Gleanings

Isaiah 50:10 — 'Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.'

Some gleanings yet remain of this text, which I thought good to bind up into one sheaf and thresh out at this time.

The second doctrine is that though it may befall one who fears God to walk in darkness, yet this happens to but a few — he says, 'Who is among you?', singling such out from a crowd. If he had spoken simply of those who fear God and obey him without this limitation added of walking in darkness, he might well have spoken thus sparingly. When he shall speak of those who fear God and walk in darkness and suffer terrors from their youth, as Heman did, such a one is one in a thousand. Of such a one he says, 'Who is among you?' — few have experience of such a condition. Job had friends who were certainly godly, for Job was to pray for them and God said he would hear Job for them; and they likely knew many godly men besides Job. Yet when this condition of darkness befell Job, it was so strange a trial to them that they thought him therefore a hypocrite, never having felt or heard of the like in others. When Christ was about to enter his agony, he would not have many of his apostles even standing by him as witnesses, much less experiencing the like — he takes only two or three.

First, because though all God's people are fighting men and men of valor, yet he has but a few champions — as David though he had many soldiers had but few Worthies. Therefore he calls but a few out to fight single combats with Satan and his wrath. Though he exercises them all in lighter skirmishes, yet not to fight such bloody battles. 'Do you see my servant Job? There is none like him' — him God will venture into the field, but not others, his friends.

Second, as he has few champions able and fit for such an encounter, so he has a variety of other temptations to exercise them with — poverty and ill report, imprisonment and cruel mockings, loss of goods, crosses in friends. Some have enough to struggle under one of these, and it is seldom that all befall one. Some spirits are so weak that they would faint and not be able to sustain themselves, and God never suffers any to be tempted above what they are able (1 Corinthians 10:13). Some men's bodies are weak, and if God were to rebuke them long for sin they would be brought to nothing — 'he remembers they are flesh and stirs not up all his wrath,' as David says. Some men God has present use of in their callings and employments, which if they were distracted as Heman was with continual terrors, they would be unfit for.

Third, God afflicts in this kind but in case of extremity usually, when he meets with a very stubborn heart and stout proud spirit — a hard case. In Isaiah 57:17, if lesser crosses would do it, he would not bring out the great rod. If a rod will thresh out the cummin, he is not accustomed to run the wheel over it or use a flail to do it (Isaiah 28:27). Now lesser afflictions work with most of his, through his blessing — mercies work, disgrace works, poverty works. And he does not willingly afflict (Lamentations 3:33), and therefore not unnecessarily. He does not put men into the dungeon for every fault. Therefore there are few long exercised in this way.

Think not therefore that you have no true grace simply because you were never terrified as some have been. As some have true faith and sound peace who yet never tasted of joy unspeakable and glorious, so some have sound humiliation who never knew terrors of conscience. If you see sin as the greatest misery and Christ as the greatest good, you are humbled.

You see we may often preach such things as concern but a few in a congregation, and yet we are to preach them. There are but a few who walk long in darkness, yet to such Christ does preach. Yes, and for such does God give gifts — 'the tongue of the learned.' God often gives a pastor after his own heart for a few: 'Take one of a city and two of a family, and I will give them pastors after my own heart' (Jeremiah 3:15). So even by Christ himself, as he says in Luke 4:26: 'There were many widows, but to none was Elijah sent but to the widow at Zarephath; and many lepers, but to none was Elisha sent but to Naaman.' So Christ says: 'I am sent but to a few.' Therefore as we must not defraud one poor soul of its portion because none else partakes of it, so the rest are not to take offense but to wait, as in a distribution, until their portion comes. And if any one poor soul has had his estate revealed, all the rest are to be thankful.

See some reason why some in distress of mind complain that none were ever in the like condition — they are apt to do so, as the church in Lamentations 1:12. The reason is that few are so troubled, and perhaps they never knew any such. But yet some are, and have been, in the like. For in 1 Corinthians 10:13: 'No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man.'

