfully admitted, “lightly esteemed “and forgotten.” Moses went on faithfully to forewarn Israel that the “rock” would certainly quell the unrighteous and “shut them up,” while granting to the righteous a most glorious deliverance (Deut. 32:4, 15, 18, 30, 314He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
15But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15)
18Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. (Deuteronomy 32:18)
30How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? 31For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. (Deuteronomy 32:30‑31)).
This fair assurance, and not the recollection of former happy experiences, was the realized stay and support of the sorely tried Psalmist, who was then perforce silent in the presence of his enemies, yet confiding and outspoken when alone with Him Whom he reverently addressed as
“GOD MY ROCK”
(Psa. 42). Proceeding rapidly onwards, we perceive the faithless banded together, and in opposition to the warning voice of the prophet Isaiah, being only desirous of consummating a union, which was not, could not be, strength. “The foundations of the thresholds were moved” at the cry of the seraphim, and Isaiah himself had cried “Woe is me!” The heart of Ahaz, and the hearts of his faithless people were moved, and trembled exceedingly from a totally different cause (Isa. 7:22And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. (Isaiah 7:2)). The Lord's “disciples” of that day were exhorted not to “fear their fear, nor be afraid.” The Lord of hosts should be their “fear,” their “dread,” and—oh the comfort of this latter!— “a sanctuary” for them. Meanwhile He should be “for
A STONE OF STUMBLING AND FOR A ROCK OF OFFENSE
to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Isa. 8:8-148And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. 9Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. 10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. 11For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, 12Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. 13Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:8‑14)).
Coming to Isa. 26 a chapter which principally treats of the time of “the great tribulation,” we see that one certain effect of the saint accepting the Lord as his “sanctuary” is, that the trusting one is kept in “perfect peace.” This assurance is instantly followed by that needful exhortation: “Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength “; or, as the margin renders it,
“THE ROCK OF AGES.”
Here we have Him as the Unchanging One (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)), the perfectly Invincible Deliverer (Isa. 1:7, 87Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. (Isaiah 1:7‑8); 1 Peter 1:55Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5)); and that Rock, in the cleft of which every believer has found, finds, and will find a safe and abiding shelter.
“Rock of ages cleft for me,
Grace hath hid me safe in Thee.”
But for those who believed not, how solemn is the lesson (which so many in the last days need to thoroughly learn) that is taught us, as we perceive what those rejectors of Christ in that day, whose favorite project was “a confederacy,” were finally committed to (Isa. 28:14-1514Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Isaiah 28:14‑15))! For that it did apply to certain unbelieving Israelites living when those very significant words were penned, we doubt not; while we now seek to point out that the time hastens when they will have a wider and more general application.
Beloved fellow-believer, pray suffer me to sound aloud this note of warning. The evil tendencies of men on all sides of us this day are rendered all the more clear by their openly discarding the “Rock of ages” as the only one divinely appointed center; to which all (such is His grace and goodness) may and ought to gather. The Lordship of the Christ of God is totally ignored by those who have begun by arrogating the claim of “human brotherhood.” And these, if they repent not, but proceed in their evil course, will sink much lower, and Isa. 28:1515Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Isaiah 28:15) shall have its second and most complete fulfillment involving their ruin.
Jehovah has marked in the past, and will mark in the future the iniquity of such wicked men (not one of whom will be able in the judgment to stand before Him. He rebukes their wickedness) by saying, “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold,
I LAY IN ZION FOR A FOUNDATION A STONE,
a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
The fearful declension of Israel in the days of the first kingdom, with all its disastrous consequences, will be eclipsed by the yet more awful apostacy of Christless professors, and the fearful judgments that will swiftly overtake all such. But, just as in the former time, in the which the evil fruits of backsliding Israel were fully ripening, He that is of purer eyes than to behold evil could gaze with divine complacency upon the foundation stone set at naught indeed by the builders, but in the counsels of God already laid in Zion, and made the head of the corner (to become thenceforth the one Object of the faith of the believing remnant of that day) even so, in these last days, in which evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived, that wonderful
“LIVING STONE,
disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God,” is infinitely precious to Him that gave His Son that we might live through Him.
After his filthy garments had been taken away, and his iniquity caused to pass from him, was it the will of God that Joshua the high priest being graciously restored to former privileges, and condescendingly acknowledged in his official capacity should gaze simply upon his own person, or upon that truly marvelous “change of raiment”? By no means. The authoritative voice of the Lord of hosts absorbs the sole attention of Joshua and his fellows, thereby drawing their thoughts away from the contemplation of themselves, and their several honorable positions; and this in order that they might
BEHOLD THE STONE LAID BEFORE JOSHUA:
for whatever they may hereafter find in themselves to cause misgivings and searchings of heart, in Him they would see an absolute perfection in all respects, to which not one of them could, while on earth, ever hope to attain.
Not in looking at himself or others, however highly favored, does the believer of to-day obtain soul-satisfaction; but while occupied in looking off unto Jesus. For then we happily realize the true force of that encouraging oracle— “Unto you therefore which believe is the preciousness “; and our misgivings are not so much on account of our own passing trials, severe though these sometimes prove, but rather because of our deep and true concern for others “which stumble at the word, being disobedient.”
“Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”