Part 8 (1/2)
Even now, there are new things in heaven; the Lamb from the slaughter, alive ”in the midst of the throne;” wors.h.i.+pped by innumerable seraphim and cherubim, and adored by the redeemed from earth; his name the wonder of angels, the terror of devils, and the hope of men; his praise the ”new song,” which shall const.i.tute the employment of eternity!
SERMON II.
THE TRIUMPH OF CALVARY
”_Who is this that cometh from Edom_, _with dyed garments from Bozrah_? _this that is glorious in his apparel_, _travelling in the greatness of his strength_? _I that speak in righteousness_, _mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel_, _and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat_? _I have trodden the winepress alone_; _and of the people there was none with me_: _for I will tread them in mine anger_, _and trample them in my fury_; _and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments_, _and I will stain all my raiment_. _For the day of vengeance is in mine heart_, _and the year of my redeemed is come_. _And I looked_, _and there was none to help_; _and I wondered that there was none to uphold_: _therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me_: _and my fury_, _it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger_, _and make them drunk in my fury_, _and I will bring down their strength to the earth_.”-Isaiah lxiii. 16.
THIS pa.s.sage is one of the sublimest in the Bible. Not more majestic and overwhelming is the voice of G.o.d issuing from the burning bush. It represents ”the Captain of our salvation,” left alone in the heat of battle, marching victoriously through the broken columns of the foe, bursting the bars asunder, bearing away the brazen gates, and delivering by conquest the captives of sin and death. Let us first determine the events to which our text relates, and then briefly explain the questions and answers which it contains.
I. We have here a wonderful victory, obtained by Christ, in the city of Bozrah, in the land of Edom. Our first inquiry concerns the time and the place of that achievement.
Some of the prophecies are literal, and others are figurative. Some of them are already fulfilled, and others are in daily process of fulfilment. Respecting this prophecy, divines disagree. Some think it is a description of Christ's conflict and victory, without the gates of Jerusalem, eighteen centuries ago; and others understand it as referring to the great battle of Armageddon, predicted in the Apocalypse, and yet to be consummated before the end of the world.
I am not willing to pa.s.s by mount Calvary, and Joseph's new tomb, on my way to the field of Armageddon; nor am I willing to pause at the scene of the crucifixion and the ascension, without going farther on to the final conquest of the foe. I believe Divine inspiration has included both events in the text; the victory already won on Calvary, and the victory yet to be accomplished in Armageddon; the finished victory of Messiah's pa.s.sion, and the progressive victory of his gospel and his grace.
The chief difficulty, in understanding some parts of the word of G.o.d, arises from untranslated words; many of which are found in our own version, as well as in that of our English neighbors. For instance-in Mat. ii. 23, it is said, ”He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, He shall be called a Nazarene.” Where in the prophets is it predicted that Christ shall be called a Nazarene? Nowhere. When the proper names are translated, the difficulty vanishes. ”He came and dwelt in a city called _plantation_, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, He shall be called _the Branch_.” This name is given him by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. Now this is precisely the difficulty that occurs in our text, and the translation of the terms unties the knot:-”Who is this that cometh from Edom,” _red earth_-”with dyed garments from Bozrah,” _tribulation_?
The former part of the text has reference to the victory of Calvary; the latter part antic.i.p.ates the battle and triumph of Armageddon, mentioned in Rev. xvi. 16. The victory of Calvary is consummated on the morning of the third day after the crucifixion. The Conqueror comes up from the earth, exclaiming:-”I have trodden the winepress alone on Calvary; and I will tread them in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, at the battle of Armageddon. I will overtake and destroy the beast, and the false prophet, and that old serpent the devil, with all their hosts.”
When the tide of battle turned, on the field of Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington mounted his horse, and pursued the vanquished foe. So Isaiah's Conqueror, having routed the powers of h.e.l.l on Calvary, pursues and destroys them on the field of Armageddon. Here he is represented as a hero on foot, a prince without an army; but John, the revelator, saw him riding on a white horse, and followed by the armies of heaven, all on white horses, and not a footman among them.