That those few in congregations who walk in darkness and yet fear and obey God, God and Christ has a special eye toward and care of — you see he singles them out as it were from all the rest: 'Who is among you?' In Isaiah 66:2: 'All these things my hand has made, but to this man will I look who is poor and broken and trembles at my word' — that is, though all things and persons else in the world are his creatures and he has a care of them all, yet he seems to overlook all else and to him will he look, as if there were none else in the church.

The first reason is because it is the office of Christ so to do. The Spirit is upon him on purpose (Isaiah 61:1-3) to open the prison to them that are bound, shut up in this dungeon; to appoint to them that mourn, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He is the physician and has undertaken the cure (Matthew 9:12). And whom should the physician have an eye to but the sick — and the most sick, as those are who cannot find their sins forgiven (Isaiah 33:14)? He is the Shepherd (Isaiah 40:11) and will take care of all his sheep, knows them by name. But of whom especially? The lambs that are weak, young Christians. 'He will gather them with his arms, and gently lead those that are with young' — those who are laboring and bringing forth, as those under terrors are. He will not overdrive them, for God has given him charge that he should lose none of them.

Second, if his office did not move him to it, his love would, for he is a merciful and compassionate high priest (Hebrews 4:15). He was in all points tempted as we are — and especially in agony of spirit, wherein he drank deepest of any — and therefore is fitted to pity us therein most. And the more greatly anyone is troubled, the more he is touched. In Isaiah 63:9: 'In all your afflictions he is afflicted.' And in Jeremiah 31:20: 'Since I spoke against him, I remember him still; therefore my heart is troubled for him.' When a child is sick, the mother is more troubled and careful about it and her eye and mind more upon it than on all the household besides.

The application is to meet with that conceit that befalls all who are in darkness: they think that of all men, God regards them least. 'Zion said, God has forgotten me' (Isaiah 49:15). So David: 'God has forgotten to be merciful.' Because they find their hearts hard toward God, they think his is so toward them. Because they can find no love in their hearts to God, they think he bears none to them. But you see Christ especially inquires for such and overlooks all others. 'God has graven you on the palms of his hands; every sigh of yours goes to his heart.' In Isaiah 57:15: 'I dwell with him that is broken, to revive his spirit.' God is near him.

The second application is this: Are God's eyes upon us more when we are in trouble of spirit than on any other? Then let our eyes be upon him. 'We do not know what to do, but our eyes are toward you.' Let our eyes be toward him for help, as of those who looked on the bronze serpent. Let our eyes be toward him for service, as the eyes of handmaids are on their mistress — to look not to men, not to reputation, but to have our eyes on God in all we do, as if there were none else in the world to approve ourselves to.

In that when he speaks of those his children who are in darkness, he chooses rather to describe them by fear and obedience than by any other grace — observe that when the children of God are under terrors, the most eminent grace that appears in them is fearfulness to offend God and willingness to obey him. Other graces may be stirred, but these are most eminent, and therefore he mentions these for their comfort.

First, for explanation: know that various occasions draw out various graces. When the sunshine of God's favor melts the heart, then love and obedience proceeding from it are most eminent, and also godly sorrow. So Mary wept much and loved much, for much was forgiven her. On the contrary, when the sense of God's love is withdrawn and fears and terrors are shed abroad in the heart, then fear and obedience show and discover themselves. Therefore in Isaiah 66:2, he that is poor and contrite and 'trembles at the word' are joined together — trembles at every command and threatening, is fearful to transgress. The reason is:

Because graces and affections in which graces are seated stir more or less in us according to their objects and our apprehensions of them. Now therefore when the soul is most possessed with displeasure for sin and apprehensions of wrath, then it fears most, and fear works accordingly against that which may displease. Hence the apostle: 'Since our God is a consuming fire' (Hebrews 12:29), 'let us serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.' Therefore when we feel him to be so, we are to be most suspect in our hearts if we are not the more fearful of offending him and obedient to him.

The first application is of trial: whether you are a child under wrath. If you fear more, and if that fear produces obedience. As Christ learned obedience by what he suffered, so will you also if you have his Spirit.

The second application is to exercise graces in their seasons: when you are afflicted, pray; when joyful, sing psalms (James 5:13); when filled with assurance, then mourn and be humbled (Ezekiel 16, last verse).

