CHRIST the Believer’s Husband.
ISAIAH liv. 5.
_For thy Maker is thy Husband._
ALTHOUGH believers by nature, are far from GOD, and children of wrath, even as others, yet it is amazing to think how nigh they are brought to him again by the blood of JESUS CHRIST. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of any man living, fully to conceive, the nearness and dearness of that relation, in which they stand to their common head. He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Behold, says the blessed JESUS in the days of his flesh, “my mother and my brethren.” And again after his resurrection, “go tell my brethren.” Nay sometimes he is pleased to term believers his _friends_. “Henceforth call I you no longer servants, but friends.” “Our friend _Lazarus_ sleepeth.” And what is a friend? Why there is a friend that is nearer than a brother, nay, as near as one’s own soul. And “thy friend, (says GOD in the book of _Deuteronomy_) which is as thy own soul.” Kind and endearing appellations these, that undoubtedly bespeak a very near and ineffably intimate union between the LORD JESUS and the true living members of his mystical body! But, methinks, the words of our text point out to us a relation, which not only comprehends, but in respect to nearness and dearness, exceeds all other relations whatsoever. I mean that of a _Husband_. “For thy Maker is thy husband; the LORD of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of _Israel_, the GOD of the whole earth shall he be called.”
These words were originally spoken to the people of the _Jews_, considered collectively as a peculiar people, whom our LORD had betrothed and married to himself; and they seem to be spoken, when religion was on the decline among their churches; when they had, in a great measure, lost that life and power, which they once experienced; and their enemies began to insult them with a “where is now your GOD?” Such a state of things must undoubtedly be very afflicting to the true mourners in _Zion_; and put them upon crying unto the LORD in this their deep distress. He hears their prayer, his bowels yearn towards them; and in the preceding verse, he assures them, that though the enemy had broken in upon them like a flood, yet their extremity should be his opportunity to lift up a standard against him. “Fear not, (says the great Head and King of his church) for thou shalt not be ashamed (finally or totally); neither be thou confounded, (dissipated or dejected, giving up all for gone, as though thou never shouldst see better days, or another revival of religion) for thou shalt not (entirely) be put to shame;” though for a while, for thy humiliation, and the greater confusion of thy adversaries, I suffer them to triumph over thee: “For thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widow-hood any more;” _i. e._ I will vouchsafe you such another glorious gale of my blessed Spirit, that you shall quite forget your former troubled widow-state, and give your enemies no more occasion to insult you, on account of your infant-condition, but rather to envy you, and gnash their teeth, and melt away at the light of your unthought-of glory and prosperity. And why will the infinitely great and condescending JESUS deal thus with his people? Because the church is his spouse; “For, (as in the words just now read to you) thy Maker is thy husband; thy Redeemer, the Holy One of _Israel_;” and therefore he loves thee too well, to let thy enemies always trample thee under foot. “The LORD of Hosts is his name, the GOD of the whole earth shall he be called;” and therefore he is armed with sufficient power to relieve his oppressed people, and overcome and avenge himself of all their haughty and insulting foes.
This seems to be the prime and genuine interpretation of the text and context, especially if we add, that they may have a further view to the latter-day glory, and that blessed state of the church, which the people of GOD have been looking for in all ages, and the speedy approach of which, we undoubtedly pray for, when we put up that petition of our LORD’s, “thy kingdom come.”
But, though the words were originally spoken to the _Jews_, yet they are undoubtedly applicable to all believers in all ages, and, when inlarged on in a proper manner, will afford us suitable matter of discourse both for sinners and for saints; for such as know GOD, as well as for such who know him not; and likewise for those, who once walked in the light of his blessed countenance, but are now backslidden from him, have their harps hung upon the willows, and are afraid that their beloved is gone, and will return to their souls no more. Accordingly, without prefacing this discourse any farther, as I suppose that a mixed multitude of saints, unconverted sinners, and backsliders, are present here this day, I shall endeavour so to speak from the words of the text, that each may have a proper portion, and none be sent empty away.