The victory of Calvary is like the blood of atonement in the sanctuary.
The cherubim were some of them looking one way, and some the other, but all were looking on the atoning blood. Thus all the great events of time-all the trials and triumphs of G.o.d's people-those which happened before, those which have happened since, and those which are yet to happen, are all looking toward the wrestling of Gethsemane, the conflict of Golgotha, and the triumph of Olivet. The escape from Egypt, and the return from Babylon, looked forward to the cross of Christ; and the faith of the perfect man of Uz hung on a risen Redeemer. The Christian martyrs overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and all their victories were in virtue of one great achievement. The tomb of Jesus is the birthplace of his people's immortality, and the power which raised him from the dead shall open the sepulchres of all his saints. ”Thy dead men shall live; together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth her dead.”
Christ offered himself a sacrifice for us, and drank the cup of G.o.d's righteous indignation in our stead. He was trodden by Almighty justice, as a cl.u.s.ter of grapes, in the winepress of the law, till the vessels of mercy overflowed with the wine of peace and pardon, which has made thousands of contrite and humble spirits ”rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” He suffered for us, that we might triumph with him.
But our text describes him as a king and a conqueror. He was, at once, the dying victim and the immortal victor. In ”the power of an endless life,” he was standing by the altar, when the sacrifice was burning. He was alive in his sacerdotal vestments, with his golden censer in his hand. He was alive in his kingly glory, with his sword and his sceptre in his hand. He was alive in his conquering prowess, and had made an end of sin, and bruised the head of the serpent, and spoiled the princ.i.p.alities and powers of h.e.l.l, and turned the vanquished hosts of the prince of darkness down to the winepress of the wrath of Almighty G.o.d.
Then, on the morning of the third day, when he arose from the dead, and made a show of them openly-then began the year of jubilee with power!
After the prophets of ancient times had long gazed through the mists of futurity, at the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, a company of them were gathered together on the summit of Calvary. They saw a host of enemies ascending the hill, arrayed for battle, and most terrific in their aspect. In the middle of the line was the law of G.o.d, fiery and exceeding broad, and working wrath. On the right wing, was Beelzebub with his troops of infernals; and on the left Caiaphas with his Jewish priests, and Pilate with his Roman soldiers. The rear was brought up by Death, the last enemy. When the holy seers had espied this army, and perceived that it was drawing nigh, they started back, and prepared for flight. As they looked round, they saw the Son of G.o.d advancing with intrepid step, having his face fixed on the hostile band. ”Seest thou the danger that is before thee,” said one of the men of G.o.d. ”I will tread them in mine anger,” he replied, ”and trample them in my fury.”
”Who art thou?” said the prophet; He answered: ”I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” ”Wilt thou venture to the battle alone?”
asked the seer. The Son of G.o.d replied: ”I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered there was none to uphold; therefore mine own arm shall bring salvation unto me; and my fury it shall uphold me.” ”At what point wilt thou commence thy attack?” inquired the anxious prophet. ”I will first meet the Law,” he replied, ”and pa.s.s under its curse: for lo!
I come to do thy will, O G.o.d. When I shall have succeeded at the centre of the line, the colors will turn in my favor.” So saying he moved forward. Instantly the thunderings of Sinai were heard, and the whole band of prophets quaked with terror. But he advanced, undaunted, amidst the gleaming lightnings. For a moment he was concealed from view; and the banner of wrath waved above in triumph. Suddenly the scene was changed. A stream of blood poured forth from his wounded side, and put out all the fires of Sinai. The flag of peace was now seen unfurled, and consternation filled the ranks of his foes. He then crushed, with his bruised heel, the old serpent's head; and put all the infernal powers to flight. With his iron rod he dashed to pieces the enemies on the left wing, like a potter's vessel. Death still remained, who thought himself invincible, having hitherto triumphed over all. He came forward, brandis.h.i.+ng his sting, which he had whetted on Sinai's tables of stone.