Isaiah 50:10 — 'Who among you fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His servant, who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.'

Some gleanings remain from this text, which I thought good to gather into one bundle and work through at this point.

The second doctrine is this: though it may happen to someone who fears God that they walk in darkness, yet this happens to only a few — the text says 'Who among you?', singling such a person out from a crowd. If he had spoken simply of those who fear God and obey Him without adding the limitation of walking in darkness, he might well have spoken in broader terms. But when he speaks of those who fear God and walk in darkness and suffer terrors from their youth — as Heman did — such a person is one in a thousand. Of such a person he says, 'Who among you?' — few have any experience of such a condition. Job had friends who were certainly godly, for Job was to pray for them and God said He would hear Job on their behalf; and they likely knew many other godly people besides Job. Yet when this condition of darkness came upon Job, it was so strange and unknown to them that they concluded he must be a hypocrite — they had never experienced or heard of anything like it in others. When Christ was about to enter His agony, He would not even have many of His apostles standing nearby as witnesses, let alone sharing in it — He took only two or three.

First, because though all of God's people are fighting people and people of courage, He has only a few champions — as David, though he had many soldiers, had only a few of the mighty men. Therefore He calls only a few out to fight single combat with Satan and His wrath. Though He exercises all of His people in lighter skirmishes, He does not call all to fight such hard and bloody battles. 'Have you considered My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth' — Job God will send into the field, but not the others, his friends.

Second, as He has few champions fit and able for such an encounter, He also has a range of other trials with which to exercise them — poverty and bad reputation, imprisonment and cruel mockery, loss of property, trouble with friends. Some people have enough to bear under just one of these, and it is rare for all of them to fall on one person at once. Some spirits are so fragile that they would collapse and not be able to hold themselves together, and God never allows anyone to be tested beyond what they can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Some people have weak bodies, and if God rebuked them long for sin they would be reduced to nothing — 'He remembers that they are flesh and does not stir up all His wrath,' as David says. Some people God has immediate use for in their callings and work, and if they were driven to distraction as Heman was by continual terrors, they would be unable to function.

Third, God normally uses this kind of affliction only in extreme cases — when He meets with a very stubborn heart and a stiff, proud spirit — a hard case. As Isaiah 57:17 shows, if lesser trials would accomplish the purpose, He would not bring out the great rod. If a rod will thresh out the cummin, He does not use the threshing wheel or a flail (Isaiah 28:27). Lighter afflictions work on most of His people, through His blessing — kindness works, disgrace works, poverty works. And He does not willingly afflict (Lamentations 3:33), and therefore never unnecessarily. He does not throw men into the dungeon for every fault. Therefore few are long exercised in this way.

So do not conclude that you have no genuine grace simply because you were never terrified as some have been. Just as some have true faith and settled peace who have never tasted joy unspeakable and full of glory, so some have sound humiliation who have never known the terrors of conscience. If you see sin as the greatest misery and Christ as the greatest good, you have been humbled.

We may often preach things that concern only a few in a congregation, and yet we must preach them. There are only a few who walk long in darkness, yet it is to such that Christ preaches. Yes, and for their sake God gives gifts — 'the tongue of the learned.' God often gives a pastor after His own heart for just a few: 'I will take you one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion, and I will give you shepherds after My own heart' (Jeremiah 3:14-15). So even Christ Himself says in Luke 4:26: 'There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, yet Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon; and there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian.' So Christ says: 'I am sent to only a few.' Therefore just as we must not withhold a poor soul's portion because no one else shares in it, so the rest must not take offense but wait — as in a distribution — until their portion comes. And if any one poor soul has had his condition addressed, all the rest should give thanks.

Consider why some who are distressed in mind complain that no one has ever been in a condition like theirs — they are prone to say this, as the church does in Lamentations 1:12. The reason is that few are so troubled, and perhaps they have never known anyone who was. But still, some are and have been in the same situation. As 1 Corinthians 10:13 says: 'No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.'