He darted it at the Conqueror, but it turned down, and hung like the flexible lash of a whip. Dismayed, he retreated to the grave, his palace, into which the Conqueror pursued. In a dark corner of his den, he sat on his throne of moldering skulls, and called upon the worms, his. .h.i.therto faithful allies, to aid him in the conflict; but they replied-”His flesh shall see no corruption!” The scepter fell from his hand. The Conqueror seized him, bound him, and condemned him to the lake of fire; and then rose from the grave, followed by a band of released captives, who came forth after his resurrection to be witnesses of the victory which he had won. {94}
John in the Apocalypse did not look so far back as the treading of this winepress; but John saw him on his white horse, decked with his many crowns, his eyes like flames of fire, a two-edged sword in his hand, in the van of the armies of heaven, going forth conquering and to conquer.
This is the fulfilment of his declaration in our text:-”For I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury.” This is the beginning of the jubilee, the battle of Armageddon, wherein all heathen idolatry and superst.i.tion shall be overthrown, and the beast and the false prophet shall be discomfited, and the devil arid his legions shall be taken prisoners by Emmanuel, and shut up in the bottomless pit. He who hath conquered princ.i.p.alities and powers on Calvary, will not leave the field, till he make all his enemies his footstool, and sway his scepter over a subject universe. Having sent forth the gospel from Jerusalem, he accompanies it with the grace of his Holy Spirit; and it shall not return unto him void, but shall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and prosper in the thing whereto he hath sent it.
The victory of Armageddon is obtained by virtue of the victory of Calvary. It is but the consummation of the same glorious campaign; and the first decisive blow dealt on the prince of darkness is a sure precursor of the final conquest. ”I will meet thee again at Philippi!”
said the ghost of Julius Caesar to Brutus. ”I will meet thee again at Armageddon!” saith the Son of G.o.d to Satan on Calvary-”I will meet thee in the engagement between good and evil, grace and depravity, in every believer's heart; in the contest of Divine Truth with human errors, of the religion of G.o.d with the superst.i.tions of men; in every sermon, every revival, every missionary enterprise; in the spread and glory of the gospel in the latter day, I will meet thee; and the heel which thou hast now bruised, shall crush thy head for ever!”
Man's deliverance is of G.o.d. Man had neither the inclination nor the power. His salvation originated in the Divine Love, and burst forth like an ocean from the fountains of eternity. Satan, as a ravenous lion, had taken the prey, and was running to his den with the bleeding sheep in his mouth; but the Shepherd of Israel pursues him, overtakes him, and rends him as if he were a kid. The declaration of war was made in Eden:-”I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; thou shalt bruise his heel, and he shall bruise thy head.” It shall be fulfilled. The league with h.e.l.l, and the covenant with death shall not stand. The rebellion shall be quelled, the conspiracy shall be broken, and the strong man armed shall yield the citadel to a stronger.
The works of the devil shall be destroyed, and the prey shall be taken from the teeth of the terrible. The house of David shall grow stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul shall grow weaker and weaker, till the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our G.o.d and of his Christ, and Satan shall be bound in chains of darkness, and cast into the lake of fire. All the enemies of Zion shall be vanquished, and the forfeited favor of G.o.d shall be recovered, and the lost territory of peace and holiness and immortality shall be restored to man.
This campaign is carried on at the expense of the government of heaven.
The treasury is inexhaustible; the arms are irresistible; therefore the victory is sure. The Almighty King has descended; he has taken the city of Bozrah; he has swayed his scepter over Edom; he has risen victoriously, and gone up with a shout, as the leader of all the army.
This is but the pledge and the earnest of his future achievements. In the battle of Armageddon, he shall go forth as a mighty man; he shall stir up jealousy as a man of war; and he shall prevail against his enemies. They shall be turned back-they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images-that say unto molten images, ”Ye are our G.o.ds!”