Those few in congregations who walk in darkness and yet fear and obey God — God and Christ have a special eye toward them and a special care for them. You can see how He singles them out from all the rest: 'Who among you?' In Isaiah 66:2: 'But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word' — as if, though all things and all people in the world are His creatures and He cares for them all, He seems to overlook everyone else and to fix His gaze on that one person, as if there were no one else in the whole church.

The first reason is that it is Christ's very office to do this. The Spirit is upon Him for this purpose (Isaiah 61:1-3): to open the prison to those who are bound, shut up in this dungeon; to give to those who mourn beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. He is the physician and has taken on the cure (Matthew 9:12). And whom should the physician have His eye on but the sick — and especially the most sick, as those are who cannot find assurance that their sins are forgiven (Isaiah 33:14)? He is the Shepherd (Isaiah 40:11) and will care for all His sheep — He knows them by name. But for whom especially? The lambs who are weak — young Christians. 'He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes' — those who are laboring and bringing forth, as those under terror are. He will not drive them too hard, for God has charged Him to lose none of them.

Second, if His office did not move Him, His love would — for He is a merciful and compassionate high priest (Hebrews 4:15). He was tempted in every way just as we are — and especially in agony of spirit, of which He drank more deeply than anyone — and is therefore most fitted to have compassion on us in precisely that. And the more deeply someone is troubled, the more He is moved. In Isaiah 63:9: 'In all their affliction He was afflicted.' And in Jeremiah 31:20: 'Since I spoke against him, I remember him still; therefore My heart yearns for him.' When a child is sick, the mother is more troubled and attentive toward that child — her eyes and thoughts on him more than on all the rest of the household combined.

The application of this is to meet the belief that falls on all who are in darkness — that of all people, God regards them least. 'But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me' (Isaiah 49:15). So David: 'God has forgotten to be gracious.' Because they find their own hearts cold toward God, they assume His heart is cold toward them. Because they can find no love in their hearts for God, they assume He bears none toward them. But you see that Christ especially seeks out such people — overlooking all others. 'He has engraved you on the palms of His hands; every sigh of yours goes to His heart.' In Isaiah 57:15: 'I dwell with him who is broken and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble.' God is near him.

The second application is this: if God's eyes are more on us when we are in distress of spirit than at any other time, then let our eyes be on Him. 'We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.' Let our eyes be toward Him for help, as those who looked on the bronze serpent looked to be healed. Let our eyes be toward Him for service — as a servant's eyes are on their master — looking not to people, not to reputation, but keeping our eyes on God in all we do, as if there were no one else in the world whose approval we needed.

In describing God's children who are in darkness, the text chooses to identify them by fear and obedience rather than by any other grace — observe this: when God's children are under terror, the most prominent grace that appears in them is the fear of offending God and the willingness to obey Him. Other graces may be at work, but these stand out most clearly — which is why He mentions them for their comfort.

First, by way of explanation: different conditions draw out different graces. When the sunshine of God's favor melts the heart, love and obedience flowing from it are most prominent — and also godly sorrow. So Mary wept much and loved much, for much was forgiven her. On the contrary, when the sense of God's love is withdrawn and fears and terrors are spread through the heart, then fear and obedience show and discover themselves. So in Isaiah 66:2, being poor and contrite and 'trembling at His word' are joined together — trembling at every command and warning, afraid to transgress. The reason is:

Graces and the affections in which they are seated stir more or less in us depending on their objects and our awareness of them. So when the soul is most filled with conviction of sin and awareness of God's wrath, it fears most — and fear works accordingly against whatever might displease God. Hence the apostle: 'Since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire' (Hebrews 12:28-29). Therefore when we actually feel Him to be so, we should be most suspicious of ourselves if we are not all the more fearful of offending Him and obedient to Him.

The first application is one of testing: whether you are a child under wrath. Ask whether you fear more — and whether that fear produces obedience. As Christ learned obedience through what He suffered, so will you — if you have His Spirit.

The second application is to exercise graces in their proper seasons: when you are afflicted, pray; when joyful, sing psalms (James 5:13); when filled with assurance, then mourn and humble yourself (Ezekiel 16, last verse).